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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
4.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed this one. It was a creative plot and a welcomed contrast to what I've been reading lately. It didn't drag and I enjoyed both sides of the split storyline. Slocumb did a great job creating interesting characters, as well as developing them as the book progressed. This is one I'd feel confident recommending to a friend.
Not perfect but I really enjoyed this. (Also went into a deep dive mid-read to learn more about song pluggers.)
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
The emotional rollercoaster this book took me on was wild. Betrayal, delusion, manipulation, intimidation, and death....this book had it all. This story is the story of many creators who don't get the credit they deserve because they're being taken advantage of by folks with privilege (resources, "the look", connections, and power).
Following Bern and Eboni as they uncover the truth is an adventure. They were determined to give credit where it was due and they didn't care who tried to stop them. The courage and motivation to do the right thing was amazing. I also loved the representation. Josephine Reed is neurodivergent black woman who was seen as "crazy" was nothing less than a genius and to watch Bern and Eboni fight for her was touching. Great book!
Following Bern and Eboni as they uncover the truth is an adventure. They were determined to give credit where it was due and they didn't care who tried to stop them. The courage and motivation to do the right thing was amazing. I also loved the representation. Josephine Reed
Really enjoyed! Excited to see what Slocumb writes next.
very very good. very enjoyable :D i liked the first better BUT this one was still fire.
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another 5 star read for me. I love the time slip format and being transported back and forth 100+ years. Definitely got my heart racing a few times. Plus historic neurodivergent representation.
Symphony of Secrets is a wonderful fictional thriller about a voice the music world tried to silence.
I’d read Slocumb’s debut, The Violin Conspiracy, and absolutely loved it, but I was worried this one would suffer the dreaded sophomore phenomenon. IT DIDN’T. It was just as powerful.
Slocumb’s exploration of people whose voices are silenced takes readers back to the early 1900s when music theft was rampant. People who were composing chart-topping music were often starving because the industry claiming to support them and their dream was stealing their music and voice.
Slocumb proposes that a wildly popular composition is not the work of a famous artist, but rather the stolen work of a homeless, neurodivergent Black woman! His examination of marginalized communities and people who are exploited is eye-opening and the masterful plot he planned to uncover the vital voices we’ve failed to hear is phenomenal and compelling.
I won’t forget Josephine Reed any time soon. Slocumb ensured that she was as memorable as her message.
I’ll be standing on my soap box for the foreseeable future making sure all music fans and thriller lovers hear about this book and put it on their reading list!
I’d read Slocumb’s debut, The Violin Conspiracy, and absolutely loved it, but I was worried this one would suffer the dreaded sophomore phenomenon. IT DIDN’T. It was just as powerful.
Slocumb’s exploration of people whose voices are silenced takes readers back to the early 1900s when music theft was rampant. People who were composing chart-topping music were often starving because the industry claiming to support them and their dream was stealing their music and voice.
Slocumb proposes that a wildly popular composition is not the work of a famous artist, but rather the stolen work of a homeless, neurodivergent Black woman! His examination of marginalized communities and people who are exploited is eye-opening and the masterful plot he planned to uncover the vital voices we’ve failed to hear is phenomenal and compelling.
I won’t forget Josephine Reed any time soon. Slocumb ensured that she was as memorable as her message.
I’ll be standing on my soap box for the foreseeable future making sure all music fans and thriller lovers hear about this book and put it on their reading list!