The Maestro

by Tim Wynne-Jones

Book Overview

A Grand piano dangling from a helicopter over the desolate wilderness: to Burl Crow, on the run from his father, it offers a glimps of something rich and strange, a sign of a world beyond his own.

Burl finds himself following the piano's trajectory until, cold, wet and starving, he emerges from the bush onto an isolated lake to hear music -- piano music, unlike any he's ever heard.

It's here he meets Nathaniel Orlando Gow, the Maestro,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0888996373
• ISBN13: 9780888996374
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Groundwood Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 4.4" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 years and under
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 7

Customer Reviews

A moving story that both adults and youngsters can value

This book, written for "young adults", can be read and appreciated by people of any age. It is both unsentimental and uncompromising, yet positive in its outlook; and although it certainly has no "happy ending" it leaves the reader with a sense of hope both for the book's young hero and humanity in general. It concerns a young boy who is forced rather suddenly to confront the problems of growing up and facing a rather impersonal and uncaring adult world that offers no concessions to his youth and inexperience.This fourteen-year-old boy, Burl Crow, lives in northern Canada with his violent bully of a father and his defeated mother who has retreated into a haze of comforting medication, and is no longer able to intervene to help her son in his struggle to survive his father's abuse. Eventually the boy flees his intolerable situation and runs away from home into the forest wilderness where, although he knows a fair deal about survival in the bush, he realises he is too young to survive alone and unaided. But here, in a cottage by a lake, he encounters 'the Maestro', a strange and reclusive musician who is trying to escape from the pressures of his woldwide fame and the conventions of city life by losing himself in the solitude of the North , where he can think, compose music, and breathe free of the unwanted intrusions of society.This strange and somewhat eccentric man (the character is definitely based on the great Canadian pianist Glenn Gould; all the ideas, mannerisms and idiosyncrasies are his although the author has admitted he changed the name to avoid any disputes or restrictions imposed by the lawyers of Gould's estate) is persuaded somewhat reluctantly to offer shelter to the young boy, and they strike up an odd and hesitant friendship that you feel will ultimately benefit both the inexperienced boy who has learnt the hard way to hide his feelings and tru

Wonderful book -- for both children and adults

Maybe I'm biased about this book because the character of "The Maestro" (Nathaniel Orlando Gow) is obviously based on Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. Nope. It would still be a good book, even if the character were based on, say, Mitch Miller.Tim Wynne-Jones understands more about childhood and relationships than a lot of writers. Don't expect the usual out of this book. There is action and drama, but it is also a subtle book in many ways.

The Maestro

Tim Wynne-Jones, Canadian author, wrote "The Maestro." The novel is about a young boy named Burl Crow, who runs away from his abusive father one day, and starts an unbelievible adventure. The setting in this novel is excellent. While you are reading the novel, you can see all of the images that Tim Wynne-Jones is describing. You can see the beautiful lake, with a triangle shaped cabin sitting right along the shore, of the sandy beach. I feel that there is an important issue that needs to be looked at, Child Abuse. We need to try to bring Child Abuse to an end. I would recommend this novel to teenagers and to adults.

A BRILLIANT PIECE OF WRITING

I just finished this book -- Very original story, hauntingly well written. Fantastic read. Draws you right in and you are THERE!! I am VERY impressed with this author's talent!WOW!