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pershie13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
It took me a long time to finally finish this book while completing my last semester of undergrad, but this book turned out fantastic! The book follows the story of violinist Ray McMillan, who received no formal training on his instrument until he reached college. Mentored by his violin professor Dr. Janice Stevens, Ray becomes one of the best at his craft. Along with following his journey as a violinist, the story also places an emphasis on the instrument he plays, a Stradivarius violin passed down to him by his grandmother. The story turns into a sort of mystery/thriller as we find out in the opening pages that this violin has been stolen and requires a multi-million dollar ransom for its return. This story covers many of the issues that Black people often face in the field of classical music, as well as the themes of hard work, family, and mentorship. The story definitely took unexpected turns, and I questioned to the very end what was going to happen to Ray, his violin, and his musical career. The book was fantastic, and I enjoyed every twist and turn!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, Gore, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Slavery, and Torture
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Hate crime, and Cursing
Minor: Classism, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual content, and Grief
le3713's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
4.5
What I liked: as someone who played the violin in school, I absolutely loved the setting in the classical music world. You can tell the author knows and loves what he's talking about in this regard. I really enjoyed the treatment of diversity and racism in classical music and the strong mentorship relationship with Janice.
What I didn't like: the plot of the stolen violin, and its resolution, fell flat for me. Though I didn't mind this, most of the book was was about Ray's life prior to his violin being stolen, which slowed down the pace.
All told, this book was very memorable for me, despite its plot weaknesses. Highly recommended for anyone who loves classical music, less so for someone looking for a true thriller.
The audio book has brief musical interludes between sections, which was a bonus!
What I didn't like: the plot of the stolen violin, and its resolution, fell flat for me. Though I didn't mind this, most of the book was was about Ray's life prior to his violin being stolen, which slowed down the pace.
All told, this book was very memorable for me, despite its plot weaknesses. Highly recommended for anyone who loves classical music, less so for someone looking for a true thriller.
The audio book has brief musical interludes between sections, which was a bonus!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Police brutality and Slavery
scrummyb's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This one is a hard one to rate. First off, this book is not about a missing violin. That is just a mechanism, that in my opinion, the author most likely used so he could write a book that wasn't just a semi auto biography, and would propel the story along. He himself is a black man & a classical musician and without looking anything else up about him, I'm sure these events were inspired by his real life experience. So for the "mystery" of the missing violin, only 2.5-3 stars. It was pretty obvious from the beginning. But as I said, that's not really what the book is about. This book is about a black man's experience in the classical music world. About systemic racism, generational trauma, & about his identity and his relationship with his family. And its a fantastic read when that's what you're rating. I know nothing about the classical music world and it was fascinating to read about it and have that as the back drop for the story. I grew attached to the main character and his grandmother and I felt the emotions along with him. So while I entered into this book thinking it was predominantly a mystery about a violin, it still gets 4.25 stars because it's a beautiful read that invokes powerful feelings as well as is an interesting look into the world of classical music.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Torture, and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs
rebeccarudisill's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
5.0
Ray is the absolute heart of this book. His genuine love for music and his soul level goodness made me love him from page one. He approaches everything and everyone from a place of genuine kindness, and his love for his grandmother was truly touching. The story is fantastic and keeps you engaged until the end. I am so thankful for the opportunity to know Ray and to know the pieces of Brendan Slocumb himself that were woven into this sorry. Also, on behalf of Baton Rouge, I am truly sorry for the way our people treated you. It was wrong, and we will do better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Gaslighting, Murder, Torture, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
There are many moments when the main character encounters racism and racist people. All incidents - big and small - are horrible. ***But most vivid is a flashback scene that describes Ray’s great-great-grandfather’s experience as an enslaved person. IT IS VERY DETAILED AND VERY HORRIFYING. HSP’s and all others be warned. It is necessary for the plot, but it is hard***andloveistoolong's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Classism, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Grief, Alcohol, Cancer, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Child abuse
Minor: Cultural appropriation and Deportation
msennflinn's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
eicart_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Police brutality, Torture, Murder, and Slavery
bonniejpg's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Racism
Minor: Death, Grief, and Rape
reading_ladies_blog's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Torture
meganpbennett's review
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- 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
The Violin Conspiracy is a very tightly-paced, well-plotted thriller. You want to know what happens next, eagerly turning the pages until the very end, when it all comes together.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Torture, Death, Racism, Slavery, Hate crime, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Classism, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Body horror