Holly‘s review of Song of Seduction
Tormented by guilt. Haunted by scandal. Freed by love.
Austria, 1804
Eight years ago, composer Arie De Voss claimed his late mentor’s final symphony as his own and became an icon. But fame has a price: fear of discovery now poisons his attempts to compose a redemptive masterpiece. Until a new muse appears, intoxicating and inspiring him…
Mathilda Heidel renounced her own musical gift to marry, seeking a quiet life to escape the shame surrounding her birth. Sudden widowhood finds her tempted by song once more. An unexpected introduction to her idol, Arie De Voss, renews Mathilda’s passion for the violin–and ignites a passion for the man himself.
But when lust and lies reach a crescendo, Arie will be forced to choose: love or truth?
I’ve always been fascinated by musicians – true musicians, who live and breath musical notes. My brother is the type to always have some kind of music running through his body – his hands always moving in some strange, unconscious rhythm. Having grown up with that kind of unending musical energy – that can be both fascinating and frustrating – I think Lofty perfectly captured it.
Arie De Voss is a troubled, guilt-ridden musician struggling to shed the burdens of his past. The symphony he’s become famous for is not his own. His guilt overwhelms him, threatening his sanity. He is conflicted – he craves public acceptance, yet scorns fame and fortune. He wants only to be redeemed, something he can never be without revealing to all his shameful secret. When he meets Mathilda, he knows the first moments of peace in almost a decade. But they are overshadowed by his fear of discovery and – as his feelings for her grow – his fear of losing Mathilda.
Matilda has been shunning her gift for four long years. She is a prodigy, a virtuoso with an amazing gift for playing the violin. But she represses her gift, because she fears the passion her parents succumbed to. Once she meets Arie she has no choice but to resume. His music calls to her, and he, as a man, fascinates her. And once she picks up her violin, she can no longer deny that part of herself. She was just as conflicted and tormented as Arie, though for different reasons. She denies her musical ability because she hates the stares and whispers that accompany her gift.
Watching the two of them open up to each other was beautiful. Both characters are flawed, yet lovable. The deception Arie has been perpetuating should make us despise him, yet he’s a sympathetic character. Mathilda, too, was a sympathetic character, despite being closed off emotionally and residing just this side of martyrdom. I think their flaws are what give them such depth, and enhance the music in them to such an elevated degree.
The book encompasses everything I find fascinating about musicians and wraps them in a beautiful melody of angst, pain, betrayal, acceptance and love. I was thoroughly enchanted by everything about this novel, from the flawed characters to the flawless writing.
5 out of 5
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This book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here