PHILIPPE IN PHILLY

TRIO SONATA

Juliet Sarkessian

Southern Tier Editions*

Judging by Juliet Sarkessian’s Acknowledgements this is something of a roman clef. Ms. Sarkessian is Armenian-American in origin but makes her (female) central character Janna, Ukrainian-American, embedding her in what she eventually realises iSean element of cultural continuity – and not a mere ‘comfort zone’ for first generation immigrants. The male central characters are Alex, a prodigy violinist and composer. Implicitly WASPish, he has self-destructive elements in his character. Philip, called ‘Phil’ by Alex, is Jean-Philippe. Despite having lived in Philadelphia since the age of two he is still a French citizen, admittedly he is all of sixteen when he first encounters Alex.

Alex becomes a guitarist, essentially to spite his apparently staid, and ‘pushy’ parents. He is, presumably, the reason for the borderline-twee title. The three central characters at times make anything but sweet music. There is a surprisingly large amount of emotional rawness in this evenly written book (described as ‘A Novel’ in a sub-heading. It has a cover design, by Raymond E. Mingst, featuring the elegantly smooth belly of a fiddle, and the equally elegant back of a – naked – fella).

This may seem like an off-hand review, I haven’t even given the full names of the main characters, but a recital of the ‘action’ might crudify the novel. There is lots of well-described Gay (male) sex, and heterosex, but it all serves a narrative purpose, and explores the psychology of Janna, the actual central character. The book needs to be read, which may read as absurd, but it is unlikely that this complex tale could be told in any other medium.

One small niggle is that the denouement is too up-beat. On the other hand it iSean American novel, and only the Irish-Americans really ‘do’ glum, which is one of life’s little mysteries. The Irish in Ireland are quite cheery despite a woeful history. There are a lot of minor characters, all of whom, good, bad, indifferent, appalling, ring true. Apart from being a ‘good novel’ Trio Sonata is, surprisingly in some ways, a ‘good read’.

Se n McGouran

Link to Amazon (Uk) if you wish to purchase

* the full legend is:

Southern Tier Editions

Harrington Park Press

An Imprint of The Howarth Pess Inc.