By Rubin Friedman
The Clarinetist
By Herschel Katz
Self-published
284 pages
The Clarinetist is the first book by Herschel
Katz, a former Montrealer who has lived in Jerusalem since 1984 where he is now
retired after working as an urban planner for 29 years. His biographical notes
also indicate he worked as a part time book reviewer several years ago and as a
result of this experience, decided to try his hand at writing a story himself.
The novel he has written is a good first effort and seems to reflect
some of his own interests. He is an amateur clarinetist and seems to have
developed an interest in various aspects of the Holocaust. Against this
background, Katz focuses on Danny Kahn, a 17-year-old Jewish teen from Montreal
who is launched into an adventure in the winter of 1967, with all of these
various elements playing a role.
Danny Kahn is the narrator of The Clarinetist and Katz does an
excellent job of using the teen’s perspective. We are plunged into the story at
a key moment when Danny his love interest. We soon discover that his father had
died a number of years ago; that he lives with his mother and older brother;
that he demonstrates mature judgment and behaviour and is often complimented
for it; and finally, that he is a musician – a clarinetist – who has been given
the chance to audition for a place in an international youth wind band to play
in Israel over the summer, under the auspices of a Rubin Academy in Jerusalem.
Katz makes excellent use of Danny as the narrator, who does not give
away what he already knows since the whole tale is told in the past tense.
As the tale unfolds we discover more and more about the teen narrator,
his love of CSI, his fascination with detective stories and his keen ability to
observe details in the appearance and behaviour of others. His mastery of music
and his keen interest in the past, as well as his attention to detail are just
what is required for him to figure out the mysteries he is presented with and
to survive the threats to his life he meets along the way.
Except for two later chapters that do not further the main plots, the
story gallops at a fast pace in the other 25, with new mysteries and dangers at
almost every step. His girlfriend’s father is a lawyer for the mob who implies
there was something not on the up and up about the way his father did business.
He is given a tip that “the Mossad” will be present at his audition and their
judgment will be part of the selection process. He is later given a mysterious
key to deliver to a particular individual in Israel, by an attractive older
woman. Just before he leaves he is asked by his aunt to be on the lookout for
his first cousin, Charlotte.
He is accosted on the airplane by a beautiful stewardess and is given a
note from someone claiming to know his father. He will soon discover that not
everyone is who they claimed to be.
The 17-year-old teen has a kind of mutual attraction with a number young
women, including the stewardess, who bestow kisses and hugs upon him, a few
offering more, in addition to giving him clues to solving all the mysteries he
is presented with. And although he resists their attractions, almost every one
of them indicate that his girlfriend “is very lucky” and promises their
availability for a relationship if the one with his girlfriend does not work
out.
Some of them actively help him carry out everything he needs to do in
order to solve the mysteries as well as save his first cousin, Charlotte, and
his love interest, Naomi, from danger.
There are a number of coincidences in the novel which give Danny exactly
what he needs at exactly the right time and of course some of these have
already been set up by Danny having the very specific talents and interests he
has previously demonstrated, including familiarity with Hebrew biblical texts.
In end, Katz has created a rollicking adventure of a stellar young man,
irresistible to young women and mature beyond his years, who through mystery
and danger, finally solves the mystery of his deceased father’s role in history
and the issue central to his own adventure.
Contact Herschel Katz at katz1401@gmail.com for more
information or to order a copy of The
Clarinetist.
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