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meganpbennett's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ray is a young black man playing a rented school fiddle when his grandma remembers her grandfather's fiddle, hidden away in the attic for years, and he plays the violin at a few concerts and competitions, winning a scholarship to college. And then he learns that the violin is.... a Strad. A legit, $10 million dollar Italian-made Stradivarius violin. He's immediately famous - the black kid playing a priceless family heirloom that is actually a priceless violin - and plays around the world.
In the first few chapters - which are set after the violin is stolen from his New York City hotel room - we learn that there are numerous suspects, including his own family. Those chapters are difficult to follow, as Ray is our POV character, and Ray is totally distraught, which means the stream-of-consciousness writing is hard to follow. The first section is really one to power through. The book starts getting really good once the violin's provenance is established, and the Marks family walks into the picture.
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Death, Racism, Slavery, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Classism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Body horror
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Death, Toxic relationship, Slavery, Murder, Child abuse, Rape, Cursing, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, and Torture
Minor: Deportation
kerrygetsliterary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Grief, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Racial slurs, and Racism
kmdahlgran's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Moderate: Racism and Cursing
debimorton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Cursing, and Racism
tisdianes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I’d suggest this to be more of a medium to slow paced Family Saga Mystery— rather than a Thriller. It’s authentic and historically rich, as well as educational. A unique book written for all levels from the simple-minded music lovers to the well-trained professionals.
There are numerous hard-hitting incidents that are no doubt impactful. I did find a couple to be a little over-the-top, though. However, I do appreciate the point of view and it being semi-autobiographical. Also, the constant profanity was off-putting and unexpected.
♟I do agree with the notion that The Violin Conspiracy is to classical music what The Queen’s Gambit is to chess.
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
Moderate: Cursing
arthur_ant18's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Police brutality and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Slavery
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Gore