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The Piano Tuner: A Novel
 

The Piano Tuner: A Novel (Vintage)

by Daniel Mason

In 1886 a shy, middle-aged piano tuner named Edgar Drake receives an unusual commission from the British War Office: to travel to the remote jungles of northeast Burma and there repair a rare piano belonging to an eccentric army surgeon who has proven mysteriously indispensable to the imperial design. From this irresistible beginning, The Piano Tuner launches its protagonist into a world of... (read more)

Top tags: historical fiction,  fiction,  book club,  burma,  asia (all tags)

Readers

Groups

  • Southeast Asia Discussion Group
  • Southglen - Gentlewoods Book Club Discussion Group
  • River Falls Second Sunday Book Club Discussion Group
  • DENVER METRO OVER 50 BOOKLUNCH CLUB Discussion Group
  • Novel Women! Discussion Group
  • Hong Kong Book Club Discussion Group

Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

Annabelle
  • Rated 5 stars

“The Piano Tuner has the kind of vivid storytelling which sometimes makes me wonder whether I saw, rather than read the story. It's really all about the piano, a gem of a (grand!) piano meandering through the wet, lush jungles of 19th century Burma. Fathom that.”

Annabelle’s full review »
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Didn’t Like It

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
Lord Manleigh
  • Rated 2 stars

“Prettily written, but immediately forgotten.”

Lord Manleigh’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 3.538461 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 3.875 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • nangaay

    nangaay said:

    “Fascinating book. I read this from my libray but I'd love to get a copy. The book is an amazing story of a piano tuner plucked out of his comfortable life and plunged into colonial, army life in the jungles of Burma. The book is an amazing read but the end may leave you feeing disappointed.”

    posted Friday, June 20 2008
  • beadology

    beadology said:

    “My neighbor gave me this. I never would have chosen it as a book I wanted to read. I got to about page 60 and put it down. Too many other books I want to read.”

    posted Thursday, March 6 2008
  • Jeslyn R

    jeslyn r said:

    “What can I say? Not many books keep me reading from evening until morning without sleep....this one did. Love the style, descriptive ability, beautiful command of language and imagery - Daniel Mason made the destinations so ALIVE; from the definition ("fugue") that starts off Chapter 1, I knew I was in for a fascinating journey - and I wasn't disappointed. Mason's control of pace is fantastic - the transformation and TRANSPORTATION of Edgar, from his meek and predictable life in London to the wild and bewildering Asian outpost, with the glorious and otherworldly stops along the way, is brilliantly written - there is a necessary slowness in parts, but Mason ratchets up the tension with such skill that it feels like a literary freight train building up steam and ultimately tearing over the track. However, I think the best part about this read is all that is below the surface - it's like peeling an onion, layer after layer of meaning; nothing is simply surface here. The analogies kept me thinking about the book long after I finished, and I'm looking forward to plenty more from this author.”

    posted Wednesday, November 7 2007
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