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August Blue

By Deborah Levy
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3.64 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 12,690 ratings, 1,873 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
August Blue by Deborah Levy delves into the life of a prodigious pianist who experiences a personal and professional crisis. As she navigates the complexities of identity and self-discovery, the protagonist explores new beginnings in different European cities. This introspective narrative weaves themes of transformation and the profound impact of art and music on one's life.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy exploring the themes of self-discovery and transformation set against the backdrop of European art and music. The narrative delves into identity and reinvention through the eyes of a pianist experiencing an existential awakening. Levy's evocative prose and introspective characters offer a rich reading experience.

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August Blue

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The mesmerising new novel from the twice Booker-shortlisted author of Hot Milk and Swimming Home.

'If she was my double and I was hers, was it true that she was knowing, I was unknowing, she was sane, I was crazy, she was wise, I was foolish? That summer, the air was electric between us as we transmitted our feelings to each other across three countries.'

Elsa M. Anderson is a classical piano virtuoso. In a flea market in Athens, she watches an enigmatic woman buy two mechanical dancing horses. Is it possible that the woman who is so enchanted with the horses is her living double? Is she also looking for reasons to live?

Chasing their doubles across Europe, the two women grapple with their conceptions of the world and each other, culminating in a final encounter in a fateful summer rainstorm.

A vivid portrait of a long-held identity coming apart, August Blue expands our understanding of the ways in which we seek to find ourselves in others and create ourselves anew.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

August Blue by Deborah Levy has received praise for its intelligent and dream-like narrative, characterised by precise yet whimsical prose. Reviewers highlight Levy's talent in capturing the eerie and the bizarre, with lush descriptions and a unique exploration of reality's fluidity. The novel is noted for its psychologically complex narrative, engaging readers with its enigmatic style and rhythmic prose comparable to a musical composition. Levy's distinct ability to evoke atmosphere and emotion through minimalistic and evocative writing has been commended, making it a notable exploration of identity and creativity.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241421314

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 May 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hamish Hamilton Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 144.0mm

Height: 222.0mm

Weight: 377g

Pages: 256

Collections

Deborah Levy Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Deborah Levy is the author of several novels including August Blue, Hot Milk and Swimming Home, alongside a formally innovative, critically acclaimed 'living autobiography' trilogy- Things I Don't Want to Know, The Cost of Living and Real Estate. She has been shortlisted twice each for the Goldsmiths Prize and Booker Prize and won the Prix Femina Etranger. She has also written for The Royal Shakespeare Company and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

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