“Me and the horn are history.”
After one disastrous concert, Cate made that decision. She walked away from the horn and reinvented herself as an English teacher. For ten years, her life was ruled by trauma. Instead of facing it, she spent those years in denial, chasing pleasure, traveling the world, partying in Italy, skiing, always running from her demons.
On the surface, it all seemed wonderful. She had built a new life and was even close to buying a forever home in Tuscany. But everything changed when she suddenly had someone to protect and be responsible for. That was when the past could no longer be ignored. Watching the gifted Sarah bullied by her orchestra peer, struggling for the chance to learn and practice the French horn, brought Cate face to face with her younger self.
This story shows that starting over is not about ignoring pain or trying to escape it. It is about finding the courage to confront the past. The disastrous concert was not her greatest failure. Walking away from the horn was.
What I loved is how the book opens up the world of the French horn in such an engaging way. It is rich in detail but never dry or pretentious. The language is clear and steady, making it easy to follow. While reading, I often opened Spotify to listen to the repertoire mentioned—Rachmaninov’s Second Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and many more. What a wonderful dive into the universe of the French horn. Now, whenever I go to a concert, I will listen for it with new appreciation.
At the beginning, even halfway through, I found it difficult to like Cate. Fortunately, I stayed with her story until the end and witnessed the phoenix rise from the ashes. Bravo to horn player Catherine Jackson-Harper. Still, my favourite character is Sal. Friendship forever.
“It is people that are more important. Everything else will follow.” — Solo, Caroline Swinburne
Solo by Caroline Swinburne is published by The Book Guild on 28 September. Thank you to @NetGalley and @thebookguildpublishing for the eARC.