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The Piano Room
A gothic retelling of the myth of Faust, set in Hungary in the 1970s and 1990s.
Eighteen-year-old Sandor Esterhazy, rich and entitled, is descended from a long line of talented pianists, but he has no intention of following in their footsteps. One afternoon, in a fit of pique, he calls up the devil, using an old book of magic spells, and offers to exchange his soul for a life free to choose his own destiny. Afterwards Sandor laughs it off as a joke, but that night he sees the shape of a man approaching the house. He is dragging someone – or something – behind him through the snow. Sandor goes down to the piano room. The devil has delivered a bare-foot young man who Sandor instantly recognizes. But what is this creature? And what exactly is to be done with him
Eighteen-year-old Sandor Esterhazy, rich and entitled, is descended from a long line of talented pianists, but he has no intention of following in their footsteps. One afternoon, in a fit of pique, he calls up the devil, using an old book of magic spells, and offers to exchange his soul for a life free to choose his own destiny. Afterwards Sandor laughs it off as a joke, but that night he sees the shape of a man approaching the house. He is dragging someone – or something – behind him through the snow. Sandor goes down to the piano room. The devil has delivered a bare-foot young man who Sandor instantly recognizes. But what is this creature? And what exactly is to be done with him
352 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2022
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December 18, 2021**Received from NG**
This was, I think, intriguing? But ultimately—for me—slightly unsatisfying, although it’s quite hard to pin down precisely why, or what I felt was missing. It’s a pretty elusive book, all told—as could probably be an expected from a story where one of the POV protagonists has no idea what he is, and the other has sold his soul to the devil. Not a spoiler. That’s literally the whole premise. For this is a Faust … I don’t know if re-telling is the word? Re-imagining? Although I should say that while I’m familiar with a quite a few versions of the Faust story (Goethe’s, Thomas Mann’s, and Marlowe’s) I’m not sufficiently up on it that I was able to properly unpick the way The Piano Room works with, and pulls against, the framework of the original texts.
Anyway. The basic premise here is that the narrative moves between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. In the s our POV character is Sandor Esterhazy, the privileged son of a pair of Hungarian musicians who is himself utterly talentless in the musical field. Desperate to escape his parents’ unyielding ambitions for him, he makes a deal with the devil for his freedom. In return for his soul, the devil creates a simulacrum of Sandor—a being Sandor names Ferdi—who is vulnerable, uncertain and full of all the passion for music Sandor himself lacks. In the 90s we follow Ferdi who is just trying to live some kind of life among humans despite the dark and mysterious forces that pursue him.
The dual timelines and the various narrative mysteries (who/what is Ferdi, who/what is after him, where is Sandor now, what happened between them) provides strong narrative momentum for at least the first two-thirds of the book, despite the rather dreamy and languorous style (especially in Ferdi’s sections). I’m not sure these mysteries were fully paid off: the devil makes various enigmatic pronouncements about who/what Ferdi is—something Sandor apparently also figures out—that are never explained to the reader, plus there’s an on-going implication that there are other beings like Ferdi in the world. I guess ultimately the point is that these questions don’t really matter: it’s choices that matter, including Ferdi’s choice to embrace his humanity and Sandor’s choice to reject his. But. Eh. It still felt frustrating in rather the wrong kind of way for me. As in, I saw the emotional and thematic resonances the narrative was offering, but was nevertheless left picking at a bunch of nerdviewy questions about exactly what was happening, how and why.
And, to be fair to my pedantic brain, some of this was as much emotional as pragmatic. Particularly when it came to what was driving Sandor in the latter half of the book: it’s clear he’s working to undo, if not his deal with the devil, at least one of his misdeeds. But what’s he been up to for the last decade? How does he feel about Ferdi now? I wish I’d had more of a handle Sandor in general: there’s an implication that there is “darkness” in him all along, but his parents (with their insistence that he will pursue a career in music) are keeping him captive much as he ends up keeping Ferdi captive. Not that I’m saying how treats Ferdi is remotely excusable: there’s shades of Dr Frankenstein here, the creator repulsed by what is essentially his own creation.
It’s interestingly complicated. But also woolly at times. Although the atmosphere is, as promised, pleasingly gothic and I really appreciated the setting—which, in the 90s, is Budapest, a perfect city for late night reckonings with the devil, I think. Probably not a slogan the tourist board will adopt, but I meant it in a good way. It’s a gorgeous city.
Oh, there’s also queerness in here – kinda, anyway, in that Ferdi has a sort of confused love affair with an angry young man called Petar. I liked this, I think, and there’s some lovely writing around it. I just wish I understood more what was drawing Petar to Ferdi (who is kind of a vulnerable, music-playing blank for most of the book) and what, I suppose, queerness means if you’re a creature created by the devil and raised by your own doppelganger? Maybe nothing, and that’s the point. That when we need love, when we have been deprived love, the form it comes in is irrelevant.
Anyway: intriguing book that I wanted to like more than I ultimately did. Probably not a must-read, unless you’re super engaged by the subject matter.
