The River by Norwegian Ketil Bjornstad is the long-awaited sequel to The Pianists (Compass Guide, 2011), the story of Axel Winding, an up-and-coming musician whose tenacity and will to win is rightfully admirable. He's eighteen and still grieving about the loss of his beloved girl Anya, at the same time he has finally decided on the purpose of life and is now rushing along the intended path, immersed in preparation for his debut concert. But there are two things in life that you should never rush into: cognac and love, and now Axel has learned to feel it. He tasted the taste of life: tart, sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter. He is no longer an impatient boy, he is a strong personality, strong women are drawn to him, he surrenders to feelings and is ready to take responsibility. In “The River” Brahms sounds simultaneously with Joni Mitchell, the characters discuss the Vietnam War, the independence of women and their right to abortion, and Beethoven, Bach and Chopin mix with the sincere and disturbing work of Axel himself, who is trying to stay afloat in the whirlpool of life.