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1k reviews by:
brookesbooks_and_dogs
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
There’s a lot to like about this Book, but a few things didn’t sit right with me. I really loved Ray’s character and was rooting for him the whole way through. But the timelines were a little disjointed for me: the book starts off in the present time when Ray’s prized violin goes missing. Then about 50% of the book is spent diving into Ray’s past and his family history as well as how he acquired the violin and his career leading up to the present. While that was interesting, it took me away from the suspense of the violin’s theft.
The best parts of this story are Ray’s complicated family dynamics, his resilience and drive to be the best violinist in the world, and his experiences as a Black man. The author’s note mentions that some of Ray’s experiences are based on his own, and they were very powerful to me.
This is a debut novel by a professional musician. Overall this was a really interesting story, but I did figure out part of the mystery, and it was a bit too long for me to consider it a “thriller.” I would read the author’s next book in hopes that some of the editing is tightened up.
The best parts of this story are Ray’s complicated family dynamics, his resilience and drive to be the best violinist in the world, and his experiences as a Black man. The author’s note mentions that some of Ray’s experiences are based on his own, and they were very powerful to me.
This is a debut novel by a professional musician. Overall this was a really interesting story, but I did figure out part of the mystery, and it was a bit too long for me to consider it a “thriller.” I would read the author’s next book in hopes that some of the editing is tightened up.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A