Burl's father abuses him so badly that he's forced to run away from home. Alone in the Canadian wilderness, he is sure he won't make it--until he meets Nathaniel Orlando Gow, the Maestro. In just one day, this eccentric musical genius changes Burl's life forever--opening him up to a world he will fight to keep, even if it means telling the biggest lie of his life. A tantalizing coming-of-age story. Complex and poignant, wrapped around a dramatic story line. --Publishers Weekly, starred review