This is one I ran across while shelving books at the library. I opened a page at random and found myself reading about the trial of a young man accused of murdering a monk at a Zen retreat. I read a couple of pages with interest, then put the book on the shelf, determined to remember to check it out later. (I do this a lot. Most of the time, I immediately forget which book it is and never find it again. This time, I managed to fix the author in my mind.)

The trial turns out to be only one of a number of threads running through the book, which is the story of a man who was a famous child prodigy on the cello, but who found himself by the age of 18 unable to play any more. Now a music professor, he continues to practice his cello six hours a day, determined to regain his former ability. The story weaves seamlessly between his childhood as a concert cellist and his present life, including his experience as a juror on a murder trial, and as the private teacher of a young Korean boy whose musical gift reminds the narrator of his own past. It was engaging, gentle and thoughtful, and I'm glad I remembered to go back and pick it up! ( )

I thought this was the movie tie-in, but apparently there's two books with this title. It was o.k. A little odd.

Recommended by Elizabeth Schwartz; "Young Adult" fiction

Renne Sundheimer is a child of German refugees who live in the United States. As a small child, he displays an exceedingly rich talent for music and is offered the opportunity to study cello. Renne's life, rigidly controlled by his mother, is one of social isolation as he is forced to devote most of his free time to practicing his music. As an adult, he becomes a performer until his talent with pitch deteriorates so that he can no longer perform and has to turn to teaching music as a profession. One day Renne is issued a summons to court where he is selected as a juror for a murder trial, a startling situation completely out of this musician's realm and familiarity.

I found this novel to be extremely moving and believable. The mood of melancholy throughout the book, especially the part about Renne’s relationship with fellow juror Maria Teresa, touched me deeply. Although music was this man’s companion, it didn’t seem if that were enough. There were times, in reading Renne’s story, that I wished I could have reached through the pages of this novel and offered a hand of friendship.

Some readers have criticized this novel for moving too slowly. I didn’t feel that way. To me, it simmered. By being kept on a low flame, its flavor was made all the richer. The story worked perfectly for me in a way which now has me wanting to seek out further works by its talented author. ( )

Salzman's novel is no doubt a well crafted one, balancing a simple slice-of-life style story with a bit of philosophy and a liberal dose of music. The book is incredibly well-paced, and makes for a nice, leisurely read.

Unfortunately, the protagonist was, to put it gently, terribly dull. I had a hard time immersing myself in the story when the narrator was so flat and lifeless. I could chalk this up to his history as a failed child prodigy, but most of the novel's characters were equally as plain. The most interesting in the story, Kynug-hee, is given the least amount of attention.

In short, The Soloist is a fine piece of writing with a lot to offer (musicians and music aficionados will find it particularly interesting), but its Achilles heel lies in its mediocre characters. ( )