Member Reviews
I was given an Advanced Reader Copy from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an Honest Review.
I give this 2.5 stars rating down to 2 stars for the purpose of this rating system.
This novel has a lot of interesting elements to it. It follows a young black man who is an underdog in every way as the attempts to rise to the top of his field. He struggles with low self worth, an unsupportive money hungry family, and multiple other issues. It should have made for an interesting read.
I just don't think the execution was great. It is a coming to age with a little bit of mystery. The blurb suggests that we will be following the story about Ray McMillian trying to get his violin after it is stolen for ransom. That is how it starts however it quickly switches to 7 years ago (the start of his journey of becoming a professional musician) and it slowly works it self back to the present.
This takes a up a good portion of the book and while I think some backstory was needed and helped me understand the main character and his family more. This issue came in that because it went on for so long it became very repetitive and I started to lose interest. Each chapter we would have Ray go up in age and deal with the same racial abuse from different people. It was never ending. It slowed down the pace of the book tremendously. Which is time that could have went towards building a mystery.
I read the author's note and I understand that he had to put up with a lot of the unfortunate racist attacks just because he a black boy/man trying to play violin. As a black woman I can certainly empathize with the author. However, I think it would have been better if he had written a non fiction so that people could properly bare witness to all he had to endure, Because putting in so many examples of racism into THIS book did not add to the story. It only served to neglect other elements.
Even when we got back to the present the book seemed to be going nowhere.
I was able to read this book quickly but I did not enjoy it.
The pace in this was far slower than expected for this genre. As a result, it was a struggle to stay engaged. The mystery itself was just okay.
Well-written mystery with a black man as the protagonist. He is passionate about playing the violin and must overcome many barriers in this white man’s world as well as a family that wants to ride his coattails when he finds success. A theft of his violin dominates much of the story, but really shows what a master he is as he fights through.
As Ray McMillian is preparing for the international Tchaikovsky Competition, his beloved violin goes missing. But it’s not just any violin, in fact, it’s a Stradivarius, which are the most well-known, top-of-the-line, priceless violins out there. The book is a trek for Ray, attempting to get his violin back, or paying the ransom, before the competition.
In a book infused with intrigue, mystery, and personal & societal obstacles, McMillian is an interesting, dynamic character who we get to see grow throughout the novel. This book is Ray’s journey to retrieve this irreplaceable violin that once belonged to his great-grandfather, a slave. Ray must also fight against the descendants of the man who enslaved his great-grandfather, who believe they are heir to this violin.
I found this book to be an entertaining, fun, and interesting read. This book has a large focus on racism, especially in the classical music world. Classical music is relatively obscure in the current climate of pop culture and nonstop news reels, and a book that revolved around it was fascinating. At times, I did feel confused about the timeline of events, and I did wish that some of the nuances of the plot could’ve come together sooner in the novel, but this very well could be due to my primary background in thriller novels, which typically sets the scene much earlier, if not in the prologue, of the novel.
Overall, a great novel. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for anything Brendan Slocumb writes in the future. I also found that on the author’s website, there was a music playlist which accompanied the book, and I thought this was a great touch.
The Violin Conspiracy
I can sum up my review of this book in two words: LOVED IT!
That review however would not give justice to this beautiful book. Ray is a young black man, who is trying to make it in the classical music world playing his violin. The violin was given to him by his beloved grandmother, Nora. When it turns out that the violin is a rare 18th century Stradivarius, Ray’s family and others just see dollar signs, while Ray just wants to play it. He is heartbroken, when the violin is stolen, a month before the Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow for which he has been practicing for months.
This is a book as much about injustice against blacks in this country as also Ray’s rise to stardom against all odds to make it in a world where less than 2% of classical orchestra players are black. Ray does not have support of his family, his only support system is his mentor,
Dr. Janice Stevens, associate professor of violin at a university, who stands by him throughout his journey.
I love classical music, have been a subscriber for a symphony for decades, so I very much appreciated and enjoyed the musical aspects.
The little known Bruch violin concerto, Ray’s first solo performance was the icing for the cake for me, as it is one of my favorites. I first heard it played by a child violin prodigy at a Hartford Symphony performance.
Overall 5 + stars, it’s one of those books I was sorry it was over so soon.
Thanks NetGalley, Anchor Publishing and Brendan Slocumb, the author to give me this advanced copy. I wish the author much success in promoting and selling this book.
Review of uncorrected eBook file
Ray McMillian, who knows nothing of the inherent racism in the classical music world, dreams of becoming a professional musician despite the fact that his mother thinks his music is worthless and insists that he get a real job. Playing the violin is Ray’s passion . . . despite the fact that he cannot afford an instrument other than the sub-par school rental violin he plays.