It has, on the other hand, reminded me of my personal rules for living derived from centuries of fictional disasters:
1. When I animate a corpse with electricity and it gazes at me with its vulnerable, mismatched eyes and is all “Father…” I’m going hug it and immediately be like “I’m here, son”
2. When I build my robot and it gazes at me with its vulnerable machine eyes and is all like “Does this unit have a soul” I’m going to hug it and immediately be like “Yes, yes this unit has a soul.”
3. And when the devil gives me an exact copy of me to take care of, I’m definitely definitely at some point, when its ready, going to bang it. Because that is the only thing to do with simulacra of yourself.
This was, I think, intriguing? But ultimately—for me—slightly unsatisfying, although it’s quite hard to pin down precisely why, or what I felt was missing. It’s a pretty elusive book, all told—as could probably be an expected from a story where one of the POV protagonists has no idea what he is, and the other has sold his soul to the devil. Not a spoiler. That’s literally the whole premise. For this is a Faust … I don’t know if re-telling is the word? Re-imagining? Although I should say that while I’m familiar with a quite a few versions of the Faust story (Goethe’s, Thomas Mann’s, and Marlowe’s) I’m not sufficiently up on it that I was able to properly unpick the way The Piano Room works with, and pulls against, the framework of the original texts.
Anyway. The basic premise here is that the narrative moves between the late 1970s and the early 1990s. In the s our POV character is Sandor Esterhazy, the privileged son of a pair of Hungarian musicians who is himself utterly talentless in the musical field. Desperate to escape his parents’ unyielding ambitions for him, he makes a deal with the devil for his freedom. In return for his soul, the devil creates a simulacrum of Sandor—a being Sandor names Ferdi—who is vulnerable, uncertain and full of all the passion for music Sandor himself lacks. In the 90s we follow Ferdi who is just trying to live some kind of life among humans despite the dark and mysterious forces that pursue him.
The dual timelines and the various narrative mysteries (who/what is Ferdi, who/what is after him, where is Sandor now, what happened between them) provides strong narrative momentum for at least the first two-thirds of the book, despite the rather dreamy and languorous style (especially in Ferdi’s sections). I’m not sure these mysteries were fully paid off: the devil makes various enigmatic pronouncements about who/what Ferdi is—something Sandor apparently also figures out—that are never explained to the reader, plus there’s an on-going implication that there are other beings like Ferdi in the world. I guess ultimately the point is that these questions don’t really matter: it’s choices that matter, including Ferdi’s choice to embrace his humanity and Sandor’s choice to reject his. But. Eh. It still felt frustrating in rather the wrong kind of way for me. As in, I saw the emotional and thematic resonances the narrative was offering, but was nevertheless left picking at a bunch of nerdviewy questions about exactly what was happening, how and why.
And, to be fair to my pedantic brain, some of this was as much emotional as pragmatic. Particularly when it came to what was driving Sandor in the latter half of the book: it’s clear he’s working to undo, if not his deal with the devil, at least one of his misdeeds. But what’s he been up to for the last decade? How does he feel about Ferdi now? I wish I’d had more of a handle Sandor in general: there’s an implication that there is “darkness” in him all along, but his parents (with their insistence that he will pursue a career in music) are keeping him captive much as he ends up keeping Ferdi captive. Not that I’m saying how treats Ferdi is remotely excusable: there’s shades of Dr Frankenstein here, the creator repulsed by what is essentially his own creation.
It’s interestingly complicated. But also woolly at times. Although the atmosphere is, as promised, pleasingly gothic and I really appreciated the setting—which, in the 90s, is Budapest, a perfect city for late night reckonings with the devil, I think. Probably not a slogan the tourist board will adopt, but I meant it in a good way. It’s a gorgeous city.
Oh, there’s also queerness in here – kinda, anyway, in that Ferdi has a sort of confused love affair with an angry young man called Petar. I liked this, I think, and there’s some lovely writing around it. I just wish I understood more what was drawing Petar to Ferdi (who is kind of a vulnerable, music-playing blank for most of the book) and what, I suppose, queerness means if you’re a creature created by the devil and raised by your own doppelganger? Maybe nothing, and that’s the point. That when we need love, when we have been deprived love, the form it comes in is irrelevant.
Anyway: intriguing book that I wanted to like more than I ultimately did. Probably not a must-read, unless you’re super engaged by the subject matter.
It has, on the other hand, reminded me of my personal rules for living derived from centuries of fictional disasters:
1. When I animate a corpse with electricity and it gazes at me with its vulnerable, mismatched eyes and is all “Father…” I’m going hug it and immediately be like “I’m here, son”
2. When I build my robot and it gazes at me with its vulnerable machine eyes and is all like “Does this unit have a soul” I’m going to hug it and immediately be like “Yes, yes this unit has a soul.”
3. And when the devil gives me an exact copy of me to take care of, I’m definitely definitely at some point, when its ready, going to bang it. Because that is the only thing to do with simulacra of yourself.
August 5, 2021
Sandor Esterhazy has spent his entire life congratulating his parents for their musical accomplishments and learning about the long line of talented pianists he is descended from. His talents pale in comparison to all of theirs and he feels like the family's outlier. His grief over this lack becomes all-encompassing until he does something he will later regret, just as all the others who have have done as he did and been in his predicament have. Sandor made a deal with the devil.
