Symphony is about the notorious composer Hector Berlioz and the love of his life—actress Harriet Smithson. He fell in love with her when he was 24, and chased after her for about seven years until she agreed to marry him. Harriet was Hector’s inspiration for Symphonie fantastique.
Despite having an extremely intriguing premise, Symphony isn’t too fun. It feels very detached, and it’s difficult to connect with the characters. It has the feel of a forgotten classic—one of those obscure ones some teachers force you to read as part of the curriculum. It may be because the language is hard to follow, and it’s easy to lose interest as a result.
Symphony is only 384 pages, but by the time we get midway through the book, Hector and Harriet still don’t know the other exists. Up to this point, the author shares lots of small details about other stuff that have nothing to do with their relationship.
In the end, I’m not too sure I’d recommend Symphony to fans of Hector Berlioz. I’m a big fan of Berlioz, but I didn’t like this book.
Jude Morgan has also written these titles:
- A Little Folly (2010)
- Charlotte and Emily (2010)
- The Secret Life of William Shakespeare (2012)
What did you think about Symphony? Have you read anything else by this author?
Last Updated on February 19, 2026 by Sarah Ann
Affiliate Disclosure: There may be affiliate links in this content. This means I earn a small commission if you buy anything from those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Leave a Reply