Rating: 
Summary: Vik
Review: This book is very well writtin and my senses explode with each description of the music. I can imagine everything Mike sees and everything he feels i feel. Nothing can top this book on this level of writing. He fills every peice of this book with mystery and twists of surprise.
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Summary: Richly Detailed Descriptions of Life In Music
Review: I was perusing books at the bookstore and came across Seth's novel, and read it a month later, after having forgotten what it was all about (ie. did not re-read the back-cover which is full of spoilers). You might be better off not reading the backpage to better appreciate the plot twists in the novel. I was personally enchanted - and Amazed - by Seth's ability to describe the world of music and interactions / relationships between musicians, and assumed that Seth must himself have played in a quartet. I have never read a novel steeped so deeply in the language of music, which this is, and now am curious to find the piece by Beethoven so desired by the lead character. To me, the story started dragging a bit long once the characters arrived in Europe, especially the romantic stay in Venice, and the rich musical detail at time seemed a bit toooo rich, if that is possible, and I found myself wanting to get to the conclusion by glossing over some of the detail - I recommended this book to some of my musician friends however, and would do so again.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and Passionate
Review: I was so impressed with Vikram Seth¡¦s A Suitable Boy that I could not wait for this novel. An equal music surpassed by expectations. No two books could have been more different, such that it is almost unbelievable that they were written by the same author.In A Equal Music, we follow the stories and emotions of Michael, as he searches for his true love. We read, hear and feel his loving touches for Julia, for his music and for his violin. It has been a long time since I read such a beautiful book. It is written so beautifully and with so much passion that you feel carried away by the emotions it evokes.
Rating:
Summary: not the best in it's genre
Review: This review is written more than a month after completing the book. Some of the initial enthusiasm about it has now left me, and I feel that I can judge the book better.
Also, I have had the pleasure of reading a MUCH better novel based on a string quartet: "The Rosendorf Quartet" by Nathan Shaham.
One cannot help falling in love with Seth's talent for storytelling, and the way in which he describes scenes, people etc. He mamnages to convey the visual image of things, their mood and their flavour without becoming tedious.
The personally-flawed, self-centered Michael Holmes is actually a character one can sympathize with, reminiscent in his self-unawareness to Ishiguro's Christopher Banks ("When we were Orphans"). But his love object - Julia - is so far fetched and unconvincing that one has a hard time convincing oneself of the storyline.
Rating:
Summary: An unequal effort
Review: This book has been billed as one of the greatest novels about music. I don't think so. What we have a a tale about a violin player, who leaves his one true love, doesn't bother to tell her where he's going or why, and then regrets it ever since. And the violin player in question is a immature prat, to be honest. We start the story years after, when the central character spots his love (who he has no idea was in London, where he lives) on a bus, and chases after her, only to fail. From here on in, we get an idea of what an empty life he is leading. It is hard to say any more without giving the plot away (which I hate in reviews), so you will just have to read it for yourself if you are that interested. As a one time musician, I felt that Seth didn't quite get the music practice scenes in this book right. I am not saying that they are not well written, just someing about them doesn't ring true - the dialogue from the rehersals, the talk about practicing. However, I thought his sections where the quartet perform on stage were spot-on. Perhaps other performers would feel differently than me on this. I love writers who can fill their books with beautiful writing about the things I am interested in - food (Toni Morrison is excellent in this regard), music, love, travel. Sadly, Seth has let me down. Which is a shame, because he really is such a greater writer in other cases.
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Summary: like beautiful music
Review: This is a story about the love of music. Through the character,we have a glimpse of what it is like to live through the sound of classical music even when that sound is actually unheard. What a beautiful language it seems to be. The love story, the relationships among the quartet fellow members, the love of an instrument, everything in that books feels like the perfect notes and movements of a really beautiful concerto.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the deepest and most feeling books i've ever read
Review: When i first picked up this book off the pile of all the others, i was drawn to the title, and the rich colors of the cover (music is my life, i play the viola, and love classical music, and also art). when i opened the cover, the summary did a poor job of really describing what the book was about, but i had a feeling, and bought it anyways. i am so glad i did Vikram Seth's book is the best book i have ever read on music, and relationships between performers of music. he has such an insight into it, that as i was reading i said to myself, No one who is not a musician himself could have written this. it turns out that he wasn't, and merely did alot of research and talked to alot of people. i was amazed Also, An Equal Music is about life, and love, and feelings. Seth's writing is some of the most beautiful, sad, pensive, random, thoughtful, deep, creative and sensitive i have ever read. it reminds me so much of me. I'll be honest. not alot of people would enjoy this book as much as i have. even so, i highly reccomend this book to you, as an artist, musician, lover of love, lover of life, and fellow human soul. i urge you to read it; is definitely worth the time out of your day, and has enriched a part of my soul that few books have touched.
Rating: 
Summary: Compelling musicians, stock character lovers
Review: The most interesting relationship in "An Equal Music" is not Michael and his long-lost love Julia, but Michael and the Maggiore Quartet. Vikram Seth does a fine job capturing the complicated interactions of the quartet's members: the ego clashes, the artistic disagreements, the ability to create transforming music. From the rehearsals to the searches for the perfect instrument, Seth is able to create a compelling picture of the life of these musicians. Unfortunately, his portrayal of the relationship between Michael and Julia is not nearly so successful. There's certainly no joy in their love. Julia never seems like a real woman, just a sad and beautiful image. It's never clear why Julia, having made a new life after Michael seemed to abandon her, jeopardizes that life to be with him again. As for Michael, he becomes more self-pitying and cruel as the affair progresses. He feels no guilt about the affair but he can't embrace the moment either. Eventually the whole thing just becomes tiresome. The love affair feels like it was written by rote. Seth is clearly far more interested in the life of the musicians and it shows.
Rating:
Summary: An astonishing tale.
Review: Vikram Seth has produced another remarkable feat, varying his writing style so dramatically you never think it was the same author who wrote "A Suitable Boy". In this his second major work he considers the life of an English violinist who is a member of a quartet playing chamber music. How Seth can witch from the life of people in India with all of its poverty, joy, humour and life's challenges, to the this altogether different story is completely unfathomable. "A Suitable Boy" always contained a hidden undertone of humour, a sort of subtle wit underlying the story whereas this story is sad, often tragic and sometimes pathetic telling how love is gained and lost, gained and lost again. Suffering of personal magnitude with all of its contradictory thoughts, illusions and fantasies is so well brought out its not hard to get caught in the saga. The musician has lost his love who he met while studying under a hard taskmaster, his own troubles with his teacher alienate her until he just leaves. Ten years later he meets her again although she is now married, has a child and is progrssively going deaf. He still loves her as does she him, longing and pain of past memories as well as the suffering of not being with the one you love fill this book. They love and meet each other only to have to lie to their friends and husbands. Eventually she can't take the suffering and it comes to a sad end although his own personal journey is not yet complete until he open that door which allows suffering to be felt but not held on to. In addition to the story itself which is told with real feeling, there is the music which permeates the story almost as much as the love between the two who are both musicians. At times Seth somehow captures the awesome beauty of the music the character plays with such poetry it is hard to believe he, the author is not a musician himself. Although the book is filled with great storytelling occasionally the character's life becomes pathetic. Nonetheless an astonishing tale.
Rating:
Summary: Superb creation of character emotions & visual descriptions
Review: Having received this book & knowing nothing of its author, I was amazed at the intricate pattern & story that this book is. The descriptions of scenes, emotions, situations and characters is impressive, draws one in and makes it impossible to interrupt. Even if you are ignorant of classical music, this will enlighten you and as alot of offer in terms of personal courage.
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