Oh, Chrys!

Conveyed as though an oral, traditional story, [b:The Flute Player|2282139|The Flute Player|D.M. Thomas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327785193s/2282139.jpg|2288335] is highly imaginative and enchanting. Taking place in the odd village of Drommar - a place where seasons and war are foreign ideologies - this novella will fancy those readers looking for a short, yet rewarding read.Oliver, the lead character, is restricted by his eponymous title in Drommar. His flute playing is what keeps the residents inspired. If he is ever unable to miss his routine performances, the villagers become heavily burdened. Afraid to lose his seat on the council, Oliver's father often reprimands him for not composing songs during the day. With such responsibility and rash treatment from his father, Oliver is a character who can only yearn for liberation. After his best friend Thomas drowns, the fragile task of being the flute player is placed upon him. He has no way out.Overwhelmed with satisfying Drommar and not himself, Oliver is obviously restricted despite his transition into adulthood. His character is practically depressing. Readers see how dull his life has become. Though he is pampered by servants and has esteem in Drommar, Oliver is very unhappy. He often has to pretend that he is composing new songs to console his father's ambitious intentions. For a while, I felt that the book would be lackluster, that is until Alexandria appears from nowhere in The Forest. From her very introductory screams of anguish, Alexandria is able to break Oliver's mundane routine, revealing to him the freedom he has not known for years.Alongside the mysteriousness of Drommar, Alexandria's unknown origin and her invisibility to everyone but Oliver certainly gives the novella a sense of intrigue. She is a sweet person, often cooking for Oliver and providing him with socialization opportunities. She is misplaced from her world, and has no idea how to return. Her return can be imminent or nonexistent, and though she is comfortable at Drommar, she misses her family. It was interesting to see how Oliver would help Alexandria go back to where she came from, sacrificing his only friend and freedom. The relationship between these two is remarkable, as they both need to be freed in different ways by the other. I also enjoyed the philosophical insight they provided. The discourse between the two often involved the contrasts of her world and Oliver's. Whereas Alexandria's world was at war, Oliver's had no concept of war. This goes to show that probably there is a way to attain peace in the world. But what is true peace, if you are living for your father and a village, but not for yourself?What I really enjoyed about [b:The Flute Player|2282139|The Flute Player|D.M. Thomas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327785193s/2282139.jpg|2288335] was Mihalik's writing style. His rich storytelling is enhanced by vivid imagery, and his humor coincides with the warm atmosphere throughout most of the novella. At times though, the imagery was too conceptual, which may deter the effortless reader. I also appreciated how eloquently [b:The Flute Player|2282139|The Flute Player|D.M. Thomas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327785193s/2282139.jpg|2288335] was written. However, at times I felt the sentences were incoherent, as though the author got a bit carried away.[b:The Flute Player|2282139|The Flute Player|D.M. Thomas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327785193s/2282139.jpg|2288335] certainly held my curiosity and when the revelations I were waiting for occured, I chuckled in satisfaction. Every question I had was answered, especially through intermittent expositions that were not infodumped. This allowed me to leave this novella very complete and without any confusion. All in all, I am glad I gave [b:The Flute Player|2282139|The Flute Player|D.M. Thomas|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327785193s/2282139.jpg|2288335] a read. Its short length and magical storytelling made me adhere to reading it. It was simply dreamy and different.