This is an amazing novel that I did not "let go" from when I started reading. Two main reasons for this: the plot is well done, we are interested in fate of this singular character that is the writer Jasper Gwyn, the high aspirations that animate, its somewhat twisted projects; the style is remarkably smooth and we feel that the passion of Alessandro Baricco for music left traces in his writing, it is never heavy.
The construction of the book is original and intelligent: Jasper Gwyn who aspires to a form of anonymity, actually disappears from the middle of the novel and gives way to his assistant around which now orders the rest of the story.
Jasper Gwyn is a strange and somewhat obsessive man who spends much of his life in laundries, and is maniacal search of the right atmosphere, the right ritual, the right word, the right attitude. He wants to become "copyist", ie, in his mind, become transparent enough to reveal to the other an accurate picture, and so, somehow, bring him home.
This ambition a little crazy and careful implementation we make it friendly, its obvious fragility too. The other characters are endearing, first Rebecca, the assistant to the great heart, but also the old lady scarf waterproof soft but demanding consciousness in the psyche of Gwyn, the literary agent so crippled brother heart, old manufacturer of light bulbs custom Camden Town, where anyone compose a poetic world which one feels that is essential to the development of the talent of Jasper Gwyn.
So it is certainly question of the powers of writing since Gwyn presents a text / picture to its customers, but meditation Alessandro Baricco door, beyond the need of a certain inner state of emptiness , to be the perfect witness of the world and beings.
A quote from Paul Valéry "Everything starts with an interruption" is set highlight, and, in fact, work interruption Gwyn is the origin of the story but there are other interruptions or suspensions, that of time of light (there is much talk of lighting in this book, the modulations of light there are important and obvious quality of light emanates from the text.)
Jasper Gwyn it reaches you not to write, he who so much need sleep phrases on paper to get right inside? I will not tell you everything, read this subtle novel.