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mithilareads 's review for:
Ecstasy
by Mary Sharratt
The book 'Ecstasy' by Mary Sharratt is a historical fiction book set on the life of Alma Maria Schindler, a brilliant Viennese-born composer.
This book captures the essence of Alma Schindler, a larger-than-life woman whom we can only look up to in this day and age. The author of this book wove a brilliant story of love, passion, music and the society of Vienna only by referring to the Diaries of Alma Mahler-Werfel, and the collection of letters that Gustav Mahler wrote to his wife. And indeed, this book is filled with references to Gustav's loving letters to his wife while he organised concerts and symphonies abroad, or while Alma recuperated at the sanatorium at different stages in her life.
Ecstasy is written in a third person POV, but at times it felt like I was sitting in Alma's mind. I felt enraged when Alma felt enraged, loved when Alma felt loved and distraught when Alma felt distraught. The empathetic connection that the reader will have upon reading this book is a mesmerising affair.
The struggles of being a woman in the 19th/20th century are described in excruciating detail. Alma wished to pursue her dreams of being a composer of world-renowned symphonies, and laboured at the piano everyday to achieve her dreams. Her eyes lit up when she saw other girls her age achieve brilliant success in their own fields of art. She was a regular attendee at concerts at the Court Opera. The symphonies performed at those concerts took her to the highest level of nirvana possible.
Her whirlwind romance with Alex Zemlinsky was one part of the book I adored. I was torn apart when Alma had to make a choice between Zemlinsky and Mahler. Because the choice was not only restricted to the people involved. Alma also had to choose between: continuing her studies in the field of composing or giving it up; falling in love with a poor man or a rich man; going against her parents' wishes or accepting them meekly; listening to her heart or listening to her heart, because she loved both of them so dearly.
A 5/5 star read indeed. And a brilliant book that every musician, composer and anyone who dabbles in the art of music can enjoy. It offers a perspective about how music and the experience of listening to music has evolved over the centuries. And yet, music as a medium of self-expression and innovation has remained constant over the centuries.
This book captures the essence of Alma Schindler, a larger-than-life woman whom we can only look up to in this day and age. The author of this book wove a brilliant story of love, passion, music and the society of Vienna only by referring to the Diaries of Alma Mahler-Werfel, and the collection of letters that Gustav Mahler wrote to his wife. And indeed, this book is filled with references to Gustav's loving letters to his wife while he organised concerts and symphonies abroad, or while Alma recuperated at the sanatorium at different stages in her life.
Ecstasy is written in a third person POV, but at times it felt like I was sitting in Alma's mind. I felt enraged when Alma felt enraged, loved when Alma felt loved and distraught when Alma felt distraught. The empathetic connection that the reader will have upon reading this book is a mesmerising affair.
The struggles of being a woman in the 19th/20th century are described in excruciating detail. Alma wished to pursue her dreams of being a composer of world-renowned symphonies, and laboured at the piano everyday to achieve her dreams. Her eyes lit up when she saw other girls her age achieve brilliant success in their own fields of art. She was a regular attendee at concerts at the Court Opera. The symphonies performed at those concerts took her to the highest level of nirvana possible.
Her whirlwind romance with Alex Zemlinsky was one part of the book I adored. I was torn apart when Alma had to make a choice between Zemlinsky and Mahler. Because the choice was not only restricted to the people involved. Alma also had to choose between: continuing her studies in the field of composing or giving it up; falling in love with a poor man or a rich man; going against her parents' wishes or accepting them meekly; listening to her heart or listening to her heart, because she loved both of them so dearly.
A 5/5 star read indeed. And a brilliant book that every musician, composer and anyone who dabbles in the art of music can enjoy. It offers a perspective about how music and the experience of listening to music has evolved over the centuries. And yet, music as a medium of self-expression and innovation has remained constant over the centuries.