Tuesday, June 28, 2016

THE SECRET CHORD






The Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks, Viking, 2015, 290 pp
 This was a reading group pick, suggested by me. I have read every one of Geraldine Brooks's novels and she always does something unique. The Secret Chord is historical fiction about the life of King David, one of the most well-known figures in the Old Testament. For me, who was raised with a heavily Christian influence, David loomed large because Jesus Christ is considered by prophecy and history to have been descended from the House of David.

Despite which, I knew very little about him. I have tried many times to read the Old Testament only to be defeated by the long genealogical lists in the early books. In preparation for reading this novel, I did plow through the First Book of the Chronicles. I skimmed much of the genealogy but actually got a pretty good account of how David became the King of the Jews and re-established them in Jerusalem. However, it took Geraldine Brooks to bring the story to life.

Those were extremely violent times! I am getting the idea through my reading that the Middle East has mostly been a violent area since time immemorial and truly do not see much hope that it will change. Since it is supposed to be the birthplace of humanity, it looks to me that war and violence are in our DNA.

So, the book. I liked it. Through the narration of David's prophet Nathan, she presents the King as a deeply flawed character whose tragic childhood and successful life as a warrior made him a man who craved power but had some difficulty handling all the adulation he received.

I suppose that for any person who believes in and tries to follow the commandments of God, it is personal weaknesses and character flaws that make such obedience difficult. In the Old Testament God is seen as jealous and vengeful, so in my view God was also flawed.

Then there are the women. David had numerous wives, some of whom he loved, some he married for political reasons, and all of whom were meant to provide an heir and successor. Brooks paints him as a heartbreaker and a sometimes cruel husband whose powerful life force spilled over into lust and womanizing. Right up there with Henry VIII he was. I was left thinking that in fact women have achieved the most change in history as far as taking charge of our own existence and being a force for peace, justice, and balance in the world.

Obviously, as suggested by the title, there is music. In fact, that title is taken from Leonard's song, Hallelujah. 
"Well, I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord."

Brooks makes much of David's genius as a musician, his hours of harp playing, composing songs and Psalms. She has his prophet and spiritual guide say:
"I think that few grasp the connection between waging war and making music, but in the long evenings when firelight flickered on cave walls and the voices joined and rose with his, I learned the unity between the two...
You cannot harmonize in song or play instruments together without listening one to the other, sensing when to be loud and when soft, when to take the lead and when to yield it."

As fascinating and complex a character as David was, his seer was equally so. I first came across the role of a King's seer in Nicola Griffith's amazing Hild. They see things, have visions and in David's case can be considered the voice of God. The visions and words of God came to and through Nathan without his volition, giving him headaches and other ills, but because Nathan was almost always right David counts on him and mostly does what he says. The seer role calls for much finesse and judgement and since Nathan is the narrator of this tale, you get to experience the tensions and burdens that go along with the role.

Finally, the man who was King David did produce an heir who brought about wisdom and a less violent era for the Jews. He was King Solomon and Nathan was his tutor.


(The Secret Chord  is available on the shelves at Once Upon A Time Bookstore.)

12 comments:

  1. This sounds fascinating. I don't really know anything about David either, so I would love to learn more. I haven't read any of Geraldine Brooks' novels yet - do you think this is a good one to start with, or would you recommend one of her others?

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    1. I would recommend any one of them. My top favorite was People of the Book but they are all good and none depend on any other one.

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  2. Interesting. I just finished reading another book about a king and his seer, namely Arthur and Merlin. There are some parallels, I think.

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    1. Goodness, how could I have forgotten Arthur and Merlin? What book was it?

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    2. The Hollow Hills. Just reviewed it.

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    3. Excellent. I will be right over!

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  3. I'll read this book some day. It sounds fascinating.

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    1. It was and I learned many things.

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  4. I loved People of the Book, March, and Year of Wonder but I read only a chapter of The Secret Chord before returning it to the library. I really felt that there was too much artistic license taken with the characters involved. I wish there hadn't been as David is one of my favourite Bible characters and I was really looking forward to a good read about him. :-(

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    1. I'm sorry it didn't work for you Debbie.

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  5. I have read a couple of Brooks's fiction but I may skip this one. You do have me quite interested in Hild's book though. Looks great.

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    1. OMG, Hild is one of my favorite books ever!!

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