Si la tienda de antigüedades de la familia es todo un universo para el niño Adrià, el despacho del padre es el centro de ese universo y su tesoro más preciado un magnífico violín Storioni, en cuyo estuche aún se aprecia la sombra de un crimen cometido muchos años atrás. La infancia y la adolescencia de Adrià, llena de preguntas sin respuesta, de juegos solitarios y de falta de calor, está dedicada al estudio de la historia y de las lenguas, tal como quiere el padre, y a la práctica del violín, siguiendo los deseos de la madre. Pero un accidente acabará con la vida del padre, sumiendo a Adrià en un estado de culpabilidad y llenando su mundo de secretos y turbios misterios que tardará muchos años en despejar.

Ένα λογοτεχνικό κομψοτέχνημα και μία αναγνωστική εμπειρία από αυτές που δεν έχουμε συχνά την ευκαιρία να απολαύσουμε. ( )

Imprescindible, una obra mestra de la Literatura catalana actual. ( )

Dédicacé

Spanning 6 centuries, but not in chronological order, with at least 50 major characters (I did not notice the helpful Dramatis Personae until I had finished the book) and multiple changes of voice, sometimes within the same paragraph, this is a book that demands commitment and attention. But if you can persevere, if you can reject the little voice telling you to put the book aside as you struggle to remember who a particular character, who has just reappeared, briefly, after 100 pages, might be, then it is very rewarding. Because there is a reason why Adrià Ardèvol's memoirs are so rambling and confused, and once you realise what that is, the key to the puzzle is unlocked

There is no need to rehash the plot, as other reviewers have done that. But it seems to me there are a few key themes. 1) the slipperiness of memory 2) the passion, but the ultimate pointlessness of the collection of precious objects 3) the difficulties of legacy and perhaps most importantly, the terror of emotional connection.

Adria's life would for most of us, seem unsatisfyingly cramped and narrow, successful academic though he might be. Most of us would have more sympathy for his friend Bernal, a perfectly competent violinist who would prefer to be a bad writer. Adria's father, Felix would terrify us all. We would also share the justifiable contempt most of the female characters have for the useless men.

So do read it, but you need to have the mental space to engage with it properly. And compliments to the translator... it can't have been easy to make such a seamless translation ( )