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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
sad
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
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It’s no secret that I adore Brendan Slocumb, and the fact that he’s a local author means I do get to see him in person sometimes, a shed a tear over our mutual love of music, the life of musicians, and how grateful I am he started writing novels!
Symphony of Secrets, like The Violin Conspiracy (his debut), is a thrilling musical mystery. In the present day, we have Bern Hendricks, a professor who owes his very lifestyle to the composer Frederick Delaney, famous composer from the 1920s and founder of an organization for the protection and furthering of music in underprivileged areas. Bern is asked to do some research into one of Delaney’s famous compositions, including decoding his writing on an original manuscript. Bern is of course delighted and says yes, but quickly realizes he’s in over his head in more ways than one.
This novel has a dual timeline - Bern’s present day perspective working with (and then against) the Delaney Foundation, and the 1920s perspective of Josephine Reed, a Black woman in Manhattan who is “rescued” from the streets by Fred Delaney - at that point just a guy who plays piano. Josephine shows him music in new ways, and as a silent partner, gives him ideas and then compositions which he uses to send his career to new and incredible heights.
There are so many great layers to this novel, including the jazz scene in 1920s NYC, appropriation of Black people’s contributions to music (and honestly everything), technology and hacking (Bern’s friend Eboni is a genius and a boss), and the tendency of white people with money stopping at nothing to get what they want. The story itself is intriguing, but Brendan’s ability to make us understand the Black experience in the 20s and present-day is really great. I’ll also die on the hill that Josephine is autistic musical prodigy and I really loved seeing the way her brain worked throughout the story.
Forever thanking Brendan for writing creative stories and gifting them to musicians everywhere who love a nod to our professions even within a thriller. 🙌🙌
Symphony of Secrets, like The Violin Conspiracy (his debut), is a thrilling musical mystery. In the present day, we have Bern Hendricks, a professor who owes his very lifestyle to the composer Frederick Delaney, famous composer from the 1920s and founder of an organization for the protection and furthering of music in underprivileged areas. Bern is asked to do some research into one of Delaney’s famous compositions, including decoding his writing on an original manuscript. Bern is of course delighted and says yes, but quickly realizes he’s in over his head in more ways than one.
This novel has a dual timeline - Bern’s present day perspective working with (and then against) the Delaney Foundation, and the 1920s perspective of Josephine Reed, a Black woman in Manhattan who is “rescued” from the streets by Fred Delaney - at that point just a guy who plays piano. Josephine shows him music in new ways, and as a silent partner, gives him ideas and then compositions which he uses to send his career to new and incredible heights.
There are so many great layers to this novel, including the jazz scene in 1920s NYC, appropriation of Black people’s contributions to music (and honestly everything), technology and hacking (Bern’s friend Eboni is a genius and a boss), and the tendency of white people with money stopping at nothing to get what they want. The story itself is intriguing, but Brendan’s ability to make us understand the Black experience in the 20s and present-day is really great. I’ll also die on the hill that Josephine is autistic musical prodigy and I really loved seeing the way her brain worked throughout the story.
Forever thanking Brendan for writing creative stories and gifting them to musicians everywhere who love a nod to our professions even within a thriller. 🙌🙌
challenging
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
sad
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:
Complicated
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
THIS BOOK MAKES ME SO MAD. But, like, in the way it’s supposed to. My heart breaks for several of the characters. It was definitely an emotional experience, but it had a great plot and held a mirror to society and our biases as a whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Gun violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Enjoyed the details that made the story come together. Author does a good job of dropping little pieces while not leaving any wholes in the story.
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
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
dark
mysterious
sad
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