Silver Swan

by Elena Delbanco

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

The plot for The Silver Swan was a strange combination of the films Intermezzo and Serendipity. Being a staunch classic film admirer, I would never dream of pairing Kate Beckinsale and Leslie Howard together but in this case, with a crazed composer and the makings of a wrong place wrong time subplot I think it would work.

While the story may have started out predictable it soon took a different turn. Greed was a major theme in Delbanco's plot. Marianna, unable to cope with the loss of the priceless instrument devises a plan, turning what could have been the film Serendipity into a fast-paced heist story.

I found Francine and in turn her son Claude to be reminiscent of the Sackville-Baggins. In The Lord of the Rings, Lobelia awaits the day when she will inherit Bag End and bides her time counting the silver with her idiotic son Lotho following in her wake. While she loses out upon Bilbo's disappearance; the gloating she exhibits when acquiring it from Frodo before his perilous quest is enough to make one vomit. This is exactly how I felt whenever Francine and Claude entered the room.

Marianna did not fare much better in my book; I thought she was a spoiled brat and was also difficult to like. Truthfully, I don't have much to say about her and would liken her to the Hobbit Merry, while he is a smart Halfling will always play second fiddle to Pippen and his antics.

Alexander Feldman, of course, is the unseen Sauron. He is always present with continuous control over what is precious, only disappearing when wickedness is set ablaze.

Despite the numerous pop culture references, The Silver Swan was a novel all its own and was quickly enraptured by the music it produced.