October 22, 2023 • 57 mins
Welcome to another thrilling episode of BLK Girl Reads, your go-to destination for engaging book reviews and recommendations! In this episode, we're diving into the mesmerizing world of classical music, mystery, and suspense as we explore Brendan Slocumb's latest novel, "The Violin Conspiracy."
Join us as we embark on a reading journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the spooky season of 2023. This episode is a must-listen if you're a fan of spine-tingling thrillers and intricate mysteries.
We introduce you to Brendan Slocumb, the mastermind behind this gripping tale. We delve into his unique perspective and how he weaves a captivating narrative around a Stradivarius violin. With a deep passion for music and storytelling, Slocumb takes us on an unforgettable literary ride.
Throughout the episode, we discuss the significance of classical music in the novel and how it adds depth to the story. From the world of violinists to the allure of a Stradivarius violin, we dissect the elements that make "The Violin Conspiracy" a must-read for music enthusiasts and mystery lovers alike.
As we're amid the spooky season, we'll also share our thoughts on why this novel is a perfect addition to your list of "Spooky Season Reads." The eerie undertones and suspenseful plot make it a compelling choice for your autumn reading list.
Additionally, we touch on the influence of booktube and booktubers in the literary community and how their recommendations have sparked our interest in this thrilling novel. Our reading vlog will give you an inside look at our reading experience and reactions as we uncover the secrets hidden within the pages of "The Violin Conspiracy."
Whether you're seeking Halloween book recommendations or your next favorite thriller, this episode has something for every book lover. Tune in to BLK Girl Reads for an in-depth exploration of Brendan Slocumb's "The Violin Conspiracy" and discover why this novel is making waves in the world of literature.
Don't miss out on this exciting episode filled with insights, recommendations, and a deep dive into the world of a captivating thriller. Happy reading!
Don't forget to check out our other engaging episodes on the Blk Girl Reads Book Club Podcast! We cover a wide range of captivating books, ensuring there's something for everyone. From classic novels to contemporary masterpieces, we provide insightful discussions, author interviews, and much more.
Keep turning those pages, bookworms! Until next time, happy reading and stay lit! 📚✨
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jann (00:01):
Ray MacMillan loves playing the violin more than
anything and nothing will stophim from pursuing his dream of
becoming a professionalmusician.
Not his mother who thinks heshould get a real job.
Not the fact that he can'tafford a high caliber violin.
Not the racism inherent in theclassical music world.
And when he makes this startlingdiscovery that his great
grandfather's fiddle is actuallya priceless Varus, his star
(00:24):
begins to rise.
Then with the InternationalKowski competition, the Olympics
of classical music.
Fast approaching his prizefamily heirloom is stolen.
Reyes determined to get it back,but now his family and the
descendants of the men who onceenslaved for Ray's
great-grandfather are eachclaiming that the violin belongs
to them.
With the odds stacked againsthim and the pressure mounting.
(00:46):
Will Ray ever see his belovedviolin again?
All right.
Welcome back to Black GirlReeds.
How's everybody?
Everybody meaning you and me,Joy.
Joi (00:57):
It's just us.
I miss just us.
Jann (01:01):
Since it's just you and me, Um, let's jump right into
Ratings.
What did you think about it?
Joi (01:07):
Um, this one's hard to rate.
Um.
I'm
Jann (01:13):
I'll go first if you
Joi (01:14):
yeah, you go first, you go first.
Jann (01:16):
Okay, so I'm gonna rate this one at 3.
5 and I'm not gonna rate it a 4because it wasn't my favorite
book But I do think it wasreally well written I felt a lot
of emotions throughout it andthat's all I'm gonna say without
getting into spoilers.
Oh Joy, what do you think?
Joi (01:38):
I'm giving it a 2.
I feel like when I saw that itwas a thriller, I expected to be
more thrilled.
And I was more just traumatized.
And annoyed that it was called athriller.
Jann (01:52):
spoilers.
Joi (01:53):
So, yeah.
Jann (01:55):
I
Joi (01:55):
that's me without my spoiler.
No spoiler.
Spoiler free rating reason.
Jann (02:01):
So you didn't feel like it fit the genre.
I would actually agree withthat.
Um, so with that said, let'sjust jump right into it.
so spoilers from here on out ifyou haven't read it and you want
to read it before you hear them,then click off and come back.
All right, so I would agree,with your assessment about it
kind of not being a thriller.
(02:22):
I've never like, really donethrillers where.
No one dies.
Joi (02:30):
Yeah.
Jann (02:30):
Um, normally I'm like used to them trying to figure out a
murder, which maybe means that Ineed to read more thrillers, I
guess.
do you read thrillers a lot, bythe way?
Joi (02:40):
I read a lot of books.
It's like horror slash thriller,but it's usually horror.
