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kris_rainboes 's review for:
The Violin Conspiracy
by Brendan Slocumb
Y'all, this book literally gave me anxiety. Like I was 2/3 of the way through and I had to stop and take a Klonopin. I'm not exaggerating. But - still so good, and so important.
I was expecting more of a straightforward mystery/thriller. A chase to find out who stole the Stradivarius, and why. (Professor Plum in the billiard room with a wrench is not one of the options.) But the mystery was really more of a framing device for Ray's story of becoming a musician despite both a family and a broader world that does not want him to be. It was also a story of his love for his instrument, an instrument whose value (to him) has nothing to do with its maker.
So many characters in this book made me SO ANGRY. Not Ray. Not his grandma. And there were a couple others who escape my wrath. But in general, I wanted to scream at all of them. Ray's family who initially wanted him to give up his dreams, then reluctantly support him only as long as he sends home half his paycheck. And the outside world, ugh. The white people in this story are, by and large, not depicted in a complimentary way. And I want to knee-jerk respond "We're not all like that!" But the author is a black musician, and he writes frankly in the afterward just how much struggle he faced, and how much harder he had to work just to be taken half as seriously. So while I don't like to face it, and want to believe it's exaggerated, I'm sure it's not. I do not find racism to be entertaining reading, but I'm not supposed to. I had to shut the book after each of those passages, while remaining painfully aware that being able to ignore it for a little while is a part of my white privilege.
If you're looking for a breezy beach read thriller, this is not it. But if you're looking for a story you've never read before, and looking to educate yourself while still maintaining the enjoyment of a good mystery, give it a try.
(Mild spoiler alert:
.
.
.
things do work out for him. Not ideally, not perfectly; he does experience some loss and heartache. But it's ultimately positive.)
I was expecting more of a straightforward mystery/thriller. A chase to find out who stole the Stradivarius, and why. (Professor Plum in the billiard room with a wrench is not one of the options.) But the mystery was really more of a framing device for Ray's story of becoming a musician despite both a family and a broader world that does not want him to be. It was also a story of his love for his instrument, an instrument whose value (to him) has nothing to do with its maker.
So many characters in this book made me SO ANGRY. Not Ray. Not his grandma. And there were a couple others who escape my wrath. But in general, I wanted to scream at all of them. Ray's family who initially wanted him to give up his dreams, then reluctantly support him only as long as he sends home half his paycheck. And the outside world, ugh. The white people in this story are, by and large, not depicted in a complimentary way. And I want to knee-jerk respond "We're not all like that!" But the author is a black musician, and he writes frankly in the afterward just how much struggle he faced, and how much harder he had to work just to be taken half as seriously. So while I don't like to face it, and want to believe it's exaggerated, I'm sure it's not. I do not find racism to be entertaining reading, but I'm not supposed to. I had to shut the book after each of those passages, while remaining painfully aware that being able to ignore it for a little while is a part of my white privilege.
If you're looking for a breezy beach read thriller, this is not it. But if you're looking for a story you've never read before, and looking to educate yourself while still maintaining the enjoyment of a good mystery, give it a try.
(Mild spoiler alert:
.
.
.
things do work out for him. Not ideally, not perfectly; he does experience some loss and heartache. But it's ultimately positive.)