Customer Reviews

Antonietta

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

John Hersey was a wonderful author and so I really expected more from Antonietta. What began as a whimsical flight into fantasy quickly goes downhill after the first section. Unfortunately, it continued its downhill slide, with each succeeding section being a little less magical than the first. Antonio Stradivari, upon seeing the woman he instantly falls in love with and must marry, begins to create a special violin in her honor. As he works, the violin becomes infused with his emotions and thereafter, its music has the power to affect all who hear it. While Stradivari's section of the book is magic, Mozart's is less so, and Berlioz's even less. By the time we finish, Antonietta has definitely taken backstage to a string of boring, insipid and lucklustre characters with the truly deplorable Spenser Ham being, by far, the worst. And other than the first section involving Stradivari, I didn't find anything sexy or romantic about this book. I fully expected to be charmed by Antonietta and was truly disappointed instead. When one considers what a tremendous novelist Hersey was, this book becomes all the more sad. If you're looking for the first-rate reading of other Hersey novels, such as A Bell For Adano, Hiroshoma, The Wall and The White Lotus, you won't find it here.

I read "The Wall" a very long time ago, and recently discovered and read "White Lotus" and was absolutely bowled over by both. I was thrilled, after two such wonderful books to find "Antoinetta" and anticipated another masterpiece!

Unfortunately, I have to admit that a very rare thing happened for me....I couldn't make myself finish this book. I found the characters flat and unbelievable, the plot ridiculous and the whole thing a total bore! I grant you, this may not be a fair hearing (since I only finished about half the book) but since it isn't a very long novel, I didn't think that even if I had read to the end that there were enough pages left for the author to "redeem" the first boring half. Perhaps a glass of chardonnay, as another reviewer has suggested would have "mellowed" my feelings about this book, but I think not.

John Hersey shines in Antonietta. He shows us he is both a creative genius and a skilled writer. Each section is poetic as he leads us through the life of a violin. It seems odd that the most romantic book I have ever read turns out to be a book about a violin. This violin is the epitomy of love and adoration. It is unique and sexual, and capable of inspiring a love so powerful that its fingers reach outstretched towards the souls of various generations. Hersey starts with the tale of a widowed man intent on making violins as best as he possibly can. The saga begins when he sees a widowed woman he must marry. He begins on a new violin, and carves a Cupid on it, which marks it in the coming years. When he hears that he has been refused her hand in marriage, he is angered and his hand slips, flawing the violin. Later, he beckons her, showing her the violin he has made from her inspiration although it is still unfinished. The violin is capable of a sound unlike any other, and in the years to come it changes hands and players, each with their own story, each with their own passion. This novel is worth reading, and tells a tale that will deepen one's love for love as well as deepen one's love for music. It appeals to any age, because the story is so universal. I truly recommend it. It brings with it the conciseness of Hersey's Hiroshima along with the undeniable eloquence of Mozart's pieces.

OK, so it's probably the only sexy book about a violin ever written. If anyone ever decides to write another one, reading this will convince them to not bother. This is an overlooked gem by an overlooked master. I think that John Hersey has long been the most under-appreciated American writer. This wonderful fable is a great introduction to his works. Ever spend a summer day at a beach house with a good Chardonnay and a book? If you haven't you should; and this is the prefect book for that day. The story is simple: in 1699 the 55 year old Stradivari is in a slump. His wife, a detestable woman whose children couldn't even tolerate her, has been dead for several months. The liberation should have inspired him, yet strangely he has been unable to produce a violin of value. Then he sees her. A young widow passes by, he instantly falls passionately in love with her. Inspired he creates his most remarkable violin. He asks the widow's family for her hand, they refuse, when he hears of the refusal his hand slips scarring the violin. One day Stradivari's son plays the violin. The music inspires every one in the town to have the most passionate sexual experience of their lives. I won't give away any more, you have to read the book. If the outline above isn't enough to get your attention...The story isn't even the best part of the book. I can't say enough about the beauty of Hersey's prose. He could have written an owners manual for a chisel and it would be a great read. The first section reads like poetry. Hersey then follows the violin through more owners until modern times. Each subsequent section is written in a different style, fitting its theme, Hersey masters them all.

Hersey has written many outstanding works, from White Lotus to A Bell for Adano. This work, while still displaying his talent for putting words on a page that can engross and involve the reader, is, unfortunately, not one of his best.

The work is structured around the conceit of following the happenings of a single violin from its conception and construction by Stradivari through various owners right through to modern times. The first section, with its strong characterization of Stradivari himself and his two sons, and detailing the loving care with which the violin was put together, is perhaps the best, as it does seem to capture the magical feelings that a superb instrument in the hands of a master can invoke in all within hearing range.

But after this first section, Hersey seems to lose his way. Each section is composed in a different style of presentation, from a dialog of letters between Mozart and his acquaintances, a multiple point-of-view look at Stravinsky, to a screenplay about a modern Wall Street wheeler-dealer. Clearly this was meant to be a counter-point to the many voices that the violin itself can produce, but it doesn't totally work. Perhaps this due to the fact that the people being portrayed are simply not all that likeable - this is especially true of the last section, where we are really looking at a white-collar criminal whose understanding of music is minimal. In-between each major section is an `Intermezzo', where Hersey details some of the real historical facts about his characters, along with some made-up `facts' about this particular violin. These sections are interesting and do provide some continuity, and highlight for me anyway the fact that Hersey started as a journalist and this method of detailing a story is his strongest.

This book may have been the inspiration for the movie The Red Violin, but if so, it was for the basic conceit only, as all the details of the movie are different from those of this book. In some ways, the movie is better, for the simple reason that you get to hear a real superb violin in the hands of a master. While Hersey valiantly attempts to bring that aural experience to the pages of this book, it's really an impossible task.


Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

I found this book at a book sale. It was an older version and the pages were slightly discolored and it definently smelled like an old book (which I must admit, draws me in a bit) and I said "wow, a book about a violin! that's awesome!" So I bought it (it was only $1) because I thought I should try it. I ended up reading it for a school book project. It was amazing! I play the violin so I found the first section (when he was making the violin) quite interesting. It was nice to know how every thing goes together! I read the Mozart section in maybe an hour, he particularly interests me. I had also heard the Soldier's Tale by Stravinsky the summer before at a local concert. I also know the Island of Martha's Vineyard rather well, and it is featured in the last section of the book. The book was very cleverly put together. This violin went all over the place, which the author tells you about in the Intermezzos. All in all, I would highly recommend this book, Antonietta by John Hersey.

It is interesting, the volatility of the reviews on this book. I love music and also woodworking. I own a fully carved German contra-bass primarily as my portal to that world, of luthiers, composers and musicians. This book is magnificent within this context and i ravished in it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who can be seduced by such. The Red Violin is purportedly based upon this book, but if ever a screenplay was an abomination of its forefather, that was it. Without regard to Red Violin, this could be one of your favorite books. Highly recommended to those with similar loves !