The novel “The Pianists” by the Norwegian writer Ketil Bjornstad opens up a world little known to us, where music is like a sport, where technique, endurance and ambition are important, a world where the slightest mistake can be fatal... 15-year-old pianist Axel Winding owes his love of music to mother. They spend the evenings together listening to classical music concerts, caught on an inferior radio. Their family is not rich, but the mother is ready to do anything to ensure that her son becomes an outstanding pianist. When she suddenly dies, Axel drops out of school to devote all his energy to preparing for the Young Piano Competition in Oslo. But in this he is not unique. Among the handful of students selected to participate in the competition is Anya Skuug, a neighbor with whom he is in love. There is a lot of pressure on young pianists: the will of their parents, the pride of teachers and - most importantly - their own ambitions. All their dreams are embodied in Munch's "Sun", which hangs in the large concert hall. But in this sun many will burn... Difficult at first, the pages of the novel gradually grab you - and never let go. This is a subtle and serious novel for young and adult readers about the transition to adulthood, about death, about love and violence, about powerlessness and passion.