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A review by mjenae
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
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
4.75
Ooh, the crime element. I hadn't thought I'd missed it. I'm always surprised by how well it captures my attention. The pressure slowly rose with every page, and by the last fourth, I couldn't read fast enough. Muscles tensed, breath shallow. Gracious. And when he finally found the violin, I smiled and smiled.
Some other things I loved about the book:
The theme of music. The way Ray described playing, especially with the Strad, the way he connected with it and spilled out through it.
Ray's dry, sardonic humor. It made me giggle more than once.
The slice of history. Even if it nearly sickened me. It was brutal and honest and it added a different aspect to the story.
One thing that I didn't like so well:
Sometimes, Ray's voice came across as forceful and defiant. He knew how to be respectful when he wanted to be, but there was a little too much anger for me to be comfortable with. I think one of the underlying themes of this book is resistance, and while I realize that's what the author intended and I think other people could connect with it, it didn't work for me.
But oh, it was a fantastic ride to be on.
Some other things I loved about the book:
The theme of music. The way Ray described playing, especially with the Strad, the way he connected with it and spilled out through it.
Ray's dry, sardonic humor. It made me giggle more than once.
The slice of history. Even if it nearly sickened me. It was brutal and honest and it added a different aspect to the story.
One thing that I didn't like so well:
Sometimes, Ray's voice came across as forceful and defiant. He knew how to be respectful when he wanted to be, but there was a little too much anger for me to be comfortable with. I think one of the underlying themes of this book is resistance, and while I realize that's what the author intended and I think other people could connect with it, it didn't work for me.
But oh, it was a fantastic ride to be on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Slavery, and Police brutality