The Judges

by Eric J. Matluck

"You can't win unless you're judged." So somebody tells Mary Sorabi, and Mary is no stranger to being judged. She's a young woman, half-Indian, half-Chinese, who's a classical pianist, and plays the kind of music, music from the twentieth century, that most people hate. But that's her passion. When she wins a prestigious competition, her life changes, but rather than fill her with a sense of pride and accomplishment, it fills her with feelings of fear and claustrophobia because, suddenly, everything she does comes under scrutiny, and soon she realizes that her very existence is about to be judged. The Judges is a haunting, surreal story about prejudice, being different, pleasing others versus pleasing yourself, and being remembered versus being forgotten. In it we encounter a narrator who knows Mary but never discloses who he or she is, a man who may be a newspaper reporter and conducts a strangely twisted interview with her, excerpts of which surface throughout the novel, and, of course, the inscrutable and disturbing judges themselves.

226 pages, Paperback

Published January 17, 2023

Reviews

[Christa Sigman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had an ARC of this book. This book is an intriguing mixture of science fiction, psychological intrigue, personality introspection, and a touch of feminism. There is so much packed into this short little book. Who are the Judges? Are they real? How do our perceptions influence our choices and behaviors? While it was an easy/short read, I find that even months after reading it, I sometimes am thinking about it. I highly recommend listening to the pieces of music on the protagonist's recital either before, during or after reading the book I found the listening added a depth of understanding to her personality. Highly recommend reading this book Also the cover is gorgeous and it would make a great gift.

[Janecope · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second novel by Eric Matluck heads in a different direction than his earlier, Notes for a Eulogy.

In The Judges, Matluck presents a psychological novel about an award-winning pianist, Mary Sorabi. Mary has thrived on being judged for her skill and her choice of musical pieces. Throughout her life, she has been different from others, both in her heritage of being half Chinese and half Indian, and in her choice of modern classical compositions. She lives her life on her own terms, but winning a prestigious competition does not bring the acclaim expected.

Instead, following an interview with an odd journalist, Mary comes to find herself, her actions and her very self being judges by unseen judges who make rulings and keep a strange tally of wins and losses. Because you can't win unless you're judged.

The Judges not only has Mary questioning her motives and actions, the reader also begins questioning their behaviors. Mary faces up to her judges, but does the reader

[Giancarla Macaluso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would call The Judges, a "slow burn". It slowly unravels to reveal itself at the end ... or does it. It never seems to really fully reveal itself, just like life.
It appears so simple at first ... almost mundane but it is a very intense observation of human emotion and motivation. You want to/ need to re-read it.