There was a dual timeline that featured here, with each alternating chapter set in either the year 1970 and from Sandor's perspective, or in 1990 and from Ferdi's. Ferdi was the being the devil dragged from his dark abode and granted to Sandor to train. His sole purpose was to play the piano, but as he grew in skill so did the yearning inside of him grow to experience something more. He longed for the world outside of the piano room's doors.
I love any retelling and admire any author who can craft a well-known tale into something recognisable as the original and yet uniquely their own. I don't believe I have ever read of a retelling for the myth of Faust before and was so impressed with how this novel transformed it. I thought Clio Velentza did a stellar job of bringing the sinister and tragic elements of the former to his well-crafted and authentic characters, here.
The moments of hope and happiness were fleeting and hard-fought for, which only made their brief presence all the more alluring to read and the surroundings appear all the bleaker with they dissipated. This was a read as dark as it was beautiful and a true Gothic, horror delight!
There was a dual timeline that featured here, with each alternating chapter set in either the year 1970 and from Sandor's perspective, or in 1990 and from Ferdi's. Ferdi was the being the devil dragged from his dark abode and granted to Sandor to train. His sole purpose was to play the piano, but as he grew in skill so did the yearning inside of him grow to experience something more. He longed for the world outside of the piano room's doors.
I love any retelling and admire any author who can craft a well-known tale into something recognisable as the original and yet uniquely their own. I don't believe I have ever read of a retelling for the myth of Faust before and was so impressed with how this novel transformed it. I thought Clio Velentza did a stellar job of bringing the sinister and tragic elements of the former to his well-crafted and authentic characters, here.
The moments of hope and happiness were fleeting and hard-fought for, which only made their brief presence all the more alluring to read and the surroundings appear all the bleaker with they dissipated. This was a read as dark as it was beautiful and a true Gothic, horror delight!
August 9, 2021
ARC downloaded from NetGalley. The book comes out in October 2021.
Review also posted on my blog.
“It was incredible that someone could feel this drained of life, Ferdi thought.”
A retelling of the myth of Faust, told through two timelines and two points of view. The story follows eighteen-year-old Sandor Esterhazy who’s pressured by his parents to become a musician. Not wanting to follow that path and seeking freedom, he makes the deal with the devil in exchange for his soul. As a result, another being, completely resembling Sandor, gets created. Sandor names him Ferdi and teaches him piano in hopes of Ferdi being able to take Sandor’s place and live up to his parent’s expectations.
The story switches between Ferdi’s pov set in 1990 and Sandor’s pov set in 1979. Through Ferdi’s chapters we learn that he is now free and away from Sandor. We learn about his new life, job and friends but also about some things that still connect him to Sandor. Through Sandor’s chapters we are back in the past where we slowly learn what exactly happened with Ferdi and how he got away.
I decided to get this because synopsis intrigued me and it seemed like the type of a story I would like. I guessed well because I did enjoy reading this. In fact I had hard time putting it down and I finished it pretty fast because I wanted to know what happens. I’m only vaguely familiar with the myth of Faust but I don’t think it matters too much, the basic premise is pretty clear. The book feels kind of like a dark academia, but instead of academic setting it’s focused on the music and playing the piano. The story is not as much as plot driven as it focuses on characters and that crucial event which changed Sandor’s life. It’s hard to comment on much, because it’s set in a way that all of it feels like somewhat of a spoiler.
While I’m okay with multiple povs, I have to say I wasn’t a fan of them being combined with two different timelines here. On one hand it’s a smart way to build mystery around what happens where you gradually learn the truth as the story unravels, but on the other hand it makes the story progress very monotone. It kind of loses on that build up that leads to bigger events with it.
One of the biggest flaws for me is that I feel like we got to know the characters as well as their relationships with one another only on a surface level. We are mostly focused on Ferdi and it makes sense there is not a lot about him given that he was created as Sandor’s clone, but we start following his life a decade after what happened with Sandor and all of that time in between feels like a blank point. Obviously both Ferdi’s and Sandor’s lives revolve around music, but that’s seems about it. Sandor wants to be free but we never learn is there something else he likes more or does he have any other interests. After what happens at one point he becomes consumed by grief and that’s all there is to his character. Meanwhile, Ferdi meets some people that become his friends and he even starts a relationship with a boy named Petar. However, because none of these characters are really explored and because they felt quite one dimensional, it was hard for me to feel too much for them.
All considered, I did like this or I wouldn’t rate it so high. Really loved the mystery and dark elements of it. There is a certain uniqueness to this story and the way it’s being told, I just wish characters were a little more explored.
Review also posted on my blog.
“It was incredible that someone could feel this drained of life, Ferdi thought.”
A retelling of the myth of Faust, told through two timelines and two points of view. The story follows eighteen-year-old Sandor Esterhazy who’s pressured by his parents to become a musician. Not wanting to follow that path and seeking freedom, he makes the deal with the devil in exchange for his soul. As a result, another being, completely resembling Sandor, gets created. Sandor names him Ferdi and teaches him piano in hopes of Ferdi being able to take Sandor’s place and live up to his parent’s expectations.
