A Greater Music by Bae SuahMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
"A Greater Music" was extremely relatable to me in various different ways, especially vis-a-vis the difficulties of having to maintain a relationship in a second language and having visa permit issues intrude upon a relationship.
But that would make it sound much more pragmatic than it is. In essence the novel compares and contrasts two relationships with two very different people (possibly a bit too obviously different), all recounted in memories that are probably reminiscent of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu. I say probably because I haven't read Proust, but that is how I imagine a novel that begins with the memories sparked by the smell of Madeleines to proceed.
"A Greater music" also plays around with time, not making everything linear. However, it doesn't go as far as Time in gray, in that, the actions actually did occur linearly, only they are remembered at different moments.
Btw, is it pedantic of me to be annoyed at the English translator for having written "Erich invited M and I to his birthday party" (p. 80)? Oh well, I'll be pedantic. That annoyed me.
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