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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Two different timelines, unraveling the mysteries behind a composer's genius. Occasionally the dialogue seemed stilted, but generally intriguing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Damn what a book. So many layers of identity and experience. Our country is so fucked up
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
This book started off a little slow for me, but definitely picked up in the second half. My biggest complaint is that everyone seemed to be making mountains out of mole hills in the beginning (like the discovery of O vs A), but I suppose they did turn out to be right. All of that aside, this was a really great story that makes you stop to wonder how many white musicians and composers took credit when it should have rightfully went to the black creators, and what lengths people would still go to today to keep that covered up. Hearing from Fred and Josephine’s points of view really showed a window into the way that people try to justify and rationalize things. I couldn’t help but have Eminem’s lyrics playing on a loop in my head while reading: “I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley to use Black music so selfishly and use it to get myself wealthy.” By the end I was fully ready to fight a fictional dead man.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is exceptionally good.
This is a story of a neurodivergent Black woman in the 1920s who heard sounds everywhere. She would write down doodles and codes which were later transcribed into scores of music. Each was a masterpiece. Yet, she sadly didn’t get credit for what she created.
The author tells the story with two timelines: from the present and then back to the 1920s. Each is engaging with characters that seem like they were pulled from a history book.
It was a time when women didn’t have rights. Black women had a harder time with discrimination and for a Black single woman with autistic tendencies, it was a difficult challenge. My heart went out to Josephine Reed. I just wanted to embrace with her deep love of life through her music.
But we all know that there are ups and downs and that’s where Frederick Delaney came in. He took advantage of her gift by taking credit for the music she wrote and selling it with his name on each piece. He then made her feel like he was doing her a favor. He told her that a Black woman would never be able to sell her tunes.
It's an emotional story. At times, I had to pause as it was causing stress just thinking about the suspense in the plot even though much was predictable. It’s one that opens up the ugly past but ends on a pleasant note.
This is a story of a neurodivergent Black woman in the 1920s who heard sounds everywhere. She would write down doodles and codes which were later transcribed into scores of music. Each was a masterpiece. Yet, she sadly didn’t get credit for what she created.
The author tells the story with two timelines: from the present and then back to the 1920s. Each is engaging with characters that seem like they were pulled from a history book.
It was a time when women didn’t have rights. Black women had a harder time with discrimination and for a Black single woman with autistic tendencies, it was a difficult challenge. My heart went out to Josephine Reed. I just wanted to embrace with her deep love of life through her music.
But we all know that there are ups and downs and that’s where Frederick Delaney came in. He took advantage of her gift by taking credit for the music she wrote and selling it with his name on each piece. He then made her feel like he was doing her a favor. He told her that a Black woman would never be able to sell her tunes.
It's an emotional story. At times, I had to pause as it was causing stress just thinking about the suspense in the plot even though much was predictable. It’s one that opens up the ugly past but ends on a pleasant note.
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No