This well written and ambitious novel, which won the Whitbread First Novel Prize in 1989, takes as it's starting point the Amazon cruise Sir Edward Elgar took in 1923 following the death of Lady Elgar. From this material it shapes a discourse on the life of Elgar and the importance of art and culture in our society. As a insight into this fascinating but little known event in Elgar's life the novel works wonderfully well and will be an enjoyable read for all fans of Elgar's music. But does the real Elgar emerge from these pages? Does the music gain from these insights? Are British attitudes to life, art and culture suitably illuminated? Yes and no. If the novel fails it is only that it's ambition ultimately exceeds the ability to deliver in so few pages. In a time of mass market pot boilers written to sell and with very little purpose beyond the commercial this is almost no failure at all! ( )

Edward Elgar as the main character of a novel? Hamilton-Paterson had the courage and talent to pull it off rather convincingly. Bravo ( )

One of those plodding intellectual novels that meander through random events without much clue to meaning or purpose. This is about an aging composer of the first rank, with talent and zest for life ebbing over the years, on an impulsive cruise to the Amazon where he encounters a woman from his past who knows him better than he knows himself. An award-winning first novel, well-written, but demanding too much effort for the reward. ( )