Strings of Expectation: The Violin Conspiracy
There’s something instantly captivating about stories that pull back the curtain on a world most of us will never experience. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb promised just that—a peek into the cutthroat realm of classical music through the eyes of a determined Black violinist. With glowing reviews and a Good Morning America book club sticker, I was prepared for a symphony of suspense and soul. What I got instead was a quieter composition—an exploration of identity, heritage, and resilience that hummed in unexpected ways.
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Hype Report
Goodreads gave The Violin Conspiracy 4.11 stars. I think this is very slightly over-hyped.
Aesthetic
The Cover
The cover of The Violin Conspiracy grabs your attention and keeps it! The bright yellow can’t be missed. I’m a fan of how the violin is shaped by amorphous color blocks. It speaks to the transcendence of music. The typography is beautifully matched in tone and style to the rest of the cover artwork. This is a fantastically designed cover. While I personally would have preferred it without the bottom review regarding aesthetics, I do understand the desire to validate the book in some way. Marketing, you know. The spine side of The Violin Conspiracy is so clean and clear, this book could easily be found on the shelf with little effort.
Interior
The interior book design is delightfully easy to read. I especially enjoyed the “part” division pages that feature the violin motif. The designer expertly handled the alternative formatting of letters within the flow of text.
Did the design affect whether I bought the book?
No. This was a book club pick, so I would have bought the book regardless. However, had I come across this book in a bookstore on another occasion, I would have picked it up based on the cover design.
Summary
In Short
A Black classical musician’s quest to recover his stolen violin and prove his talent in a prestigious competition.
From the Publisher
GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK! • Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise—undeterred by the pressure and prejudice of the classical music world—when a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his great-great-grandfather’s heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world.
“I loved The Violin Conspiracy for exactly the same reasons I loved The Queen’s Gambit : a surprising, beautifully rendered underdog hero I cared about deeply and a fascinating, cutthroat world I knew nothing about—in this case, classical music.”
—Chris Bohjalian, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant and Hour of the Witch
Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian’s life is already mapped out. 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 beat-up, family fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach, and 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. Without it, Ray feels like he’s lost a piece of himself. As the competition approaches, Ray must not only reclaim his precious violin, but prove to himself—and the world—that no matter the outcome, there has always been a truly great musician within him.
“He could feel the Bach reaching out from his shoulders like wings, or a cloak, lifting into the corners of the room.”
Character Analysis
The Violin Conspiracy’s main character, Ray, comes across as a person with singular focus – music. While his current life and history are explored in depth throughout the story, there is not a lot of character development. By that, I mean we don’t see a character flaw that is overcome. Despite that, the reader wants Ray to overcome life’s challenges, to win his contest, and to get his family heirloom violin back. I believe the story could have been more compelling if we had seen Ray develop personally. The side characters are delivered as one-trick ponies, too. Each plays a particular string to make the chord that drives the song forward. There is no nuance in the character building. Due to this dirth, the reader has to work to empathize with the characters.
Writing Style
Brendan Slocumb writes music beautifully. The most delightful passages in The Violin Conspiracy are focused on the way that Ray experiences music as he plays the violin. Unfortunately, this strength doesn’t carry over into building tension or the rise and fall of emotion through the story. For a book with “conspiracy” in the title and a heist-based plot, I expected the story, or at least the present-day portions of it, to read more like a thriller. The plot plodded along, with more time spent on backstory than on the conspiracy. In truth, The Violin Conspiracy is much more about being a Black classical musician than about the theft of a multi-million dollar instrument or even about the world-class competition that Ray is determined to win.
“He pressed his jaw against the chin rest, tried to make the solo lilting and effervescent, imagining beetles scaling trees, birds lifting off one branch and alighting on another, higher branch, looking out at the view, and then leaping ever higher.”
Themes
The Violin Conspiracy focuses on the racial imbalance in the world of classical music. Themes of slavery, reparations, and post slavery ownership of property are explored. The cross-section of racism and opportunity/equity acts as the backbone for this tale. Family dynamics and the importance of mentorship are explored.
Critical Evaluation
The phrase “pulled some strings” was vastly overused. I understand that this must have felt so fitting to write based on the subject matter, but the cuteness wore off by the third iteration.
Personal Opinion
The Violin Conspiracy was easy to read, and the story was interesting if not mind-blowing. I think there are areas that the writing could have delivered more emotional impact. For a person who is not musically inclined, I feel like I got to see a world that I never would have encountered and from a unique perspective. I actually learned some things, and that is always a plus in my book.
“He imagined the notes were water, or mercury, or silver-sliding into their ears, dissolving and thrumming into their blood. Their heartbeats were his.”
Recommendation
The Violin Conspiracy is worth the short time it takes to read. Make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end!
Notes
Listen to The Violin Conspiracy playlist by the author Brendan Slocumb
Do you listen to classical music? Have you ever read a book about classical music or a classical musician?
Buy This Book
May your life be as full as your bookshelf and as long as your TBR list.
Happy Reading!
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