THE SECRET CHORD by Geraldine Brooks

THE SECRET CHORD

by

Geraldine Brooks

            The Secret Chord is the most recent book by Geraldine Brooks, the 2006 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. In this historical novel, Brooks tells the story of David, King of Israel. She traces David’s life from shepherd to warrior to king.

            Brooks tells David’s story through his prophet/loyal servant, Natan. Because of this, the picture of David that emerges in The Secret Chord is not just that of a successful, powerful king. Natan knows all, and we see the entire David: we see the parent who is blind to the shortcomings of his sons; we witness the transformation to the wise king; we learn of the music that is pervasive throughout his life.

            The Secret Chord is well written. At the beginning, it moved slowly, but before long, the pace picked up. Also, I found it a little difficult at first to sort out all the wives and sons and other family members. But, the entirety of the book is cohesive, well-presented, and informative. This was my first experience reading Geraldine Brooks, and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.