The Lost Melody

Starred review from September 15, 2022
In a life of perpetual submission, concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant finds freedom in her music, a freedom she longs to give other women in the grip of oppression. Her controlling father's death promises a new beginning, but secrets connecting him to the local asylum take her on a search for the song and the certain someone haunting her dreams. Shockingly, Vivienne finds herself trapped in the asylum as a patient and in more danger than she realizes. Struggling to keep a hold on reality over delusions, Vivienne fights for answers about her past and the song no one else can hear. In an evocative pivot from A Midnight Dance (2021), Politano takes readers into the raw and oftentimes disturbing world of a Victorian asylum in a story about the power of music and one woman's fight for sanity and humanity. Darkly premised and brilliantly presented, this fascinating tale focuses on the early use of music therapy in mental-health treatments and explores themes of freedom and captivity in relation to body, mind, and vocation. From chilling encounters inside patient wards to deeply compassionate moments of lucidity and connection, The Lost Melody serves a pitch-perfect blend of history, romance, mystery, and faith.

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