All Is Song

More about the book

In late summer London, Leonard Deppling returns from a year in Scotland caring for his dying father. His brother William, who lives in the north with his wife and three sons, missed the funeral. Now alone and rootless, separated from his partner and on sabbatical, Leonard moves in with William, hoping to rekindle their friendship and unite their family. William, a former lecturer and activist, is serious and introspective, believing true happiness comes from self-knowledge. He holds informal meetings with ex-students to explore his own ignorance. Leonard realizes he must abandon his expectations of brotherhood and reconnect with the understanding they once shared. Despite his efforts, he begins to share their father's anxieties about William's eccentricities. Tensions rise when news breaks of a student who has taken one of William's arguments to a disturbing extreme. Rather than retreat, William chooses to confront the danger, a decision that threatens to engulf him and his family. Set against a backdrop of tabloid sensationalism and national crisis, this novel explores themes of familial and moral duty, emphasizing the importance of questioning over conformity. It is a work of remarkable perception and intensity from a promising young writer.