The Secret Chord

by Geraldine Brooks

Traces the arc of King David's journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage.

• ISBN10: 0670025771
• ISBN13: 9780670025770
• Publish Date: 6 October 2015
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Imprint: Viking
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[pamela]

I'm a huge fan of Geraldine Brooks. To date, 'People of the Books' is one of my favourite books. 'The Secret Chord' did not disappoint. It is a vibrant and emotional look at Jewish history through the biblical David. Where Brooks really excels where very few writers do is in conveying a sense of the ancient past using contemporary language. While the names are biblical, the writing style was not, and yet she still masterfully conveys a sense of time and place. The plot was gritty and dark, and the characters were engaging and well realised. Geraldine Brooks is truly a master of the genre.

[Beth C.]

King David. A man like any other, though one who triumphs and fails in spectacular fashion. One whose life lives on in the words of the Bible. Yet, there is so much more to a life than what any Bible can capture - particularly a life such as his. In "The Secret Chord", Geraldine Brooks attempts to show the reader who David may have been as a person. Not just what was captured in the Bible, but his whole life. His motivations, his character, his flaws...everything that defined who he was. Written from the perspective of his ever-present courtier and prophet, Nathan (Natan in the book), "The Secret Chord" largely succeeds in its goal.

I will be frank - I came to this book not because I was really all that interested in David. I grew up in a religious household, and am familiar with him, but I am not what I would deem "religious" these days. I actually decided to read this book because I had loved Brooks' "People of the Book" and wanted to read another of her books. So that perspective may color my review. I am not interested in exact historical accuracies as compared to the Bible (though from what I remember, she did an excellent job with that as well). I *am* interested in learning more about what makes people function, and such a large character as King David is no different.

Brooks starts the book by creating the opportunity for Natan to write David's history. Not only does David give permission for Natan, he sends out orders to those who might resist speaking to the prophet. As was usually the case, there was more to David's agreement than was originally apparent...but that comes later (I don't do spoilers). From there, the book covers David's whole life - from conception to his pronouncement of Solomon as king, and everything in between. It is honest and unflinching about David's faults, while still celebrating his accomplishments.

As a book, it is very well written. The prose might be a bit wordy or slow for some, but it seemed to fit the subject well to me. King David is believed to have composed a large part of the Book of Psalms in the Bible, and as such, would have been the worse for wear if the writing had been too heavy-handed. And while David is the largest part of the book, those around him shine as well. Their characters have been fully fleshed out and contribute to the book as a whole.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what I would end up thinking about the book. While I went in knowing it was centered around a character in the Bible, I was hoping it wouldn't be...pushy...about the religion. It was far from that. Yes, his beliefs do figure largely into the book, as was necessary, but it never veers into preaching territory. Brooks had a very fine line to walk in that regard, and she did it quite well. Overall, I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed the novel. I stayed up late to finish, even knowing the eventual outcome. Kudos to Brooks for delivering such an excellent story, based on someone many people might have different opinions about, without crossing into either woe-is-me or pushy territory. Definitely a book I will recommend to others, Christian or not, simply for the amazing story contained within.