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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
At first I was like "oh, so this is a Dan Brown book with a Black Robert Langdon." It was about half that, which I want to be clear - isn't a bad thing for me. :)
It's the story of a professor who is digging into the legacy of a famous composer from the 1920's, and they start to piece together that he might have had some help in his music writing/inspiration from a Black woman. I think what ultimately takes me up to a 5 star on this one is the fact that this fiction... but it is oh-so-plausible and it really made me wonder just how many marginalized people were robbed of credit and/or opportunity to share their art. I liked how Slocumb included women, minority, and neurodivergence as factors to consider.
Really good, well-paced, well-written.
It's the story of a professor who is digging into the legacy of a famous composer from the 1920's, and they start to piece together that he might have had some help in his music writing/inspiration from a Black woman. I think what ultimately takes me up to a 5 star on this one is the fact that this fiction... but it is oh-so-plausible and it really made me wonder just how many marginalized people were robbed of credit and/or opportunity to share their art. I liked how Slocumb included women, minority, and neurodivergence as factors to consider.
Really good, well-paced, well-written.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Another amazing recommendation from my sister. Symphony of Secrets is the first book I've read by Brendan Slocumb, but I will definitely look for more.
Told from multiple viewpoints by various narrators, it is essentially the story of the discovery of the truth of the origins and brainpower behind the writing and composing of some of the world's most famous and revered music from a century ago.
Bern is a PhD, professor at UVA - and one of the world's experts in (fictional) American composer Frederic Delaney. He was also a beneficiary of the Delaney Foundation and is where he is in life due to the influence of Frederic Delaney. He is enlisted by the foundation when the score to an opera though to have been lost 100 years ago is discovered. As Bern and his colleague, Eboni, begin to dig into the manuscript they stumble upon inconsistencies and are forced to reckon with the fact that Delaney stole all of his music and was a fraud.
Their attempt to right past wrongs puts everything in their lives at risk.
A really unusual story, but a phenomenal one.
Another amazing recommendation from my sister. Symphony of Secrets is the first book I've read by Brendan Slocumb, but I will definitely look for more.
Told from multiple viewpoints by various narrators, it is essentially the story of the discovery of the truth of the origins and brainpower behind the writing and composing of some of the world's most famous and revered music from a century ago.
Bern is a PhD, professor at UVA - and one of the world's experts in (fictional) American composer Frederic Delaney. He was also a beneficiary of the Delaney Foundation and is where he is in life due to the influence of Frederic Delaney. He is enlisted by the foundation when the score to an opera though to have been lost 100 years ago is discovered. As Bern and his colleague, Eboni, begin to dig into the manuscript they stumble upon inconsistencies and are forced to reckon with the fact that Delaney stole all of his music and was a fraud.
Their attempt to right past wrongs puts everything in their lives at risk.
A really unusual story, but a phenomenal one.
3.5 ⭐️
This story works with dual timelines but as usual, one drew me in more than the other. I loved Josephine as a character and I think the author did a really good job of representing her neurodivergence.
This story works with dual timelines but as usual, one drew me in more than the other. I loved Josephine as a character and I think the author did a really good job of representing her neurodivergence.
Audiobook
A great story that kept me interested throughout, a bit over the top with the good vs evil bits but Josephine R was a very memorable character and Delaney had some depth
A great story that kept me interested throughout, a bit over the top with the good vs evil bits but Josephine R was a very memorable character and Delaney had some depth
Excellent and beautiful. Love the synesthesia and I felt that Jo’s characterization was respectful.
I highly recommend this book.
At first, when I was explaining the synopsis to my significant other that asked “what’s it about?”, he then said “so what else is there to be told if you already know the music was stolen?”. I couldn’t give him the answer yet, but I am excited to tell him that there was a ton to unpack!
The character development in this book was flawless. So much respect for Slocumb for painting a respectfully beautiful picture of neurodivergence. Now this is only a small facet of the book, but as a SPED professional, I adored it.
The rest of it? A slightly slow to start (to build up the background history) plot that thickened quickly. By the end I didn’t want to put it down. I also just loved the way the author used symbolism throughout. (I’m not adept like an English teacher, but I picked up on a few so I can only assume there’s more).
Lovely book that surpassed my expectations!
At first, when I was explaining the synopsis to my significant other that asked “what’s it about?”, he then said “so what else is there to be told if you already know the music was stolen?”. I couldn’t give him the answer yet, but I am excited to tell him that there was a ton to unpack!
The character development in this book was flawless. So much respect for Slocumb for painting a respectfully beautiful picture of neurodivergence. Now this is only a small facet of the book, but as a SPED professional, I adored it.
The rest of it? A slightly slow to start (to build up the background history) plot that thickened quickly. By the end I didn’t want to put it down. I also just loved the way the author used symbolism throughout. (I’m not adept like an English teacher, but I picked up on a few so I can only assume there’s more).
Lovely book that surpassed my expectations!
Brendan Slocumb writes thoughtful, nuanced musical mysteries with thriller-style endings. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and the excellent character development in this one.
challenging
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Alcohol
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Suicide attempt
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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