Editorial & Readers’ Reviews

“The tempestuous and controversial life and career of great Russian composer Tchaikovsky is the subject of Adin Dalton’s long and ambitious new novel, which follows Pyotr Ilyich for many years as one after another of his great works flow from his pen. The dramatization of these creative processes is one of the strongest threads running through the book, at times quite thrilling to read. Even more compelling is Dalton’s most potentially controversial choice, which is to take the reader into the long-censored and still-controversial homosexual life of the composer. Dalton liberally mixes extensive research into Tchaikovsky’s daily life with a sensitive and equally well-researched understanding of the musicology of the composer and his peers in 19th-century St. Petersburg.
The confident sweep of the novel includes dozens of secondary characters, with the result being one of the best treatments of Tchaikovsky, fiction or nonfiction, ever written in English. The intelligently-handled theme of pre-20th-century homosexuality will come as a revelation to many readers. Enthusiastically recommended.” ~The Historical Novel Society

“Never before have I experienced a famous and beloved personage “fleshed out” so tenderly, so lovingly as Adin Dalton has done with the incomparable Tchaikovsky. She has undertaken an immense challenge and has succeeded masterfully. She brought Pyotr Ilyich to life so intimately that I could barely bring myself to read the ending. She has put forth a very plausible scenario of how things could have gone. The sexual aspects are written with great honesty and most delicately. Yes. Read this book.” ~E. Clark

“A very artistic novel, even when dealing with the struggles, pain and demons that Tchaikovsky dealt with in life, love, and death.” ~The Kindle Book Review

“It is a work of art, written in novel style rather than non-fiction and it works extremely well.” ~The Online Book Club

“Imagination and real facts, weaved into a beautiful story… This book is a work of fiction about Tchaikovsky’s life. It based on research with the author’s imagination added in order to re-imagine Tchaikovsky’s personal life. It is well written with a lot of affection for the composer. Homosexuality was not accepted during Tchaikovsky’s lifetime, and we get a glimpse into the attitudes of the time. The book has some sexual content, but it is beautifully written. I thought it gave me a new insight into one of my favorite composers and some of the inspirations behind his beautiful music.” -Ali Julia, #1 HALL OF FAME REVIEWER -TOP 500 REVIEWER OF AMAZON BOOKS

“The pages just keep turning and turning. [This novel] is a cinematic, in-depth exploration of the life of one of the greatest figures in the history of classical music, which offers gripping, dramatic details about his professional and personal life, shedding light on things only whispered about at a certain point. I like and applaud the fact that the author chose to discuss the homosexuality of Tchaikovsky… if the records state its existence, sweeping it under the carpet would be covering up historical fact. Those who fret upon this need not worry, it’s done tastefully and not insisted too much upon. The story of Tchaikovsky is that of a creative, sensitive, brilliant outsider, and Ms. Dalton weaves it with much skill and gusto, in the vein of Irving Stone. Readers will feel as though walking with Pyotr Ilyich from conservative, homely Russia, to dearly decadent Paris or boisterous New York. Their hearts will go out to him as he experiences the struggle of being different. They will see him at work on his masterpieces, and learn what it was like to actually be Tchaikovsky. How did women influence him? What is the story behind all the music? How did he actually die? (WOW ending!). All these questions find their answers in the pages of this triumph of biographical fiction which is the best Russian novel by a non-Russian I’ve come across. It is my honor to give it 10 out of 5 stars!” ~Alex Szollo

“As a lifelong admirer of Tchaikovsky’s ballet music, I never dreamed that the man’s life was so tragic, as his music always recalls a room-sweeping loveliness. The novel was both illuminating and an engaging read as I found myself constantly learning about a new facet of his life and career. As the author meticulously details the setting and the peripheral characters, the tragic culmination of the novel resonates especially hard in a devastating manner, not only for the famous composer but for the people he cared for, the ones history forgot. I highly recommend this novel, even if one is not a fan of the composer, and please do not be deterred by the length as the human drama, which is the primary concern of the novel, is so captivating that you’ll find yourself at the end before you know it.” ~Annie Lee

“I enjoyed the style of writing, the personal themes developed around his disastrous marriage, and the composer’s progressive movement into the upper echelons of Russian society as that society moved into its final phases. Adin Dalton has written a fascinating book that I found hard to put down.” ~R. Rogers

“Thank you so much for writing this novel, I did not want it to end. It really took me away allowing me to be the proverbial fly on the wall of Pyotr Ilyich’s life. One can easily see the tender care that went into writing such an intimate story. I especially enjoyed being able to interrupt my reading to check the internet for the proper setting or mood. Looking up a particular piece of music and hearing part, if not all of it. Checking out characters and seeing what they looked like or how they dressed. It was so much fun! ~M. Paschal

“If you love classical music and/or Tchaikovsky, then you should read this biographical novel. The author makes the man come alive. A man who loved deeply, and despite his inner demons, created some of the most beautiful music ever written.” ~Edward C. Payne III