A Mexican cellist ruminates on the connection between music and the human heart after the death of her ex-husband in the latest novel by Glantz (Family Tree)
, an eloquent, erudite meditation on the link between mortality and the nature of art. Nora García returns to the Mexican village where she lived long ago with Juan, a pianist who has just died of heart failure. As friends and relatives gather for his wake, Nora remembers her marriage with Juan and their mutual devotion to music, providing a trenchant, insightful analysis of the classical composers whose music framed their lives. Delving into Schubert, 17th-century cardiology, and Roland Barthes, Nora's essay-like, internal narrative draws parallels between the rhythm of the human heart and the pulse that is present in all great music as she tries to fathom Juan's death. Glantz's intellectual rigor and her passion for music balance the static plot, which Glantz enlivens at novel's end with the final backdrop of the wake. This inventive, cerebral book may be too esoteric for readers who prefer character or plot-driven stories, but those looking for a novel of ideas will find rewards. (Sept.)
