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lisaarnsdorf'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? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Emotional abuse, and Violence
rcvelasquez13's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Police brutality
alexashabit'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
3.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Police brutality
mollyb13'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
I appreciate that the author put so many of his own experiences into this book. It really paints a picture of the horrific treatment he has gone through as a Black musician in the classical world, and the extra work he had to do to overcome the challenges. An important read for anyone, but especially those involved in concert bands/orchestra/etc...
You can tell the book is a debut - a few things seemed a little messy or too quickly resolved, and I feel like the last few chapters were a bit rushed, but it didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the story. Can't wait to read more from this author!
Graphic: Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
shelbyl'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
4.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Racism
meganpbennett's review against another edition
- 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
momsmagicreads'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? No
4.5
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Toxic relationship, Slavery, Police brutality, Sexual content, and Death
jextown's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
tnociti'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
Graphic: Police brutality, Racism, Emotional abuse, Slavery, and Racial slurs
atamano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Slavery