BOOK REVIEW: The Fire Concerto by Sarah Landenwich

 I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The Fire Concerto by Sarah Landenwich is a stunning debut. It is a beautifully written novel of Clara Bishop, a piano virtuosa, descended from a (fictional) master composer of the 19th century and taught by a strict and violent pianist who was a musical descendant of that same composer. (Meaning she was taught by someone who was taught by the composer.) Clara’s career was derailed by injuries sustained in a fire, and by the psychological trauma of having been a child prodigy with all the associated baggage.

The novel is infused with music, but so deftly written that you needn’t be a classical musician or even a lover of classical music to understand the passion these characters feel. It explores the themes of exploitation vs supportive pressure when dealing with child prodigies. And, as its protagonist is a woman as was her teacher, it also brings to the fore the historical sexism in the musical world.

But this page-turner is also a carefully plotted mystery. In fact, it is several interwoven mysteries. Avoiding spoilers, Clara’s teacher bequeaths her an antique metronome and a cryptic notice that she should know why. Clara has no idea why. But as it becomes clear that the metronome is sought after, perhaps dangerous to possess, and has a history of its own, she is caught up in solving the puzzle.

There are so many layers to this novel, but I’m going to have to leave my review at this, because for full appreciation, you won’t want any of the plot twists revealed beforehand. It’s a contemporary novel, but with enough forays into the past that I can consider it a little bit of a historical novel, too. Read it and enjoy!