The Silver Swan

March 30, 2015
Delbanco’s whirlwind debut novel immediately immerses readers in the rarefied world of classical music performance. Alexander Feldmann is a world-renowned cellist and the owner of the Silver Swan, a famous centuries-old cello. When he dies, his daughter, Mariana, who had been an up-and-coming cellist herself, assumes that she is going to inherit it. Much to her surprise, her father leaves it to Claude Roselle, a handsome young cellist whom Feldmann dubs his musical heir. Mariana is furious, but she and Claude spend time together to try to understand her father’s decision, and in the process they become lovers. Mariana wants to trust Claude and his intentions, but she is wary, having become accustomed to the egotism and selfishness of top-tier musicians. They draw each other into a web of deception in pursuit of the Swan. Delbanco’s father was a famed cellist, and her immersion in that world is evident on every page. While some aspects of the plot are predictable, readers with an enthusiasm for classical music will be swept away by this detailed, enthralling tale.

March 15, 2015
Delbanco's debut novel explores the complications of love and family and the conflicts associated with possession, material and otherwise. Mariana is the daughter of famed cellist Alexander Feldmann, who plays a one-of-a-kind Stradivarius known as the Silver Swan. Once a promising soloist, Mariana abandoned her career and now cares for her ailing father. After Alexander dies, Mariana is devastated to learn of his longtime affair with the mother of one of his students, Claude Roselle, who is now a rising European talent about to make his New York debut. To make matters worse, Alexander has willed the treasured Swan to none other than Claude. Claude, for his part, is a bit stymied. He is ecstatic to own this rare and invaluable instrument, and he finds himself intrigued by Mariana. Their relationship quickly evolves into a passionate, if contentious, affair. Delbanco's lively tale alternates between the points of view of Mariana and Claude, as the two are forced to confront their desires while dealing with the expectations forced upon them and secrets from the past and present that inevitably collide.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)