Thank you to the publisher for sending an ARC of this book! 


The Dark Maestro had me completely locked in for the first half. Brendan Slocumb’s writing was gripping, the pacing was fantastic, and the focus on Curtis’s childhood music talent was compelling. I was fully on board even when the narrative took a creative turn into the world of comic books, I anticipated the shift as the blurb on the back of this book perhaps gave too much away in terms of plotting, so when Curtis’s young self conceived of the Dark Maestro, I knew it somehow would become a comic (I did not anticipate the video portion). Regardless, while the turn was expected, it still had some fun twists. 

But once Curtis himself started stepping into the role of a “superhero,” things started to unravel for me. The story, which had been grounded in emotional realism and cultural weight, suddenly felt implausible and wobbly. The tone shift didn’t land, and what had been a nuanced character journey turned into something that felt more like a stretch than a transformation. The end itself left more questions than answers and was not overly satisfying. 

That said, Larissa was a standout. She was a fully realized, vivid character who brought energy and authenticity to every scene she was in. Honestly, she kept me turning pages even when the plot went off-key. She was the shining part of the book and deserved even more time in the spotlight.

There’s a lot to admire in The Dark Maestro, but for me, the second half lost the resonance that made the first so powerful. Still, Slocumb’s ambition is clear, and I’ll keep reading what he writes next.