Review 290: The Violin Conspiracy

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Not quite a mystery, although at center of the book is who stole Ray’s heirloom violin? Much of that aspect is put aside to tells Ray full story, not in linear time either. The format sort of works.

My heart kept breaking for this guy. He had no one in his family to support his music except his grandmother. His mother was so distant and rejected him yet doted on his twin siblings, makes you wonder about why…yet was never addressed, nor anything about his father. Nearly no one outside of his grandmother seemed to support Ray, although he does win over an aunt later.

Ray is on his own, figuring out life, but all he wants to do is play the violin. His grandmother gave over her grandfather’s violin that turns out to be a rare one worth millions of dollars that now brings more grief to Ray as the family expects him to hand over money he does not have.

Later in the book the repetition of these ills, the racism and travesties thrown at Ray who only wanted to play the violin, was repetitive. The story bogged down, got boring even. It was a trudge to get through. The bright spots were the lyrical descriptions of the music when Ray was playing. It kept me reading.

The book needed more editing, cutting or adding different material. A tighter book would have soared. It read like a first novel that could have been better as a short story or novella.

2.5 stars.  A good effort for a first-time novelist whose real passion lies in music.

Thanks to Anchor/Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.