Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
This wasn't much of a mystery to me and I figured that part out pretty quickly but that didn't take away anything from the beautiful (and often frustrating) story of Ray's music.
Am I the only person who thinks perhaps the author should stick with playing classical music? This is not a mystery. I knew who stole the violin almost before I knew it was stolen. I slogged through the rest of the book hoping there was a twist. There wasn't. This was painful.
During multiple times, i nearly stopped the book because I was so sickened by the terrible injustice and racism. This book was so good. I loved listening to it on audio.
I really enjoyed this book, and it says some incredibly important things about systemic racism in the western art music world and the world at large. The author put events that actually happened to him into the story, and they were heartbreaking. The prose moments written about the music were beautiful and prompted me to listen to all the pieces.
With that said, there were clear moments elsewhere in the prose that this was his first novel. The twist was a little meh for me. I look forward to seeing his writing develop and mature.
With that said, there were clear moments elsewhere in the prose that this was his first novel. The twist was a little meh for me. I look forward to seeing his writing develop and mature.
You don’t have to like classical music or play a musical instrument to feel the pages of this book vibrating with passion and drive.
The story will catapult you into the world of classical music competitions and a young black boy with big dreams and talent.
When the discovery of a prized instrument in his grandmother’s attic comes into Ray’s possession, his life takes a dramatic turn. Not only does Ray need to fight for his rightful place in a white dominated industry but also his family’s prejudice along the way.
Against the odds his star rises with each performance….and then his beautiful almost priceless violin disappears…. With the only thing left in the violin case a ransom note for $5 million.
Part mystery, part ode to music and full of authentic writing.
Highly recommended
The story will catapult you into the world of classical music competitions and a young black boy with big dreams and talent.
When the discovery of a prized instrument in his grandmother’s attic comes into Ray’s possession, his life takes a dramatic turn. Not only does Ray need to fight for his rightful place in a white dominated industry but also his family’s prejudice along the way.
Against the odds his star rises with each performance….and then his beautiful almost priceless violin disappears…. With the only thing left in the violin case a ransom note for $5 million.
Part mystery, part ode to music and full of authentic writing.
Highly recommended
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-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
First 5 star read of 2025!
And honestly what a great one to start off with. I was intimidated by this book because I've been having trouble taking in lots of adversity in fiction just because real life feels like so much right now. Even when I'm reading about another marginalized group I'm not part of.
But while this book illustrates many hard truths and horrible aspects of our world, the core message is so deeply hopeful.
I never stopped rooting for Ray and my heart broke for him and I wished I could hear him play despite not much caring for classical music myself. But Ray made me want to love it. Dr. Steven's made me want to love it. Grandma Nora made me want to love it.
The mystery has just the right amount of twists, but that's not what us special about the story. It's the passion for the music and the beautiful relationships between people.
And honestly what a great one to start off with. I was intimidated by this book because I've been having trouble taking in lots of adversity in fiction just because real life feels like so much right now. Even when I'm reading about another marginalized group I'm not part of.
But while this book illustrates many hard truths and horrible aspects of our world, the core message is so deeply hopeful.
I never stopped rooting for Ray and my heart broke for him and I wished I could hear him play despite not much caring for classical music myself. But Ray made me want to love it. Dr. Steven's made me want to love it. Grandma Nora made me want to love it.
The mystery has just the right amount of twists, but that's not what us special about the story. It's the passion for the music and the beautiful relationships between people.
“Who you are goes far beyond what you look like. My hope is that Ray’s story will inspire all of you—white or Black, Asian or Native American, straight or gay, transgender or cisgender, blond or dark haired, tall or short, big feet or small—to do what you love. Inspire those around you to do what they love, too. It might just pay off. Alone, we are a solitary violin, a lonely flute, a trumpet singing in the dark. Together, we are a symphony.”
“He would tell you that music is truly a universal language, and that we the listeners will always impose our own fears and biases, our own hopes and hungers on whatever we hear. He would tell you that the rhythm that spurred on Tchaikovsky is the same rhythm that a kid in a redneck North Carolina town would beat with a stick against a fallen tree. It is a rhythm in all of us. Music is about communication, a way of touching your fellow man, beyond and above and below language. It is a language all its own.”
“Precision and technique can be learned,” she told him. “That’s just practice. A lot of practice, but it’s still just practice. What we can’t teach is how to make a musician actually connect—emotionally connect—with the pieces he’s playing. To really care about the music, and let the music tell its story.”
“He would tell you that music is truly a universal language, and that we the listeners will always impose our own fears and biases, our own hopes and hungers on whatever we hear. He would tell you that the rhythm that spurred on Tchaikovsky is the same rhythm that a kid in a redneck North Carolina town would beat with a stick against a fallen tree. It is a rhythm in all of us. Music is about communication, a way of touching your fellow man, beyond and above and below language. It is a language all its own.”
“Precision and technique can be learned,” she told him. “That’s just practice. A lot of practice, but it’s still just practice. What we can’t teach is how to make a musician actually connect—emotionally connect—with the pieces he’s playing. To really care about the music, and let the music tell its story.”
“Who you are goes far beyond what you look like. My hope is that Ray’s story will inspire all of you—white or Black, Asian or Native American, straight or gay, transgender or cisgender, blond or dark haired, tall or short, big feet or small—to do what you love. Inspire those around you to do what they love, too. It might just pay off. Alone, we are a solitary violin, a lonely flute, a trumpet singing in the dark. Together, we are a symphony.”
“He would tell you that music is truly a universal language, and that we the listeners will always impose our own fears and biases, our own hopes and hungers on whatever we hear. He would tell you that the rhythm that spurred on Tchaikovsky is the same rhythm that a kid in a redneck North Carolina town would beat with a stick against a fallen tree. It is a rhythm in all of us. Music is about communication, a way of touching your fellow man, beyond and above and below language. It is a language all its own.”
“Precision and technique can be learned,” she told him. “That’s just practice. A lot of practice, but it’s still just practice. What we can’t teach is how to make a musician actually connect—emotionally connect—with the pieces he’s playing. To really care about the music, and let the music tell its story.”
“He would tell you that music is truly a universal language, and that we the listeners will always impose our own fears and biases, our own hopes and hungers on whatever we hear. He would tell you that the rhythm that spurred on Tchaikovsky is the same rhythm that a kid in a redneck North Carolina town would beat with a stick against a fallen tree. It is a rhythm in all of us. Music is about communication, a way of touching your fellow man, beyond and above and below language. It is a language all its own.”
“Precision and technique can be learned,” she told him. “That’s just practice. A lot of practice, but it’s still just practice. What we can’t teach is how to make a musician actually connect—emotionally connect—with the pieces he’s playing. To really care about the music, and let the music tell its story.”
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A