rin Rushton is a virtuosa of the rare glass harmonica, an instrument
developed by Benjamin Franklin shortly before the American Revolution.
Traveling from city to city, Erin plays music composed by her twin brother,
Charlie, making public appearances to further their interdependent careers.
It is a demanding lifestyle, made more so by the myths surrounding the
glass harmonica. In these stories, those who play the instrument are doomed
either to go mad or to die horribly.
Folk tales about the harmonica should be the furthest thing from Erin's
mind. She is 23 years old, rapidly outgrowing her celebrity image
as a child prodigy. What's more, Charlie--who has been using a wheelchair
since he was eight--is about to enter a new treatment program. He may
endanger his health in his determination to learn to walk. But when she plays the glass harmonica, strange occurrences distract Erin from these down-to-earth concerns. A young, dark-haired woman hovers on the edge of her vision, and she begins to fear for her sanity after all.
The phantom, however, is not a delusion. Erin is in contact with Eilish
Eam, an orphaned musician living in Benjamin Franklin's household. In London in the year 1761, Eilish helps Franklin develop and tune the harmonica. Life
with the inventor is safer and more comfortable than any she has ever
known, but the more time she spends with the instrument, the worse her
health becomes. Frail and alone, she has only her music to console her, and
she refuses to give it up.
Will Erin discover the mystery behind her visions of Eilish? Or will
someone decide she has fallen prey to the glass harmonica's curse?
Mixture of hope and despair
In The Glass Harmonica, author Louise Marley makes excellent use
of her experience in the world of professional music. The small world of
the concert circuit in 2018, which dominates Erin and Charlie's lives, is
vivid and fascinating. Readers will hear the lushly described music played
by both women as Erin and Eilish wrestle with the glass harmonica's alleged
demons.
While this novel is less overtly radical than Marley's The Terrorists
of Irustan, The Glass Harmonica is not for the faint of heart.
Serious concerns dominate the story: slavery, poverty and physical
disability are front and center. Much of the action takes place in
near-future Seattle, and although the city is brighter and safer than its
current real-world counterpart, this progress has come at a horrifying
cost. Similarly, Franklin's achievement in creating the glass harmonica
takes a heavy toll on Eilish, who receives no credit for the invention.
The message is chillingly relevant.
Having said that, the book demonstrates a lighter touch than in Irustan. Marley mixes the tragedy with a good dose of romance, and even her least likable characters reveal admirable hidden qualities. She plays with the parallels between Erin and Eilish's lives in a manner delicate yet explicit. This balancing act holds through the end of the book, harmonizing elements of triumphant success and mournful loss.
By turns sobering and delightful, The Glass Harmonica is a novel
that will haunt readers long after they have moved on to less complex
fare.