The story switches between Ferdi’s pov set in 1990 and Sandor’s pov set in 1979. Through Ferdi’s chapters we learn that he is now free and away from Sandor. We learn about his new life, job and friends but also about some things that still connect him to Sandor. Through Sandor’s chapters we are back in the past where we slowly learn what exactly happened with Ferdi and how he got away.
I decided to get this because synopsis intrigued me and it seemed like the type of a story I would like. I guessed well because I did enjoy reading this. In fact I had hard time putting it down and I finished it pretty fast because I wanted to know what happens. I’m only vaguely familiar with the myth of Faust but I don’t think it matters too much, the basic premise is pretty clear. The book feels kind of like a dark academia, but instead of academic setting it’s focused on the music and playing the piano. The story is not as much as plot driven as it focuses on characters and that crucial event which changed Sandor’s life. It’s hard to comment on much, because it’s set in a way that all of it feels like somewhat of a spoiler.
While I’m okay with multiple povs, I have to say I wasn’t a fan of them being combined with two different timelines here. On one hand it’s a smart way to build mystery around what happens where you gradually learn the truth as the story unravels, but on the other hand it makes the story progress very monotone. It kind of loses on that build up that leads to bigger events with it.
One of the biggest flaws for me is that I feel like we got to know the characters as well as their relationships with one another only on a surface level. We are mostly focused on Ferdi and it makes sense there is not a lot about him given that he was created as Sandor’s clone, but we start following his life a decade after what happened with Sandor and all of that time in between feels like a blank point. Obviously both Ferdi’s and Sandor’s lives revolve around music, but that’s seems about it. Sandor wants to be free but we never learn is there something else he likes more or does he have any other interests. After what happens at one point he becomes consumed by grief and that’s all there is to his character. Meanwhile, Ferdi meets some people that become his friends and he even starts a relationship with a boy named Petar. However, because none of these characters are really explored and because they felt quite one dimensional, it was hard for me to feel too much for them.
All considered, I did like this or I wouldn’t rate it so high. Really loved the mystery and dark elements of it. There is a certain uniqueness to this story and the way it’s being told, I just wish characters were a little more explored.
December 1, 2023
I've had The Piano Room on my to-read shelf ever since it came out but my brain had other plans regarding whether I could read anything of value at all. Now I am almost glad I let this one simmer for a while, because the timing was perfect. I tend to believe that books have their own calendar and don't mind what we plan for them. This one decided it was right for the darkening, early winter days.
The Piano Room has been a wonderful escape, a return to a comfort zone I'd forgotten. It reminded me what reading used to feel like. The prose is purposeful, nostalgic, poetic but accessible. The story is atmospheric, moody, gloomy but comfortingly so. Painfully human, it broke my heart and mended it at the same time. A tasty comfort of a debut novel. The winter's blue hour in book form.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane is my summer re-read tradition, perhaps this will be my winter one.
August 31, 2021
Oh yeah very much not for me. There was really nothing about this that I enjoyed from the writing to the characters. The plot wasn't the worst but not good enough to make up for everything I didn't care for.
January 10, 2023
You know what, this was going to be a 3.2 stars but I’d rate it like a 3.8 for all we went through together.
This was such a banger book and I literally didn’t want it to end and so the way it ended had to be special and I couldn’t help but be a tiny bit disappointed by the end; what really is Ferdi? What happened with Petar and why was he so sus to me? Sandor? If they drop the bombshell that, like, Ferdi is more human than Sandor at the end THEN TELL ME WHY BC IM STUPID IF THERES A HINT, NOSY BC I WANT TO KNOW AND I CANNOT USE MY IMAGINATION
I actually did love this book though, it was very hard to put down at times and I loved figuring out the story as I continued to read it. Banger read
I felt for wee Ferdi a lot, man got bullied and done over too many times, JUST LET THE POOR MAN LIVE HIS LIFE PLS
It was also kinda odd to me when referring to Petar as ‘the boy’ when he was in a relationship with Ferdi, like??? I mean obviously bro wasn’t ‘a boy’ and its like to differentiate people when reading innit but like idk man.
But nah, banger plot, banger characters, banger read, banger everything. (There was 2 tiny, cheeky wee typos at the end but like idc, slay) I didn’t buy this, a friend did and I would gen read another of big Clio’s books. Love it 😍
ALSO PLEASE MAKE A PART 2 OR SOMETHING SIMILAR I WILL DEFFO READ IT 💯💯
This was such a banger book and I literally didn’t want it to end and so the way it ended had to be special and I couldn’t help but be a tiny bit disappointed by the end; what really is Ferdi? What happened with Petar and why was he so sus to me? Sandor? If they drop the bombshell that, like, Ferdi is more human than Sandor at the end THEN TELL ME WHY BC IM STUPID IF THERES A HINT, NOSY BC I WANT TO KNOW AND I CANNOT USE MY IMAGINATION
I actually did love this book though, it was very hard to put down at times and I loved figuring out the story as I continued to read it. Banger read
I felt for wee Ferdi a lot, man got bullied and done over too many times, JUST LET THE POOR MAN LIVE HIS LIFE PLS
It was also kinda odd to me when referring to Petar as ‘the boy’ when he was in a relationship with Ferdi, like??? I mean obviously bro wasn’t ‘a boy’ and its like to differentiate people when reading innit but like idk man.
