Cover Image: The Forest of Wool and Steel

The Forest of Wool and Steel

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Member Reviews

What a wonderful, peaceful and relaxing book. I love anything set and written about Japan so this was perfect for me! I have a small amount of knowledge of the Piano, tuning and playing and this was spot on. The effect an instrument can have on a person is amazing. I love the describing of the process of tuning and the effect it had on the main character. A quick, very enjoyable read.

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Such an appealing story. Knowing next to nothing about pianos and still less about tuning them, I was fascinated by all the detail involved in a piano tuner’s job. What clients mean when they want a ‘bright’ sound, for example, and how people’s perception of sound varies. I was particularly taken with the narrator’s likening of the nuances of tone and pitch to the sounds of the forest he grew up in - many opportunities for gorgeous descriptions here. Interesting, too, are his thoughts on the Ancient Greeks’ ideas about the interdependence of astronomy and music.

‘In a way I could agree, though, how astronomy and music could be considered foundational to understanding the world. You extract some stars from all the countless ones and make them into constellations. Tuning is similar. You select things of beauty that have dissolved into the fabric of the world. You gingerly extract that beauty, careful not to damage it, and then you make it visible.

Seven sounds - do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do, or twelve if you include semitones - are teased out, named, and then they sparkle just like the constellations. And it’s the tuner’s job to pick these out with precision from the vast ocean of sound, arrange them delicately and make them resonate.’

A thoroughly enjoyable book, with a beautiful cover artwork that reflects the story perfectly.

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There is something mesmerising about Japanese literature that captures my imagination so effortlessly. The anaolgies used, the descriptive language selected; it all flows so beautifully and naturally that it makes me feel comforted and absorbed at the same time. Such magical work done by Gabriel to maintain the lyricism of the story in the crossover of translation.

A story for piano and music lovers alike. It's the story of Tomura, his desire to become a piano tuner and the perseverance to turn his dreams into reality. If you're a lover of Japanese literature you'll easily be lifted into the narrative and transported away. If you love the piano, your heart will be warmed reading this wonderfully melodic story.

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The Forest of Wool and Steel is a book that could be described as a love song to the piano.It is a beautiful and (appropriately) lyrical work that will stir the hearts of piano-lovers everywhere. It is a homage to music, and to the art of perseverance. I loved following Tomura on his journey as he learnt both how to tune a piano and how to believe in himself and find his purpose in life. The story and characters captured my imagination and rekindled my own love for the piano. It's a book I would recommend to all who love music and literary fiction.

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This book initially attracted me because the story was so beautifully simple. There is no complex fantasy world where battle-hardened heroines fight against the mystical forces of darkness. There is one man, Tomura, and his somewhat unextraordinary journey to realising his dream of becoming a great piano tuner.

The book is already published in Japan and the edition that I am reviewing is the English translation. It is not the sort of book I would normally go for but the write-up made some bold claims. “Mega-bestselling”, “Over a million copies sold.” Something with that much of a build up must be worth a look!

The translation is well-done. If you did not know it had been translated from Japanese to English, you might find the sentences to be short, clip and precise, and yet still perfectly enjoyable to read.

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.”

Tomura, our main character, is an unassuming young man from a small village in the mountains of rural Japan. His life changes the day he witnesses the school piano being tuned. The sound and smells conjure scenes in his mind of a forest. He is entirely bewitched by the experience and makes his mind up to become a piano tuner.

He leaves his small village and studies piano tuning, eventually taking a position as an apprentice at a small company. The story follows Tomura as he learns from the three master tuners and forges relationships with his clients.

Every encounter with a piano teaches him something different and each experience with beautiful piano music transports him somewhere stunning. It is this collection of experiences that he forges connections with and uses to obtain the skills to tweak the subtle tones and timbres that each individual piano produces.

Each of his mentors, while being very different in character, give him valuable advice and encourage him to have confidence in himself.

We follow Tomura’s triumphs and setbacks over the years of his apprenticeship. I really felt his joy and exacerbation as I followed his journey.

We have a piano at home, one of the reasons I wanted to read this book. It is a 200-year-old upright cottage piano. Once a year we have the piano tuned, our tuner arrives, sets to work and I leave him to it. I cannot play anything more than chopsticks on it but my children are having lessons and I look forward to the day they can play to me.

Before I read the Forest of Wool and Steel, I took for granted what it meant to tune a piano. The tuner uses his skills to tune the piano to the correct key, yes, but there is so much more to it. The tuner is able to manipulate the finer aspects of the notes to completely change the mood of the sound it produces. The book goes into great detail about this fascinating process.

Aside from giving me a greater appreciation of the piano as a massively under-appreciated instrument, Tomura’s story helped me understand the merits of perseverance, dedication and passion to achieve your dreams – however big or small they might be.

I rather unexpectedly enjoyed this story, it was beautiful, kept me engaged (I read the entire book in two evenings) and taught me a thing or two. However, it didn’t excite me. I wasn’t overwhelmed with any kinds of strong emotions. Honestly, it was easy-going reading, the sort I enjoy when I’m tired and can’t focus on anything too heavy. That being said, I was invested. I cared what happened to Tomura and the other characters.

I give The Forest of Wool and Steel 4/5.

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A short and powerful translation from the Japanese, following the journey of a young piano tuner and the things he learns along the way.

Melodic and beautiful, I enjoyed this.

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