The Upright Piano Player / David Abbott - 3.5***

[Book Concierge]

The Upright Piano Player – David Abbott
3.5***

This work of literary fiction is a striking debut. Abbott gives us the story of Henry Cage, a successful businessman who seems to have it all: a fine home, a successful career, and a reputation for being a principled and upstanding man. But his outward success hides personal failure. Just as he has retired, his ex-wife has moved to America, his relationship with his only son is strained to the point of estrangement, and he’s the victim of a random act of violence which escalates into a long-term stalking and harassment.

There are small glimmers of hope for Henry, just as there are set-backs. He learns his ex-wife is quite ill, and he agrees to visit her in Florida, and he begins to repair his relationship with his son and to get to know and love his grandson. But he remains alone and separate, even when with those he holds dear.

One thing that did bother me, however, was how Abbott structured the tale. He begins with a chapter set in 2004. We witness Henry’s reactions to a tragedy. Then he goes back to 1999. This kind of foreshadowing is done frequently, but somehow Abbott’s use of this structure left me with more questions than answers.



LINK to my review