The Forest of Wool and Steel

Author: Natsu Miyashita
Tomura lives in a mall town in Japan, the story begins when he is nineteen and a piano that is being returned creates a emotional response within him that was life making. Tomura embarks on a different path from the majority of people in his village, a path of music under the watchful eye of three piano teaching masters. A uplifting, beautifully written novel takes you through Tomura’s journey of discovering if he has what it takes to reach his musical goal.
Under the tutelage of three master piano-tuners – one humble, one cheery, one ill-tempered Tomura embarks on his training, never straying too far from a single, unfathomable question: do I have what it takes?
Set in small-town Japan, this warm and mystical story is for the lucky few who have found their calling and for the rest of us who are still searching. It shows that the road to finding one’s purpose is a winding path, often filled with treacherous doubts and, for those who persevere, astonishing moments of revelation.
It is easy to understand why The Forest of Wool and Steel has been such a hit in Japan; it’s a beautiful and totally immersive work of fiction. The meandering pace and the disconnection the reader feels from today’s fast-paced world for the search of perfection through sound and nature will strike a chord with many.
The Forest of Wool and Steel is due to be published by Transworld on the 25th April 2019 in both e-book and hardback formats.
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