I am a bit at a loss for words when it comes to describing my liking of The Metropolis Case. I am not a huge fan of music, dislike opera and don’t particularly care for gay male leads. Yet, somehow, the intertwining tale of four characters connected by music over a period spanning from 1860s Paris to New York after 9/11, becomes slowly engrossing.

I am not quite sure why the characters are so compelling. Their coming of age is predictable. More likely, the underlying, if secondary, issue of aging and its consequences resonated with me. I share the characters’ fears and annoyances at the prospect of aging and lust for the fountain of youth. I suspect the beautiful prose also played a large part in keeping me captivated. As I have mostly been reading non-fiction books and a few thrillers, I have not come across a book as beautifully written in a long time. I also appreciated the whiff of magic realism towards the end of the book (even though it was highly predictable).

If you are looking for a beautifully written novel definitely check out The Metropolis Case.