In 2016 I reviewed a book by Leona Francombe, The Sage of Waterloo. A wonderful tale, and a different perspective on the battle of Waterloo, from the view of a white rabbit. Leona's new book is out; The Universe in 3/4 Time, which I am currently reading (review will follow). Leona is not only a writer but also a classical pianist and composer, so when she enters into the musical world in her story, she knows what she is talking about.
When a mysterious World War II piano appears on a Brussels street one winter’s night, no one could have imagined the events it would set in motion—least of all Audrey Nightingale, the pianist who comes across it. The instrument, of finest rosewood, bears the name of an obscure Czech manufacturer, and inside it, someone carved a Pythagorean symbol.
Audrey convinces two musician friends to help her make sense of this portentous discovery. At the heart of their quest is an extraordinary man: Konstantine Zar, charismatic philosopher-musician from Prague who, during the darkest months of the Occupation in the 1940s, mesmerized his fellow students at the Brussels Conservatory with ideas of universal harmony and the redemptive power of music—antique concepts once revered that must, Zar urged, be revived, to counter the depravity and violence into which Europe was slipping.
From the cobbled backwaters of old Brussels to a Black Forest hideaway… from ghostly Prague to a remote cabin in the Pyrenees, Audrey and her companions set off to uncover the explosive truths behind the abandoned piano, a journey that illuminates not only Zar and his miraculous love story, but also forgotten secrets of music known to the ancients.
Leona informs me that if you are interested in this literary adventure, there will be an eBook promotion on Amazon.com and Amazon UK from 17 to 20 September. (The paperback version will still be available.) Leona also has a website where you can read more about her and her work.
And what about the cover? Magical and absolutely beautiful.
This sounds mesmerizing and fascinating. I think I might check it out more thoroughly. Thanks, Lisbeth!
ReplyDeleteI found the idea of finding a piano on the street quite fascinating. I am currently reading it and finding it very interesting. Hope you will like it if you read it.
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