An Equal Music by Vikram Seth

Michael Holmes a violinist, recounts the recent love affair with the woman he loved and left after having a breakdown while studying in Vienna 10 years previously.  This is most definitely a musicians music book - the language and usage of complex musical themes to annotate and bring along the story is almost alienating of a non musical reader.  The relationship of Michael and Julia is bound together with their music and the instruments they play.  The story of her encroaching deafness, his incipient nervous breakdown and his relationship with the quartet that he plays most often with are almost incidental to the authors obvious interest in the music and the composers.  A number of us found the book difficult to read even if the language was beautiful.  The musical references too esoteric for most of us.

Words used to describe it:  loved the Trout, passion for music, too specialist, off key, musically indulgent, lyrical, musically elitist, passion for music not for people, uber intellectual
Marks out of 10:   between 5 and 8.5

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