You know, it's likeinterchangeable sometimes, but
if it's not a supernatural ormystery, technically it's a
mystery and technically someonedied in the book, but I wasn't
feeling it, you know?
Jann (02:56):
Yeah.
Which actually is, feedbackwe've gotten on our book list
quite a bit.
So just in case you're listeningand you don't know, we do have a
book club book lists, um, with.
200 plus books written by Blackauthors and all sorts of genre
that you can get for free if yougo to blackgirlreads.
com and sign up girlreads.
(03:18):
com.
But, some feedback that we'vegotten on our book list is that
we don't have a lot ofthrillers.
And I think that's because likethe books that I normally read.
And the books that joy, I guess,to normally reads are mystery
slash thriller or horror slashthriller.
Like, I don't normally read abook.
That's just normally thriller.
so, yeah, I'm normally like,when I'm reading it, it's
(03:40):
solving a mystery, solving amurder, something like this in
the case of solving for amissing violin.
or just a stolen object.
I guess I'm not used to that.
Like, it seemed like more bankrobbery kind of feel, you know,
like an Ocean's Eleven vibe,like a heist
Joi (03:56):
Yeah,
Jann (03:57):
rather than like I would consider a thriller.
What was thrilling about it?
Like, I don't think, other thanhis blood pressure going up
because he lost somethingpriceless.
Joi (04:05):
am I Overall I feel like the only character that was very
developed was The main characterright, but I feel like everyone
else was like very generic alittle bit.
Like cartoonish to how likehorrible they were.
(04:26):
And then I feel like the wrap upat the end with the violin when
he found it was very easy.
And I'm just like, I thought wewere on the same page from
chapter one.
Like it was the girl.
So
Jann (04:38):
I didn't guess it from chapter one.
So I did guess the ending, andI'll tell you exactly in the
book where I suspected it.
And then when I knew for sure,so when they first started the
book, they started in themiddle, right?
Like right when it washappening.
And to me, it seemed like theyhad a very established
relationship.
So I was like, okay, I'm notsuspecting her right off the
bat.
(04:58):
Like they seem close.
And then once they got into thepast and I didn't see her and I
didn't see her and I didn't seeher.
I'm like, okay, it doesn't seemlike they've been together for
that long.
So now I am kind of suspectingher like she's on the suspect
list now too.
And then when he actually mether in the story and he had zero
(05:19):
game.
Zero game.
Like, she walked him throughthat whole, like, lunch.
She walked him through, like,inviting her to stay.
And I'm like, do you reallythink this, like, hot girl that
you keep talking about youcan't, like, take your mind off
of?
This is all just falling intoplace for you?
You don't have to put in anyeffort?
You just sit there like an idiotwith your mouth open and it just
(05:41):
works out?
Like, she is playing you! Like,
Joi (05:46):
I
Jann (05:47):
don't work like that.
Joi (05:49):
completely right.
I was just like, are youserious?
Like you're not suspecting her.
He was stigmatized, like, whatwas it?
Dramatized like
Jann (06:01):
Girl, what?
Joi (06:06):
dramatized, hypnotized.
Jann (06:08):
you to, um, figure out what you're trying to say and
say it, because that can't bewhat you were trying to say.
Joi (06:13):
It was, it was, it's a new word.
I don't know, he just seemedlike, he was very knowledgeable.
You don't get people like veryknowledgeable about certain
things and then very stupidabout other things.
He wasn't very street smart atall.
Like, every time he had asituation come up about with
race, he was an idiot.
I was just like, what?
(06:34):
Like, why are you so confusedright now?
It was, I don't know.
The only,
Jann (06:39):
Tell me, give me some examples.
What are you talking about?
Joi (06:42):
so the only, the only one I'm going to give him a pass on
when it's concerning race and hewas kind of confused was when he
had his first, gig at thewedding and the, the father was
like, you can't come in here.
We don't want you in here.
You almost ruined my daughter'swedding.
He's like, what, what, what'sgoing on?
I'm supposed to be, you knowwhat I mean?
Okay.
15, 16 years old.
(07:02):
I'll give you a pass, but it'sjust like, okay.
When he went on to just likeconstantly having certain
situations happening to him.
I can't I'm really mad I can'tthink of the other ones right
now because eventually hestarted to speak up to other
people saying like, you know Oh,you know good thing It wasn't a
charity case that you know I Iwas able to come here and I
(07:23):
actually have talent like hesaid suck up to himself like at
least one time Just about onceor twice
Jann (07:28):
Like he did really well.
Like I'm thinking of, okay, solet's go through the situations
that we can like, kind of figureout, like parse out what you
think was bad and what, becauseI feel like he did pretty well.
The one I'm thinking of is theone in Baton Rouge where
immediately the cop told him toget out of the car and like put
a gun in his face.
So obviously nothing could havebeen done.