But nah, banger plot, banger characters, banger read, banger everything. (There was 2 tiny, cheeky wee typos at the end but like idc, slay) I didn’t buy this, a friend did and I would gen read another of big Clio’s books. Love it 😍
ALSO PLEASE MAKE A PART 2 OR SOMETHING SIMILAR I WILL DEFFO READ IT 💯💯
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2022
I'm so glad to have finally tracked down a copy of this book. It is so strikingly gorgeous, atmospheric and suffused with a creeping sense of dread. I was not very familiar with the story of Faust beforehand, but picked up on a lot of similarities to the story of Frankenstein that I absolutely adored. This story was perfect for a cozy winter read as well!
September 30, 2021
Well, I’m not really sure how I feel. I don’t think a book has left me wondering if I enjoyed it before 🤷♀️ It took me a fair while to get the story. I enjoyed the overall story but I just felt confused most of the book and something fell a bit short.
September 13, 2021
This novel left me a little confused about what I’d just read… A reworking of the story of Faust, The Piano Room follows Sandor who makes a deal with the devil in order to live life the way he wants, not as his parents try to prescribe it. He ends up with a ‘twin’, Ferdi, and all sorts of madness ensues.
I think I definitely liked the first part more than the second, with slow unfurling of the situation at the centre of the story. The second half became more chaotic, and I never quite understood Sandor’s motivations. Ferdi remained distant, too, with the only slightly relatable moments being his queer relationship, otherwise Ferdi remained a rather blank canvas despite the fact that there is a ten-year gap between the novel’s two timelines.
There is intrigue a plenty, but the payoff wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped.
Thank you to Fairlight Books for sending me an advance review copy of this book.
I think I definitely liked the first part more than the second, with slow unfurling of the situation at the centre of the story. The second half became more chaotic, and I never quite understood Sandor’s motivations. Ferdi remained distant, too, with the only slightly relatable moments being his queer relationship, otherwise Ferdi remained a rather blank canvas despite the fact that there is a ten-year gap between the novel’s two timelines.
There is intrigue a plenty, but the payoff wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped.
Thank you to Fairlight Books for sending me an advance review copy of this book.
January 2, 2022
Stunning, totally captivating, so descriptive that you travel to Budapest while you read it! You can feel the snow, hear the melodies, smell the odors, sense what the heroes feel, taste every kiss! An incredibly mature first piece of art of a writer from whom we all wait many other books to come! Not just another fantasy novel, but a very realistic, sensitive and tender extremely well written book, DON'T MISS IT!!
May 12, 2023
This was everything I could ask for: a perfect gothic tale, familiar yet brand new, dark and mysterious, equally explosive with warm sentiment and stone cold terror, creepy and tender, beautiful and devastating. This was like matching a meticulously crafted meal with the perfect wine. A great book to pair with a crisp autumn night.
July 13, 2025
Overall this was a beautiful book to read, but it was definitely one that took me a while to really get into. It took a couple of tries, but once I was caught up in the characters and the story I wasn’t going anywhere. This haunting retelling of the myth of Faust is gripping, and tense to the very end.
As a retelling of the Faust myth I think this novel held up really well. I studied Marlowe’s Dr Faustus in university as well as some other versions of the myth which made me familiar with the premise for this novel before I’d even started reading. It helped for me to really immerse myself in the setting and atmosphere of the story. This has become a favourite retelling of mine of this particular myth. Velentza kept what was important to make the myth visible within the story but twisted the rest beautifully to enrich the story and make it her own.
This story was told from two different perspectives in two separate times, making the narrative a little difficult for me to follow early on even though I was already familiar with the basis for the story. Once I had settled into the voice of each character and the two very different settings they were in came to love the two perspectives I was reading. Though as always, for me, with multiple point of view novels I tend to favour one point of view over the other. In this case it was Ferdi and his focus on trying to understand his past, as well as the truth of his existence – there is something about his very inhuman creation that made his character’s voice much more interesting for me to read. I did wonder how this novel would read if it was in complete chronological order, but I feel that the two perspectives over two different times adds to the mystery as well as the overall spooky atmosphere of the book.
Ferdi’s development throughout the novel was something I found most interesting as he grappled with the truth of his existence and tried to make his life his own. Though music was something he has to do, he makes it his own, and brings him connections with people he didn’t think he ever would. This is especially true of the slow building romance that builds between Ferdi and another character (that I won’t name, because of spoilers), as Ferdi doesn’t trust himself, nor does he believe a creature of his nature should be able to have a relationship that close. I loved this almost unexpected part of the novel, it, along with Ferdi’s music, brought a little bit of hope to an otherwise rather grim tale.
