Reviewed by Sudha S. Balagopal

I picked up Vikram Seth's An Equal Music with great anticipation and quite honestly, a favorable bias. I read and loved A Suitable Boy and expected more of the same from his new book. But this book is quite unlike his earlier work, for the only thing that's South Asian about it is the author! In terms of fulfilling my literary expectations, Seth has once again proved himself a master. His new novel is just as intricate and captivating, it simply takes place in a whole different world.

In An Equal Music, the characters live ensconsed in the world of Western Classical music. I love music and I love Seth's writing, so this interesting combination made for great reading. If you are a music lover, Seth's intimate look at the intense, passionate world of Classical music is a real treat. The first thing that struck me was Seth's apparent love for music and his unmistakable knowledge and familiarity with Western Classical music. The story moves through the wonderful cities of London, Vienna and Venice, which Seth brings to life vividly and enchantingly. In fact, by the end of the book I felt like I had traveled to those very cities!

But what of the characters in this world? The crux of the story revolves around Michael Holme, an English violinist who plays with a quartet called 'The Maggiore.' The novel, at its center, is a two-dimensional love story. On the one hand, there is the love between Seth's protagonist, Michael, and the beautiful and talented pianist, Julia McNicholl. The other intense love is between Michael and his violin. 

Ten years before, Julia and Michael had known each other intimately when they were both students in Vienna. And of course, she was unmarried at the time. However, their lives take different turns, such that they do not see each other for a decade. One day, Michael sees Julia on a London bus and the relationship is thereby reignited. What happens to Michael and his beloved violin and to his rediscovered love for Julia is unveiled as the story progresses.

Ironically, neither the violin nor Julia belong to Michael. When Michael sees Julia in the bus after a decade, she is married and has a son. And, the violin, his other love, was loaned to him by an old friend, Mrs. Formby. Michael feels that both Julia and the violin belong to him. That she is married does not seem to bother this crazed-with-passion character. As a reader, this fact bothered me a bit. But under any other circumstances, the novel would have ended very quickly. The fact is, Michael loves Julia madly. How are these issues resolved? Seth resolves them to the reader's satisfaction with solutions that mimic the real world. 

Seth has a wonderfully calm and lyrical style, his prose langurous and poetic. The progression of the story is slow, allowing you to sink your teeth into the novel and relish it like a full course meal as opposed to 'fast food.' Some readers may complain that there's not enough action. So, if you are expecting action and excitement, this is not the book for you. There is no 'good guy, bad guy' scenario. Only the music of life.