A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

PRODUCT DETAILS

Hardcover | $28.00
Published by Anchor
Feb 01, 2022 | 352 Pages | 6-1/8 x 9-1/4 | ISBN 9780593315415

Publishers Description

Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. If he’s lucky, he’ll get a job at the hospital cafeteria. If he’s extra lucky, he’ll earn more than minimum wage. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he’s determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can’t afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. 
 
When he discovers that his great-great-grandfather’s beat-up old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. Together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Ray will have to piece together the clues to recover his treasured Strad … before it’s too late.
 
With the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray’s great-great-grandfather asserting that the instrument is rightfully theirs, and with his family staking their own claim, Ray doesn’t know who he can trust—or whether he will ever see his beloved violin again.

My Thoughts

Let’s start out with a confession: I’m not a great fan of classical music. It’s not like I don’t appreciate it, I just wondered if this novel would really appeal to me.

A little more honesty. Yep. It certainly did. The Violin Conspiracy is an amazing debut novel by Brendan Slocum. 

Though it does cover a boy who dreams of becoming a classical violinist, it zeros in on believable dialog and issues that might confront a black man wishing to break into a new field. Though he is talented, racism is prevalent and even family attitudes end up hurting a young man’s self-confidence.

This unique story covers so much in the way of vocabulary and emotions that musicians can relate to. Slocumb even manages to weave a small mystery through the pages when Ray’s heirloom violin disappears. He also adds an element that didn’t surprise me: slavery. But it was worked into the story beautifully.

My Concerns

Ray’s attitude early in the book felt too exaggerated even for his personality. The whining made it hard for me to continue reading. And it felt detrimental to the rest of the book, which was just fine.

The story felt a bit too long in certain areas and I found myself scanning and skipping pages several times.

Final Thoughts

The theft of a valuable family heirloom is the center of this multi-layered story. Though the whodunit drives the story, mystery readers will find it easy to solve.

So is it worth reading? 

Without a doubt. 

The various storylines will keep your interest and the pages turning. Since the author is a classical musician, it felt authentic. The characters and dialog were believable

Whether musically inclined or not, most will enjoy this debut novel.

I received a gifted copy from @vintageanchorbooks but I wasn’t obligated to post a positive review.

About the Author

Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was born in Yuba City, California and was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, concentrations on Violin and Viola. While at UNCG, Brendan was the concertmaster for the University Symphony orchestra and served as the principal violist. He performed with numerous small chamber ensembles, including flute and clarinet choirs, and in the BESK string quartet.

What’s Being Said

“This novel, which will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page, is sure to be a favorite.” —The Washington Post

In this riveting page-turner, Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—until a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his lost family heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world. This “galvanizing blend of thriller, coming-of-age drama, and probing portrait of racism … will do for classical music what The Queen’s Gambit did for chess” (Booklist).

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