The Piano Room is the perfect book to curl up and read on a cold winter night from the comfort of your preferred reading nook with a good blanket and a cup of tea. The language draws you into the haunted and spooky atmosphere of this novel in such a way that you start to feel the cold yourself. That is something I loved about this novel; that while I couldn’t always connect with the characters – something which I usually rely on for my enjoyment of a book – this lack of connection was made up for in the haunting gothic atmosphere. I recommend this novel to lovers of gothic fiction, and to those who are looking for a fresh retelling of a familiar myth.
As a retelling of the Faust myth I think this novel held up really well. I studied Marlowe’s Dr Faustus in university as well as some other versions of the myth which made me familiar with the premise for this novel before I’d even started reading. It helped for me to really immerse myself in the setting and atmosphere of the story. This has become a favourite retelling of mine of this particular myth. Velentza kept what was important to make the myth visible within the story but twisted the rest beautifully to enrich the story and make it her own.
This story was told from two different perspectives in two separate times, making the narrative a little difficult for me to follow early on even though I was already familiar with the basis for the story. Once I had settled into the voice of each character and the two very different settings they were in came to love the two perspectives I was reading. Though as always, for me, with multiple point of view novels I tend to favour one point of view over the other. In this case it was Ferdi and his focus on trying to understand his past, as well as the truth of his existence – there is something about his very inhuman creation that made his character’s voice much more interesting for me to read. I did wonder how this novel would read if it was in complete chronological order, but I feel that the two perspectives over two different times adds to the mystery as well as the overall spooky atmosphere of the book.
Ferdi’s development throughout the novel was something I found most interesting as he grappled with the truth of his existence and tried to make his life his own. Though music was something he has to do, he makes it his own, and brings him connections with people he didn’t think he ever would. This is especially true of the slow building romance that builds between Ferdi and another character (that I won’t name, because of spoilers), as Ferdi doesn’t trust himself, nor does he believe a creature of his nature should be able to have a relationship that close. I loved this almost unexpected part of the novel, it, along with Ferdi’s music, brought a little bit of hope to an otherwise rather grim tale.
The Piano Room is the perfect book to curl up and read on a cold winter night from the comfort of your preferred reading nook with a good blanket and a cup of tea. The language draws you into the haunted and spooky atmosphere of this novel in such a way that you start to feel the cold yourself. That is something I loved about this novel; that while I couldn’t always connect with the characters – something which I usually rely on for my enjoyment of a book – this lack of connection was made up for in the haunting gothic atmosphere. I recommend this novel to lovers of gothic fiction, and to those who are looking for a fresh retelling of a familiar myth.
April 18, 2022
Clio Velentza’s compelling and unusual retelling of the myth of Faust, is not, if I’m honest, the kind of book I would normally read. But I downloaded a sample several months ago and was drawn in by the atmospheric prose and confident storytelling.
The premise is disturbing – a young man, Sandor, miserable at what was expected of him in his given life, is charmed by the temptation put before him (‘Everything will be taken care of. You will be free to lead the life you choose rather than the one laid out for you.’) The heavy expectations of his parents, that he too will pursue a life of musical passion and performance, lie so heavy on Sandor’s heart that he is persuaded. Despite misgivings, he sells his soul to the devil in exchange for the freedom he has long dreamed of.
With a dual timeline, the 1970s and the 1990s, the narrative swings between Sandor and Ferdi, the latter a doppleganger created by the devil to be trained as the accomplished pianist Sandor would never be. Escaping from Sandor’s control, we watch Ferdi wrestling with his fear and longing desperately wanting him to fulfil his hunger for a life of his own.
The author writes beautifully with a fluid style and an eye for detail that draws you in and keeps you turning the page. Despair, hope, freedom, captivity, loss and longing are powerful themes within the book and ones we can all relate to. With a gothic feel, the story is quite dark and atmospheric but there are tendrils of hope reaching through the relationships, particularly those of Ferdi and his work colleagues. I was desperate for a vaguely hopeful ending and unsure if I would get one. You will have to read it to find out!
I would recommend The Piano Room as an atmospheric, gothic-style read with disturbing but thought-provoking themes, by a talented writer.
The premise is disturbing – a young man, Sandor, miserable at what was expected of him in his given life, is charmed by the temptation put before him (‘Everything will be taken care of. You will be free to lead the life you choose rather than the one laid out for you.’) The heavy expectations of his parents, that he too will pursue a life of musical passion and performance, lie so heavy on Sandor’s heart that he is persuaded. Despite misgivings, he sells his soul to the devil in exchange for the freedom he has long dreamed of.
With a dual timeline, the 1970s and the 1990s, the narrative swings between Sandor and Ferdi, the latter a doppleganger created by the devil to be trained as the accomplished pianist Sandor would never be. Escaping from Sandor’s control, we watch Ferdi wrestling with his fear and longing desperately wanting him to fulfil his hunger for a life of his own.
The author writes beautifully with a fluid style and an eye for detail that draws you in and keeps you turning the page. Despair, hope, freedom, captivity, loss and longing are powerful themes within the book and ones we can all relate to. With a gothic feel, the story is quite dark and atmospheric but there are tendrils of hope reaching through the relationships, particularly those of Ferdi and his work colleagues. I was desperate for a vaguely hopeful ending and unsure if I would get one. You will have to read it to find out!
