Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by hopeloveslit
Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb
5.0
I loved The Violin Conspiracy, and I enjoyed Symphony of Secrets even more! This novel is a lot of things, but at its core, it’s a story about a silenced and manipulated colored musician.
The historical context in this novel is what I loved the most. It takes place in the early 1900s in my favorite city, New York City! Slocumb transports us into an era where music theft is common, and tunes created by blacks aren’t highly valued.
There’s a dual timeline, and both are equally engaging. One follows Bern and Eboni in the present time. Working for the Delaney Foundation, they stumble across shocking evidence. Fred Delaney, a famous white composer may have not written his scores. The actual composer may be Josephine Reed, a neurodivergent black woman.
I liked Fred/Josephine’s timeline the most. Their story is heartbreaking. It’s full of betrayal, greed, and manipulation. I won’t say too much about them because I feel like it’s spoiler territory! What I will say is this plot is creative and intriguing. I was hanging onto every word. You won’t want to stop reading!! Cliche, I know, but it's true!
As a growing musician, I adore how Slocumb writes about music. I can relate to many quotes in this book. It’s enhanced my experience with his novels. That’s not to say you must play music to like this book. All music/art/historical fiction/mystery lovers will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend it. I'm excited to see what Slocumb does next.
The historical context in this novel is what I loved the most. It takes place in the early 1900s in my favorite city, New York City! Slocumb transports us into an era where music theft is common, and tunes created by blacks aren’t highly valued.
There’s a dual timeline, and both are equally engaging. One follows Bern and Eboni in the present time. Working for the Delaney Foundation, they stumble across shocking evidence. Fred Delaney, a famous white composer may have not written his scores. The actual composer may be Josephine Reed, a neurodivergent black woman.
I liked Fred/Josephine’s timeline the most. Their story is heartbreaking. It’s full of betrayal, greed, and manipulation. I won’t say too much about them because I feel like it’s spoiler territory! What I will say is this plot is creative and intriguing. I was hanging onto every word. You won’t want to stop reading!! Cliche, I know, but it's true!
As a growing musician, I adore how Slocumb writes about music. I can relate to many quotes in this book. It’s enhanced my experience with his novels. That’s not to say you must play music to like this book. All music/art/historical fiction/mystery lovers will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend it. I'm excited to see what Slocumb does next.