But Ray’s grandmother enjoys his music and encourages him to continue to play, just as his grandfather played. And then, one Christmas, her gift to Ray is his grandfather’s fiddle. PopPop’s fiddle, passed down through the family for generations, had originally belonged to his great-great-grandfather. Stunned by what he considers an extravagant gift, Ray has the instrument cleaned and appraised . . . and discovers that it is actually a nearly-priceless Stradivarius violin.
Shortly after Ray decides to compete in the International Tchaikovsky Competition, his beloved violin disappears. And, adding to his despair, both members of his family and descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray’s great-grandfather all claim the violin actually belongs to them.
All Ray wants is to play the music. But will he ever put his beloved violin up to his shoulder again?
A fascinating mystery surrounds the theft of the Stradivarius [with several plot twists and a never-saw-that-coming ending that is sure to surprise readers] while the cruel and outrageous treatment Ray continually faces, even from members of his own family with their hands out for money, puts a vicious yet revealing face on the depravity that is racism.
And yet, this book isn’t truly about either of those things even though they are a large part of the fabric of the story spun out for captivated readers as a young boy grows into an upright, moral man and learns how to follow his dream in spite of the incredible odds he faces. The mystery is truly compelling; the story of Ray’s life is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. The narrative draws readers in from the outset and never lets them go. Frustration, anger, empathy, joy . . . all woven into this mesmeric tale.
However, this book is, above all else, a love letter to music.
Music literally pours from these pages . . . Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Ravel, Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli Rimsky-Korsakov, Kabalevsky, Monti, Mendelssohn, de Falla, Bruch, Saint-Saëns, Still, Beethoven, Brahms, Massenet, Dvořák, Bazzini, Paganini, de Sarasate, Kreisler. “Rhosymedre,” “l’Inverno,” “Water Music Suite,” “Christmas Concerto,” “Capriccio Espagnol,” “Orpheus in the Underworld,” “Czardas,” “The Lark Ascending,” “Spanish Dance,” “Third Violin Concerto,” “Tzigane,” “Violin Concerto no. 1 in G Minor,” “Violin Concerto in E Minor,” “Concerto in A Minor,” “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso,” “Suite for Violin and Piano,” “Marche Slave,” “Thaïs,” “Romance in F Minor,” “Valse-Scherzo,” “Dance of the Goblins,” “Sérénade mélancolique,” “Violin Sonata no. 21,” “Zigeunerweisen,” “Preludium and Allegro,” “Concerto no. 5.” And so much more.
Add this book to your must-read list and be prepared to be enthralled.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor and NetGalley
#TheViolinConspiracy #NetGalley
You can tell Brendan Slocumb is a teacher as well as a musician, because he makes the music come alive for someone who knows nothing about the technical aspects of classical music or the violin. What a performance he put on for his readers! I am already looking forward to his next book!
This story educated me in other ways too. I did not realize how underrepresented POC are in classical music performance. Of course, I realize there is racism and ignorance holding back Black students and performers, but the incidents included in this narrative were shocking in their cruelty. And as the author shares in the afterword, some of these events actually happened in his life.
What took this story beyond a simple essay on prejudice, is the main character, Ray McMillian, loving, hard working, loyal and so very gifted. Watching him develop from a talented youngster with little money or support into a world class violinist was deeply rewarding. What made it especially satisfying was to see Ray stand up for himself against prejudice and solve all kinds of challenges Life threw in his path. We could all learn a lesson from this young man!
Brendan Slocumb is a true artist of both words and music!
To me, this was a slow read. It took a long time to get into. I, unfortunately, wasn't able to finish
4.5/5 stars (rounded up to 5.)
The Violin Conspiracy follows Ray McMillian, a man with a passion for violin and the grit to prove himself, as obstacles to do with his race, his family and his violin stood in his way to greatness.
There’s a strong focus on racism in this novel, and Slocumb didn’t sugarcoat the reality of living with racism. Every time someone wrote Ray off because they thought he was inherently incapable or assumed he had malevolent motives made my blood boil and also sunk my heart. Throughout the novel, I felt as desperate as Ray was, wanting others to recognize how much effort Ray was putting into perfecting his craft, to not look at him like he’s a thief or simply fulfilling a diversity quota.
Similarly, it hurts to read about Ray when he had to balance between surviving life and paying the bills for his family and pursuing his passion. His family, though important to him, provided resistance against him reaching his dreams. Despite all these struggles, Ray's grit and passion for music came through.
A key message to take away from this book is to be yourself. In Ray's case, it was important to him that he stood up for who he is, and to not be afraid to do what he loves. This will certainly land with readers, especially those who want to be like Ray.
Deep respect for Brendan Slocumb for writing this book which reflects his own experiences. If you manage to get to the end of this novel, please read the author's note because it's inspiring.
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for providing the e-arc.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I finished this book in one sitting. I loved it so much! I cannot wait to read more from this author.