The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason

Set in the 1800s, the Piano Tuner is a well written novel about an ordinary man who journey’s to the remote jungles of Burma on an odd mission from the British military. There he experiences sights and sounds that he had never seen before, met many interesting people and discovered a source of excitement that was missing from his bland life.

Without revealing any spoils, I found the ending of this book highly engaging, but it still served as a poor penance for the uneventful, unexciting story leading up to it. I found the main character lacking any charm or personality whatsoever. In a sense, I found him distasteful and selfish for leaving his wife behind while seeking adventure. And all through his journey, he did nothing to change his attitude, nothing to prove his worth as a character who deserved respect and admiration.

Though I dislike giving negative reviews, I cannot recommend this book to anyone, but I’m sure others will have different opinions.