I would recommend The Piano Room as an atmospheric, gothic-style read with disturbing but thought-provoking themes, by a talented writer.
September 29, 2021
The Piano Room is a retelling of Faust, the classical tale about making a deal with the devil and not knowing what it is you've bargained for. While the deal is made by Sandor, the young son of two accomplished musicians from a long line of them and now trapped by the future they've planned for him despite his lack of talent, inevitably it is Ferdi, the doppelganger made when Sandor makes his bargain on a whim, who shoulders the burden of that bargain. Here, the focus is on the costs for the doppelganger created by the deal and his struggle to form a life in which he feels as if he truly knows who and what he is in comparison to the rest of humanity. What can you do when you were created because the person you are based on is a selfish person who is incapable of accepting or connecting with you and bent on destroying himself and you with him? What can you do if you're utterly dependant on him for your stability and knowledge of the world? What happens if this person, the only one with any investment in your existence, abandons you? Ultimately it is up to Ferdi to decide how much of his fate will be his own choosing, and how much of his past truly defines him.
This book definitely has the moody subtlety of Anne Rice's Violin and The Servant of the Bones or an independent film that draws you into the narrative with a series of compelling interactions that reveal the full story bit by bit. I could easily see this one frustrating someone who doesn't enjoy a more drawn-out narrative and a more subtle plot, but I like a good book that knows where it's going and isn't afraid to take its time.
This book definitely has the moody subtlety of Anne Rice's Violin and The Servant of the Bones or an independent film that draws you into the narrative with a series of compelling interactions that reveal the full story bit by bit. I could easily see this one frustrating someone who doesn't enjoy a more drawn-out narrative and a more subtle plot, but I like a good book that knows where it's going and isn't afraid to take its time.
October 14, 2021
I love Faustian bargains, and this involves the exchange of musical talent and freedom from a predetermined constricted life in a Hungarian setting. Sandor Esterhazy comes from a long line of distinguished musicians and he is expected to enter the Academy of Music to follow in the family's footsteps. The problem is that he has neither inclination nor talent at the piano. In a fit, he performs a ritual in a forest to summon the Devil. After the damned agreement, there is a created doppelganger of Sandor, intended to be a replacement in his life while he goes free. This replica he names Ferdi who we meet a decade later living an independent life as a dishwasher at a tavern. The tale is bleak and menacing, shards of light in Ferdi's life are in his found family Dieter, Erzsi and Petar. His undeniable skill at the piano also leads to some lovely mentors giving him a legup in performance exposure. Ferdi though struggles with the question of whether he is real and what nefarious purpose he was created for. Both Sandor and the Devil reappear in his life, whoever sees both him and Sandor mark them as unnatural monsters.
A gothic feverish claustrophobic dream involving dark alleys, murders, a resurrection and rings along the Danube River in abandoned mansions.
Content warning: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Confinement
A gothic feverish claustrophobic dream involving dark alleys, murders, a resurrection and rings along the Danube River in abandoned mansions.
Content warning: Abandonment, Child abuse, and Confinement
December 4, 2021
The Piano Room features Sandor despite being born into a family of pianists has no desire to play. One evening, Sandor promises his soul to the devil in exchange for a life of his own choosing. He thinks it’s a joke, until the devil returns bringing something with him. Sandor locks it in the basement but as the creature slowly learns what it is to be human, tensions between the two escalate, and it escapes into the world…
This is such an entertaining gothic thriller, great for spooky season! The cover and premise I found so intriguing and loved that the story was dark and dramatic filled with lots of twists. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation!
The story was very atmospheric and spooky. It took me a couple of chapters to fully emmerse myself into the story but once I was in, I was desperate for answers. A huge thank you to @fairlightbooks for sending me a copy of this book! such a wonderful spooky read. highly recommend if you fancy something different !!
This is such an entertaining gothic thriller, great for spooky season! The cover and premise I found so intriguing and loved that the story was dark and dramatic filled with lots of twists. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation!
The story was very atmospheric and spooky. It took me a couple of chapters to fully emmerse myself into the story but once I was in, I was desperate for answers. A huge thank you to @fairlightbooks for sending me a copy of this book! such a wonderful spooky read. highly recommend if you fancy something different !!
September 26, 2021
The Piano Room by Clio Velentza
I found the whole concept of this novel extremely intriguing. A psychological, gothic fiction set in the 1970’s and 1990’s with an LGBTQ+ subplot, with a dual timeline and written from multiple perspectives. I was hooked from the very first page.
I have to say that The Piano Room is releasing at the perfect time, the beautifully created gothic atmosphere sets the mood for the spooky season.
I have noticed that I have a thing for books that revolve around music, and this did not disappoint. Actually, I completely loved it. Clio, weaved a hypnotic story that made me stay up late, into the early hours of the morning to finish it. A gloriously sinister debut, that will stay with me for a long time to come.
🖤 A gothic retelling of the myth of Faust
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+
💀Dark and perfect for the season
�� Music theme
I found the whole concept of this novel extremely intriguing. A psychological, gothic fiction set in the 1970’s and 1990’s with an LGBTQ+ subplot, with a dual timeline and written from multiple perspectives. I was hooked from the very first page.
