The Inspired is James Inverne’s debut novel, but it will be no surprise to its readers that he has decades of experience as a music journalist and writer. The novel is imbued not just with his expertise, but with a musicality that will likely have you reaching for a concerto after just a few pages.
The narrative jumps between two parallel storylines: one based on the real story of American pianist Van Cliburn, who competed in the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Competition in the USSR at the height of the Cold War; the second concerning a Russian piano student named Lillya in the US at the outbreak of the ongoing war with Ukraine. Whether or not music can help to resolve conflict is the question at the heart of both narratives.
The novel has lofty political ambitions, offering an insight into the different perspectives at the heart of global warfare. We are taken through various wars, decades and lives, including October 7 and its aftermath in the final chapters. However, at times the shifts between narrative feel too frequent and disrupt the novel’s flow. The two stories are both strong, but never quite seem fully reconciled, and almost feel like they could be separate books.
The passages that describe a piano piece being played are by far the most gripping, and I found myself becoming lost in the flow of musical description. Inverne beautifully conveys the relationship between the pianist and the notes they play, revealing to the reader the possibilities of interpretation held in a single chord. These scenes are the closest we come to understanding Van Cliburn’s elusive character.
Moreover, Inverne’s smooth and accessible writing style is a pleasure to read, particularly in its moments of light musicality. Characters caught up in war are made human and relatable, however unpredictable and dangerous they can sometimes be. Although the dialogue can occasionally feel a bit stilted, Inverne is adept at capturing inner turmoil of a person under tremendous political pressure. While we may despair for the current state of the world, Inverne reminds us that comfort can always be found in music.
The Inspired, by James Inverne, is published by Jimc Books
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