But the fact that he like spokeup for himself, like when he had
(07:49):
the press conference withoutactually being.
Quote unquote confrontational, Ithought he handled really well
and especially since his tutorat the time, like the douche bag
that told him to give out roses,told him that he shouldn't have
said anything.
He should have just apologizedfor not showing up.
I know.
I'm glad that he spoke up forhimself and I'm glad that he
fired him at that point.
(08:09):
So I think he handled thatpretty well.
and then I'm thinking about thetime where.
They were asking him to playmusic and they picked a black
composer and kept saying Ithought you would be interested
in this And in his mind, I thinkhe was a little confused because
he said yeah, I love thatcomposer Like, how did you know
(08:30):
and they kept saying?
Oh, well, I think you know, justyou are Probably interested in
this And they wouldn't say it.
And he said that he wasgenuinely thinking, like, did I
say this in an interview?
Like, how do they, like, how dothey know?
And then he, like, got it.
And then he was sarcastic andwas like, I'm not going to play
for you.
Like, you just missed youropportunity.
(08:50):
Again, I felt like he handled itwell.
I can't think of any instanceswhere I feel like Maybe he,
like, even the one where thecouple, okay, so this is one I
didn't feel like he handledwell, but he said this himself
when the couple, the Martinshowed up at his house and like
push their way in that one.
(09:10):
I feel like he was very naiveon, but I don't even think that
was a race thing until theystarted talking about the
letter.
Like, that was just naive.
Like, why would you let randomstrangers into your house?
Joi (09:20):
Yeah, even opening your door in the first place, in the
middle of the night.
Jann (09:24):
Well, he wasn't opening the door.
I remember I think he was cominghome.
Um, and I might have misheardthat.
So tell me if I'm wrong, but Ithink he was coming home and
they like accosted him.
No, he opened the door.
Joi (09:35):
Yeah, he opened his door, and he was talking to them, and
they were like, oh, my niece.
He's like, oh, do you want totake lessons?
And he opened the door, and theykind of like, strode in he's
like oh i guess i guess this isokay you know and that's when
everything went down and thenwhen he finally opened the door
back up to let them out theyweren't trying to leave
Jann (09:52):
well, I don't think he ever closed the door to
Joi (09:53):
and then like okay oh i know which one i know which one
bothered me
Jann (09:57):
Okay,
Joi (09:58):
one no when he was on the street and he finally got mad
when the marks came back and waslike messing with him about the
violin again he got pissed offabout it and i was like I don't
know about this.
You're in Brooklyn, man.
You're a black guy.
Like, get it together, you know?
Like, you're so patient in everyother instance, you know?
I don't know.
Maybe he just reached his
Jann (10:18):
I, I feel like it was justified, to be honest with
you.
I feel like it was bullshit thatthey like cuffed him and like
didn't make the other peopleshow their idea.
And you know, like I do agreelike it could have been handled
better, but I'm not gonna judgeyou after like they've been
stalking you and like tellingyou like, I don't, I feel like
um, it's one of thosesituations, you know, where like
he's, he had enough.
Joi (10:39):
Yeah.
Jann (10:40):
But, um, going back, I agree with you that I feel like
his character was the only onethat actually developed and I
can't tell if that was like aconscious effort on the author's
part because his family wasshitty from the start.
I absolutely hated that he waspaying them money at all.
The aunt, I guess at the verybeginning had a little bit of
(11:02):
character development.
Rochelle, because she didn'ttalk to him at all.
And then they started to like,kind of establish a
relationship.
So, no, I guess to your point,that isn't necessarily character
development.
It's just him getting to knowher, which he hadn't before.
Joi (11:15):
Right, because she could
Jann (11:16):
but I do feel like he grew quite a bit.
What'd you say?
Joi (11:19):
yeah, I said she could have been like that the whole time
like he just got to know herright It pissed me off that he
kept paying though And then sheoh my gosh, can we get into who
we hate the most
Jann (11:37):
Who did you hate the most?
Joi (11:38):
he's mom
Jann (11:42):
His mom was awful.
Joi (11:43):
His mom fucking sucked.
It was just one of those thingsthat's just like, you can't be
this stupid, you know?
You can't be this uneducated.
You're telling your son, who'slike doing so well in music and
doing well in school, tell himto get his GED to work at
Popeye's to bring some moneyinto the house.
And who's gonna pay these bills?
(12:04):
I'm not your husband.
You know?
Like, why am I, like, this hasnothing to do with me.
Figure it out, bitch.
Like, what's happening?
So and then like every time hewas excited and wanted to show
her something because he's a kidand he wants to make His mother
happy.
She's just like I don't give afuck, you know Like she never
(12:25):
cared and then when he was like,oh well She always knew when he
was had another gig set upbecause she was like, oh you
forgot about us was our moneyYou know, she just pissed me off
the whole book
Jann (12:37):
So
Joi (12:37):
I'm like her kill her off.
