Discord by Jeremy Cooper
Discord: a lack of agreement or harmony (as between persons, things, or ideas)
| Discord by Jeremy Cooper | |
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| Category: Literary Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Heather Magee
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| Summary: It's hard to pinpoint what this book is about, thematically. It is orchestral, in this regard, summoning disparate, unexpected notes and creating a strangely satisfying discord. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 248 | Date: February 2026 |
| Publisher: Fitzcarraldo Editions | |
| ISBN: 978-1804272268 | |
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The principal example of discord within the novel, as with most instances of discord, is easily located. The two protagonists of the novel, Rebekah Rosen and Evie Bennet, are as different as they come. Rebekah is an uptight, traditional and no-nonsense composer close to retirement, while Evie is a force of nature, bounding onto the musical scene as a precocious saxophonist, oozing with talent and charm. The two, predictably, don't always see eye to eye, their approaches different and Evie's progressive views at odds with Rebekah's conservative leaning. However, something connects them beyond just their musical project: a sort of fragile alliance formed within the clamour.
Their differences become glaringly obvious on Evie's trip to Rebekah's country home, where Evie's vegetarianism poses a challenge to Rebekah's husband and son with their penchant for hunting animals. I found their unlikely relationship which developed over a year to be really dynamic, fruitful in the themes it generated, and interesting to follow. This was the string that allowed the narrative to continue; however, when at times it was abandoned in favour of other themes or one of the two women individually, the narrative tended to wane, perhaps reflective of Rebekah and Evie's own creative forces waning when without the other.
Cooper's style is distinctive; the sentence structures are refreshingly unusual and the word choices original. It definitely left me wanting to read more of his writing. The anticipation and atmosphere of culmination was effectively created by framing the plot around one performance: the concert entitled Distant Voices to be performed at the Royal Albert Hall. However, the bubble of eager anticipation around this final act, expanded by Rebekah's anxieties at its success, eventually bursts for the reader. The event seems underwhelming, lacking a sense of occasion. If the book didn't end with this segment, the reader might have assumed that this episode was unnoteworthy. The sense of underwhelm can be summarised by Rebekah's first words to Evie after the concert: well, we did it. If the lack of catharsis was intentional, it might be that Cooper intended to highlight the beauty of musical collaboration between distinct personalities, and this was the main 'event' as opposed to the concert itself.
Overall, this was an engaging read, with the novel's greatest strength lying in its nuanced character studies of Rebekah and Evie, whose connection added further depth and complexity. For another novel with strong central characters, I recommend Intermezzo by Sally Rooney.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Discord by Jeremy Cooper at Amazon.com. (Paid link)
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