Matt McAvoy Book Review

A truly lovely book, with a fascinating storyline; a classic style of mystery given a contemporary pop culture twist.  SF Hayes has created some particularly well-layered characters in The Red Concerto, as she explores the depths of human self-worth, innate aspiration and the conflicting challenge of self-actualization.  Although, at its heart, like most such books, it is a romance drama, which whilst may appear something of a spoiler, I don’t think is going to come as any surprise to anyone who reads it.  You genuinely wish Charlie and Alex well, even if you do think the former could do with a kick up the backside at times – but that is the point: he is a genius who has lost his way, corrupted by the devils of fame and fortune.  Alex is a genius of a different kind, and she has lost her way for very different reasons.  It is interesting to watch them learn about each other; the mental and emotional sparring as it slowly begins to dawn on each that their counterpart/rival in the cynical sham marriage they embark on is in fact an intellectual equal.  Their relationship could go either way, from an acrimonious chess game to a genuine realization of mutual happiness.  Watching them bounce around each other is intriguing.

Romance dramas tend to be quite fantastical in their resolution, and one thing I will say about this one is that perhaps the final chapters are a little abrupt, almost as if the author herself couldn’t wait to see the ending; in that way, perhaps its mainstream credentials come to the fore a little more, but I think this can be forgiven, because for 95% of the book it is wonderful.  Hayes’s prose and linguistic narrative are sublime at times, and the scenes in which Alex is playing and observing music are quite exquisite; you can really feel it with her – this, for me, was probably one of my favourite aspects of the whole book, and it gave a wonderful edge of class to the sardonic view of modern entertainment this book otherwise takes; Charlie and Alex’s story is a fable about the stark contrasts in quality between pop and classical culture; the latter is timeless, the former disposable and fleeting.  Hayes shows a lot of appreciation for the talents of her characters, who themselves, sadly, feel compelled to hide behind a dumbed-down façade.  It is a cynical indictment, metaphor and cautionary tale of our times. 

It is a book I recommend, intelligent, beautifully written and respectable, with a clear yearning for a depth of life which hasn’t gone, it just hides locked away within many of us.