The Ghost of Frederic Chopin

The Ghost of Frédéric Chopin is a mysterious novel about a woman who is apparently transcribing music from the ghost of Chopin. In Prague in 1995, a television journalist is tasked with making a strange documentary: something unravelling the mystery of Vera Foltynova, a widow who claims the ghost of Chopin is dictating compositions to her. As he tries to catch her out to uncover the truth, he starts to believe the answer might not be so obvious.

This is an atmospheric novel from the Walter Presents Library (similar to the Walter Presents strand on Channel 4) that paints a picture of post-Communist Prague and of what happens when someone tries to make a cynical documentary, only to not find the 'gotcha' moment so easily. It has a noir feel, with a lot of investigation and following the widow, and I enjoyed all the references to places in Prague and the changes that had occurred in the country. Overall, it's engaging and fairly short, making it easy to get momentarily immersed in the strange snapshot of a mystery.

I really enjoyed this book! Especially as a someone who plays Chopin music a lot on the piano, this book was such a treat! It was the perfect blend between historical fiction and mystery and sure gave me a lot to think about. I don't want to give anything away so you'll have to read the book to see what I mean, but I highly recommend it.

As an aside, thanks to this book, I learned about Rosemary Brown and her book of Unfinished Symphonies. She was an English composer, pianist and spirit medium born in 1916 who claimed that dead composers dictated new musical works to her. Really neat to read up about if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This strange, entertaining and thoughtful book is inspired by a real woman, Rosemary Brown who claimed to be a medium for many dead composers to continue writing music. Faye has transferred his story to Prague in 1995 and his medium is Vera Foltynkova, who has produced a lot of new music she claims is dictated to her by Frederic Chopin. Ludvik Slanty is a reporter tasked with producing a documentary that proves that Vera is a fraud. Interviews and investigations follow. I got drawn into this story and found it hard to put down mainly because it’s not just about Vera and Ludvik. Because of its setting and time, there’s also the atmosphere of a people and country moving on from authoritarianism and this adds another layer of interest particularly in the character of Pavel, a former government agent now working as a private detective, hired to follow Vera. An excellent read.

Thoroughly enjoyed this very unique book provided by NetGalley.
I hadn’t heard of the author or the book, but was aware that ‘Walter Present’s…’ has started to promote European Literature. Being a fan of ‘Water Present’s…’ television programming, I thought I’d give the book a go.
The premise of a retired dinner lady, Vera, who despite having no musical training was claiming to transcribe new music from Chopin’s ghost was a little bizarre, but it piqued my curiosity.
The story follows Ludvik, a journalist, tasked with making a documentary to definitively prove whether Vera is a fraud or not. With the help of his cameraman and investigator (former Secret Police) they investigate Vera. The backdrop of Prague, the investigation which at times was like a game of cat and mouse, was very atmospheric.
I enjoyed Ludvik’s trajectory of belief - from complete sceptic to a journeyman into neuroscience, mysticism, psychics, perception and what it it is to believe and suspend disbelief.

Another quirky French novel in the best quirky French style, something that French literature seems to be very partial to. Set in Prague in 1995, not long after the fall of Communism but with echoes of that oppressive regime, it tells the story of an investigative journalist tasked with making a documentary about a woman who claims to be visited by the composer Chopin, who dictates his new compositions to her. It’s got to be a fraud, right? A scam? Or maybe not….? This is a gentle mystery, a whimsical tale, but not completely without a serious side, as after all this is the newly democratic Czech Republic and the bad old days of state surveillance and spying on your neighbours are still very much in everyone’s mind. If the story seems to be far-fetched, then there’s the real life case of Rosemary Brown, who also claimed to be channelling dead composers, and who is partly the inspiration for this original and charming novel. And of course sometimes truth is indeed stranger than fiction…..

Elegantly Crafted…
Atmospheric, deftly plotted mystery set in Prague. Can a woman really transcribe music from the ghost of Chopin? An investigative journalist intends to find out. Quirky and eccentric but with serious depths this is an immersive and enjoyable read, seeped in tradition and elegantly crafted.