Book review: The Gustav Sonata
At the core of her finely crafted tales are seemingly unremarkable characters whose inner lives throw a subtle light on the way human beings think and feel.
In The Gustav Sonata, two boys forge a lifelong friendship in post-war Switzerland.
They’re very different.
Gustav spends his harsh childhood trying to win the love of his emotionally stunted mother.
Talented musician Anton is the much-loved only child of a Jewish family.
The counterpoint to their evolving relationship is the history of Switzerland’s conduct during World War Two.
There are few great dramas here, just a moving study of human emotions that’s full of compassion for even its most unappealing characters.
Rose Tremain
