The Secret Chord, by Geraldine Brooks

King David has commissioned his personal prophet, Nathan, to write a warts and all biography. And so we receive the history of a charismatic leader with many flaws, from his abusive childhood to his bitter end. David is a musical prodigy who unites the tribes of Israel, committing brutal rapes and mass murder along the way. A clear, although possibly not intentional, demonstration of the fact that history is generally his-story and rarely her-story, Brooks’ novel is a bit of a slog through the slaughter. A redeeming feature is the hope for better from the next generation, but David’s motivation is never entirely clear. Brooks is known for bringing history to life in her novels, impeccable research informing engaging fictional characters and their stories. The Secret Chord features real historical characters, about whom there is more mythology than known facts, which creates some tension between story and actual history. Ultimately the nature of these beasts leaves rather a sour taste, most of them are characters the should perhaps stay buried in the past.