Description
Book Synopsis''All my life my Stradivarius had been waiting for me, as I had been waiting for her . . .''
At 7 years old Min Kym was a prodigy, the youngest ever pupil at the Purcell School of Music. At 11 she won her first international prize. She worked with many violins, waiting for the day she would play ''the one''. At 21 she found it: a rare 1696 Stradivarius, perfectly suited to her build and temperament. Her career soared. She recorded the Brahms concerto and a world tour was planned.
Then, in a train station café, her violin was stolen. In an instant her world collapsed. She descended into a terrifying limbo land, unable to play another note.
This is Min''s extraordinary story - of a young woman staring into the void, wondering who she was, who she had been. It is a story of isolation and dependence, of love, loss and betrayal, and the intense, almost human bond that a musician has with their instrument. Above all it''s a story of hope through a journey back to musi
Trade Review
I loved Gone. It will stay with me for a long time -- Cerys Matthews
A remarkable and original memoir . . . thrilling -- Barbara Ellen * Observer *
Intense, elegiac and completely mesmerizing ... a beautifully pitched memoir which hits many different registers * The Bookseller (Book of the Month) *
Riveting . . . her story of bereavement and resilience, and the determination to pursue one's art no matter what obstacles stand in one's way, is as enchanting as Kym's recording of a Brahms concerto * Glamour *
A remarkable story of love and loss . . . Also a gripping thriller that contains a hint of scandal, as well as money, villains and a secret -- Helen Davies * Sunday Times *
Fascinating . . . a tragic musical love affair . . . told in admirably lucid and uncluttered prose -- Adam Sweeting * The Arts Desk *
Riveting . . . her story of bereavement and resilience, and the determination to pursue one's art no matter what obstacles stand in one's way, is as enchanting as Kym's recording of a Brahms concerto * Harper's Bazaar *
A movingly uncertain memoir of obsession, love and loss . . . Kym has an easy, elegant way of describing music * Financial Times *
Deeply moving -- Sarah Foot * Daily Mail *
This book makes for a devastating but ultimately redemptive read. It is much more than a story about a lost violin: it is about who we are, how we love, how we grieve -- Clemency Burton-Hill * Mail on Sunday *
Gone is an extraordinary memoir of violinist and child prodigy Min Kym as she grows to understand her gift * Good Housekeeping *
A story to pluck at your heartstrings * The Times *
Swiftly, skilfully drawn * Spectator *
The memoir is both intensely raw- Kym's agony is at times so vivid it is hard to read on- and beautifully crafted * The Lady *
An incredibly moving story * Radio 3 In Tune *
