The Ensemble by Aja Gabel
The Ensemble by Aja Gabel
"What an utterly gorgeous(both literally and figuratively) and immersive book this is! The stars of Gabel's debut novel - Jana, Brit, Daniel, and Henry - are members of a professional string quartet that forms in the early '90's and manages to withstand success, failure, and various major life changes. These character's' choices to tie their careers to each other has far-reaching effects , and Gabel does a beautiful job exploring the fallout. This is a book filled with love - romantic, platonic, and love of music - and it's a complete wonder to read." - Recommended by Erika
$26.00
ISBN: 9780735214767
Availability: Unavailable
Published: Riverhead Books - May 15th, 2018
Jana. Brit. Daniel. Henry. They would never have been friends if they hadn't needed each other. They would never have found each other except for the art which drew them together. They would never have become family without their love for the music, for each other.Brit is the second violinist, a beautiful and quiet orphan; on the viola is Henry, a prodigy who's always had it easy; the cellist is Daniel, the oldest and an angry skeptic who sleeps around; and on first violin is Jana, their flinty, resilient leader. Together, they are the Van Ness Quartet. After the group's youthful, rocky start, they experience devastating failure and wild success, heartbreak and marriage, triumph and loss, betrayal and enduring loyalty. They are always tied to each other - by career, by the intensity of their art, by the secrets they carry, by choosing each other over and over again.
Following these four unforgettable characters, Aja Gabel's debut novel gives a riveting look into the high-stakes, cutthroat world of musicians, and of lives made in concert. The story of Brit and Henry and Daniel and Jana, The Ensemble is a heart-skipping portrait of ambition, friendship, and the tenderness of youth.