I bought this book at the paperback book sale on Sa 1/9/10- {temps below zero}
From flyinginkpot.com:
"From start till end, we are immersed in the world of Venice and Constaninople (present day Istanbul), as the book chronicles the life journey of Tonio, a perfect societal product poised and groomed to take over the world that lies before his feet. Tragedy, however, strikes when his estranged elder brother returns after his father’s sudden death and wants to usurp the position of heir. The plot thickens like any other opera tale and before we know it, Tonio has been, well, ‘cut’.
Rice weaves a rather rich (albeit at times predictive) narrative that spans not only time but place, as we travel through 18th century Europe. What truly sets this novel apart is the ability of Rice to truly immerse the reader into the world and mind of the castrati. It is clear that an immense amount of research has gone into the making of the book, from the vivid portrayals of the eunuchs, to the weaving and intertwining of the 18th century artistic and musical world.
The rest of the novel focuses on Tonio’s successes as a singer, and his mental nightmares that plague him for much of his life. His fear and want for revenge on his brother, his struggle to be a ‘real’ man, are the bones of the novel.
That Rice gives a very professional account of how Tonio learns to sing, and how she describe his voice and technique, is of no surprise as she reveals in the afterword, that she relied on W.J. Henderson’s “Early History of Singing” as a guide. Also, records such as “Baroque Venice: Music of Gabrieli, Bassano, Monteverdi” by Decca (1972) and Alessandro Scarlatti’s “The Garden of Love” recorded on the Deutsche Grammophon label (1964) did inspire a few scenes in the book.
A note here must be mentioned about the gore and sexual bits of the novel. In true Anne Rice style, there are truly gory scenes worthy of any R(A) rating, and explicit sex scenes (both hetero- and homosexual in nature) that litter throughout the book. There are times when it does seem understandable and appropriate that those have been inserted, but there are times when they seemed a tad excessive. Reader, you have been forewarned.
Cry to Heaven is definitely different from most of Rice’s work, but I dare say, is one of her best so far. Perhaps it is her writing, which is simple yet captivating, or the setting and place of the novel. Or it could be the subject of castrati and their magical voices. Whatever the reason though, Cry to Heaven is definitely a good read for those interested in a glimpse of the 18th century musical and art world, or for those who just simply want a good read."
My Take On The Novel: I didn't really follow the details of the plotline and it was more like a long and detailed sexual fever dream. I liked it.