I have to say that The Piano Room is releasing at the perfect time, the beautifully created gothic atmosphere sets the mood for the spooky season.
I have noticed that I have a thing for books that revolve around music, and this did not disappoint. Actually, I completely loved it. Clio, weaved a hypnotic story that made me stay up late, into the early hours of the morning to finish it. A gloriously sinister debut, that will stay with me for a long time to come.
🖤 A gothic retelling of the myth of Faust
🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+
💀Dark and perfect for the season
�� Music theme
December 12, 2021
"The Piano Room" is a rather bleak and gothic retelling (of sorts) of 'Faust', in which musically talentless Sandor bargains with the devil for freedom from parental expectations and ends up with the unintended and unanticipated results thereof. This is a dual timeline novel, set in an old mansion along the Danube in 1970 from Sandor's perspective, and in Prague in 1980 from Ferdi's perspective. The personalities of the characters (major and minor) are well written, especially Ferdi's growth from innocent plaything of the devil to a person of his own agency. Velentza manages to capture atmosphere and setting very well - from the bleak, winter setting at an old mansion to the bustling city of Prague, but the plot dragged a bit in places and something was just missing from the story. Never the less, still an interesting and enjoyable story.
September 24, 2021
📖 New Review.
[Pr review copy]
Thank you @farlightbooks,
Kindle version out 30th September,
Paperback out next year in March.
I thought this was an interesting and unique read for sure! The writing I enjoyed and it has good pacing to the story too. I liked the characters, and their storylines, and just how things played out, cleverly done and intriguingly. If you’re after something different, especially as spooky season is approaching us, I’d recommend checking this out if it sounds like your thing.
I haven’t read that many re tellings, or books that are based off myths, this one being the Legend of Faust, which is where a man surrenders his soul to an evil spirit. I did find this interesting to read about while having a little google after finishing the book, and reading it did remind me of a darker more adult kind of Grimms story, which I always enjoyed when I was younger.
[Pr review copy]
Thank you @farlightbooks,
Kindle version out 30th September,
Paperback out next year in March.
I thought this was an interesting and unique read for sure! The writing I enjoyed and it has good pacing to the story too. I liked the characters, and their storylines, and just how things played out, cleverly done and intriguingly. If you’re after something different, especially as spooky season is approaching us, I’d recommend checking this out if it sounds like your thing.
I haven’t read that many re tellings, or books that are based off myths, this one being the Legend of Faust, which is where a man surrenders his soul to an evil spirit. I did find this interesting to read about while having a little google after finishing the book, and reading it did remind me of a darker more adult kind of Grimms story, which I always enjoyed when I was younger.
October 12, 2023
hmm…. honestly the only thought I had after finishing the piano room is “what the hell is this book about?”
The whole book itself seems like unfinished business?? I mean it felt like everyone is dying in this book. It was like she used the easy way to end any conflict by simply killing the characters. It was too much and repetitive.
I had really high expectations, because the idea behind this book was exciting :( but oh well life happens (bro chill it’s just a book 💀)
gonna give it 3 stars tho, it wasn’t that bad I enjoyed it a bit :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2022
Not to my liking. It lacked depth in the story, in my opinion. Didn’t relate to any character, they were all annoying and flat. There were a lot of things left unanswered/hanging and the writing felt a bit slow sometimes, like it focused on unimportant details and forgot to dig deeper on the relevant information to understand what was really happening. I often wondered whether I liked the book or not and finally felt like I didn’t but couldn’t quite say it’s bad.
January 12, 2023
An ideal book for winter nights.
While I would have liked some more info about the characters' motives here and there, and I would have liked to see some issues resolved by the end, this is one of the books that keep you great company. The author has a remarkable way of creating a dark, cold atmosphere and making the reader feel in their body whatever's happening in the book.
Keep it for around Christmas / New Year's Eve and you'll thank me.
While I would have liked some more info about the characters' motives here and there, and I would have liked to see some issues resolved by the end, this is one of the books that keep you great company. The author has a remarkable way of creating a dark, cold atmosphere and making the reader feel in their body whatever's happening in the book.
Keep it for around Christmas / New Year's Eve and you'll thank me.
August 3, 2021
The Piano Room was a good bock that fell just a short of being great. It had a good plot, but it was often confusing. I also wasn’t a big fan of the time skips. All around it was entertaining and I enjoyed the mystery of it. I enjoyed the characters and getting to watch different relationships and their dynamics.
August 7, 2021
I can't comment on this as a retelling,having never read the original story.
In its own right its entertaining,a tiny bit sinister,and I wasn't entirely sure where it was going,the whole time hoping only the best for our likeable character.
Enjoyable.
In its own right its entertaining,a tiny bit sinister,and I wasn't entirely sure where it was going,the whole time hoping only the best for our likeable character.
Enjoyable.
October 18, 2021
This is a very atmospheric, wintery retelling of Faust that includes a queer love story. It was a bit plodding and thematically confusing, and the resolution didn't feel complete.
October 14, 2024
There were 4-star elements to this but overall, 3 stars.
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