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meganpbennett's review against another edition
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
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
Content Warnings
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
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Racial slurs, and Racism
kmdahlgran's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
As a violinist myself, I was intrigued by the premise of this book. Ray’s story and experiences broke my heart. The story is well paced and there was a plot twist that I didn’t see coming. I look forward to reading what Mr Slocumb writes next.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Cursing
debimorton's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
4.5
Stradivarius. Ray, Nicole, Janice. Tchaikovsky Competition. Grandma Nora. Black violinist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Cursing, and Racism
tisdianes's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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
3.5
It’s impossible to find some type of balance after reading Brendan Slocumb’s 2022 debut novel The Violin Conspiracy. A symphonically structured story that takes readers on an emotional journey through the eyes of a black classical musician, a male violinist that’s hell-bent on overcoming extremely challenging obstacles time and time again.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, and Hate crime
Moderate: Cursing
arthur_ant18's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Racism
Moderate: Racial slurs and Slavery
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Gore
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