The novel was first published in Moscow by EKSMO Publishing House in 2011 and was longlisted for the Russian Prize. The plot of the novel is based around the story of a very beautiful but tragic love between a talented composer and his student. He is almost twice her age, a complex, nervous, life—wrecked man in whom all good intentions seem to have died out. She is very young, still a schoolgirl, an incredibly gifted pianist. Music is the space of their passion, mutual understanding and love.
Naturally, at the moment of “tightening the screws”, the large age difference between the main characters fell under the law prohibiting pedophilia propaganda. The book was withdrawn from libraries. There was no talk of a reissue. LITSVET decided to give the book a new lease of life.