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Erin’s Song by M.T. Oates Review by Roseanna White All of us have had the experience of being moved by a piece of music. Sometimes it is in the lifting of our spirits, sometimes the weeping of our souls, and sometimes something so deep, so unexpected that there is no possible word to explain the stirring within us. When Matthew Hughes is cajoled into going to a concert of renowned pianist Catherine Verlag, he is not expecting such a thing to happen to him; music has long been a part of his life, albeit partially buried under years and layers of pain, but no piece ever affected him as the one Verlag played. Faced with his own bald emotions, Matthew finally has to face the past he has been running from ever since his father died, and since it is music that has awakened him, it is through music that he makes this journey into himself. Catherine moved to Boston to be nearer her fiancé, and she accepted the position at the conservatory because it meant fewer tours and added teaching, a situation she liked immensely. But instead of growing closer to Steve, she simply sees her own heart clearer the longer she’s in her new job and her new city. Answers she took for granted no longer make so much sense, and questions she’s afraid to seek the replies to worry her mind. Her new student, Matthew, seems to be more than just a student. But how far should she push? How much should she risk? This novel manages to paint a vivid picture of the musical world for the reader, drawing upon experiences we may have forgotten in order to help us understand the characters and ourselves. Particularly stirring was a lecture given by one of the professors, where poetry and prose combined to illustrate the way music behaves in our world. The characters themselves are complex and well-developed; without actually delving into the spiritual side as perceived by most Christians, Erin’s Song nevertheless explores a morality through a secular world through these two people who have set beliefs if not an outright faith. However, much like life, this story doesn’t exactly resolve. It ends with a definite decision on each character’s part toward his or her individual struggle, but I was still left asking "And then what?" I do, however, readily admit that not every book has to meet my expectation for happily-ever-after. The fact that this one leaves me questioning smacks of reality, which I have to admire. (Even if I’d really like a hint of what became of Cath and Matt after the last page.) Overall, Erin’s Song was a quick and easy read that managed to inspire me to look up a few of the classical pieces spoken of which have managed to escape my radar thus far. The music in it, both in narrative and writing, I found enchanting. It certainly wasn’t morally offensive, though it didn’t contain the lessons of Christianity some readers of the genre are going to be looking for; I would say that if as a reader you tend to mix Christian with secular, this book will fall in the middle and will be enjoyable for you–unless, of course, you have to have a wedding in the epilogue to feel as though a book were worth reading. This story is an exploration, rather than a conclusion, of issues, and as such, it succeeds in its goal.
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