Scan barcode
adrienneleigh'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? No
4.5
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, and Racial slurs
sfunk's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Police brutality
Minor: Deportation
disguisedposer'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, and Police brutality
Minor: Torture, Physical abuse, Gore, Violence, and Murder
pepp_sheffield's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
dominiq_ec's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Also, the only reason it’s not getting 5 stars is because it uses the term/slur “g*psy” a handful of times. I’m unsure if this is an acceptable term to use when describing classical music and/or its methods, but because it was never explained in-depth, it reflected poorly on the author and publishing company
Graphic: Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Racism, Police brutality, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death
Minor: Deportation
jmross10'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? No
4.5
Slocumb did a great job of bringing his passion for music to the page and making that love understandable not only to people who share it but also to those who might be experiencing it through his/Ray’s eyes for the first time.
Across the pages of this book readers are confronted with unconditional love, respect, and dedication but also the brutal honesty of what it is to be black, well off, and accomplished. Slocumb doesn’t shy away from Ray’s struggles and it gives the readers a point of view they may never have considered or could never have the personal experience to understand.
It was real without feeling so over the top that it came across as comical or unbelievable. The pacing was good and I like the way the timeline was rearranged to tell the story in a more fitting way. I also appreciated that the mystery wasn’t obvious from page one.
An all around excellent book. A really good read for those who enjoy contemporary stories, books about music or musicians, and/or sociopolitical conversations. There’s plenty to unpack from beginning to end.
Graphic: Racism, Terminal illness, Bullying, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Cancer, Death, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
ladyzbyrd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
There were definitely some parts that’s defy realism when it comes to procedures in various fields that made certain scenes difficult to believe, and I had to set that aside. Reading this slower on my second go around with a group, I ended up in several rabbit holes, mostly due to the above-mentioned procedures in different scenes.
Graphic: Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racism, Racial slurs, Slavery, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Stalking, and Bullying
dragongirl271's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Torture, Racism, Racial slurs, and Slavery
Moderate: Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse
language_loving_amateur's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: Emotional abuse
writingcaia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Being a classic violinist with aspirations of stardom seems impossible to our young MC, everything seems to be against him, he has no money for private lessons like his colleagues, his mother is selfish and just wants him to quit and start working to give her money, and one thing he soon realises, he is Black. Of course, he knew he was but it’s only when he fills in for a colleague in quartet at a wedding does so many things make sense to him, and he sees everything with open eyes, the prejudice that stood in his way all his life.
But, this is also a mystery, as he soon finds out the fiddle his grandmother gave him before she passed, that belonged to her grandfather, and with which he has practiced for 4 years is actually a 10 million dollar worth Stradivarius, and it has now been stolen. The culprits seem to be either his family who want the money of the violin for themselves, or the slave masters descendants who claim the violin is theirs and his grandmothers’ PopPop stole it, as both have sued him for it.
This book was absolute perfection, from the narrative, the writing, the plot and resolution - although I did guess the robber - to the tragic and real underbelly of the story which revolves around a supremely talented violinist descendant of a freed slave who earned and saved his own life with the same fiddle.
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Violence, Slavery, and Racism
Minor: Murder