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The Flute-Player

Set in totalitarian Leningrad — but is doesn't matter, it could be any anti-art state, this is a rich and fast moving story of Elena, the flute player, who keeps alive the persecuted creative spirit of a generation of artists. She is the one constant in their lives, the inspiration, sexually and emotionally generous, at once a muse and a whore.

According to Thomas, "This novel emerged out of fascination with Russian poets and particularly Anna Akhmatova. I wanted a generic figure, a woman who preserved the truth of the word, while chaos reigned all around her. I didn't want to individualise the characters too much, so there is very little dialogue in this novel."

  • Format
  • paperback
  • Pages
  • 160
  • Language
  • english
  • ISBN
  • 978-0-330-26027-5
  • EAN
  • 9780330260275
  • Genres
  • fiction
  • Release date
  • 1980