Jann (12:38):
for like the people who didn't read the book.
So what Joy is talking about is,he was sending the family money,
Joi (12:46):
Mm hmm
Jann (12:46):
after every concert because they claim that this
violin belonged to them, eventhough the grandmother gave the
violin to him and said like,this is something like none of
you guys.
Sick lessons when you and your,me and your dad wanted you to,
so you can't have it.
Like, I'm giving it to him.
And it's something they didn'tcare about.
Like, even when he was lookingfor it up in the attic for his
(13:06):
grandmother, they kept tellinghim that it was a waste of time
and who cares about that fiddle.
And I'm mad because you're upthere for no reason.
And that's something I wanted tosay too, when you were talking
is that, There's a differencebetween being dumb and being
selfish, and I feel like thatmother was fucking selfish,
like, I think she knew exactlywhat she was doing and she
didn't care, like, all thosethings that she said didn't,
(13:28):
like, lead me to believe thatshe was uneducated, it led me to
believe that she was an awfulmother, to him specifically,
Joi (13:35):
Why not both?
Jann (13:36):
in common with him.
But yeah, I just didn't see anyevidence that led to her being
uneducated necessarily, justmean, mean and selfish.
so that's why I say that.
but yeah, he was giving themmoney and he said that the
family was constantly textinghim and contacting him for more
money.
And while the mother did not dothat, she didn't text him or
(13:59):
communicate with him at all.
And, she would look out for hisconcert schedule.
And if he didn't pay themimmediately after she would text
and say, did you forget aboutus?
And that's all the contact thatshe had with him, which is, I
think, the most despicable thingthat I've ever heard of.
And I feel like if they did givesome kind of indication that she
(14:19):
was uneducated.
Or dumb, I would be even alittle bit more forgiving, I
think, but there was no likeindication at least that I saw
that she just didn't understand.
I felt like she understood andshe didn't care, even to the
point where he, she finally cameto one of his concerts and
brought flowers.
(14:40):
Cause that's something hementioned in the book earlier
that everybody else had flowersafter a performance and he never
did.
Um, I, me wanting to give herthe benefit of the doubt just
figured maybe she doesn't knowthat this is something that
people do, but she obviouslyknew because when she wanted
something, she showed up and shehad flowers.
(15:01):
So, yeah, it was unforgivable.
Honestly,
Joi (15:05):
Yeah, she's very manipulative.
When, like, she knew that hewanted her affection and wanted
her to be there.
And that's when, like, thebigger checks started coming and
everything too.
Which made it even worse whenthey sued him.
He'd been paying them for years.
He don't have his own savings oranything because he was helping
them out.
Jann (15:26):
The fact that when he showed up before they did the
blast of the past and went to gotalk to the mother.
And she said, well, you haven'tsent any checks in a while.
Like, what do you think I'msupposed to do?
And I'm thinking, why would youjust not send her money?
I didn't know the situation atthe time, but like, someone's
expecting money from you.
Like you don't just like cut itoff without telling them.
(15:47):
But then to find out this, shewas actively suing him.
When this happened, like, whywould he continue to send you
money if you're actively suinghim, your own son?
So, uh, yeah, completely awful.
Joi (16:04):
And then the uncle that kept calling like, Oh, well,
this get rich quick scheme and Ineed 20, 000 to buy kitchen
equipment so I can do arestaurant and blah, blah.
And then, like, they would justbe playing in his face
constantly.
And I'm just like, why are y'allCut them off! Cut them off! You
know?
Man, they're the worst familyever.
(16:24):
Minus Mm hmm.
Jann (16:28):
Okay, well Sean, the grandmother seemed pretty cool.
I do want to dig into the uncletoo, because he called him after
he visited his mom and said thathe threatened her and said that
he grew up to be a piece ofshit, which is insane to me
because Now, with finishing thebook and having context, the
(16:50):
last time he talked to his uncleis when he was calling him
asking him for 20, 000.
And right before that, they goton the phone and he said, Hey,
how are you doing?
I just sent you the newpaycheck.
And he was like, yeah, thanksfor everything you're doing.
Anyway, I also need 20, 000 forthis and I need to answer now.
And after he said, you know, Ican't do it.
(17:11):
He tried to make him take a loanout on the violin.
Or against the violin, he gotthe phone still cool with him,
sent his girlfriend over to hiscounselor to try to borrow money
for something for her.
I, how are you?
Joi (17:26):
Yeah.
Jann (17:27):
guy is trying to like make a living, he's giving you money,
you're asking him for moremoney, and sending your
girlfriend to ask him for money,and then you tell him that he
grew up to be a piece of shit?
Excuse me, like, are you lookingin the mirror at all?
Joi (17:46):
Yeah, he pisses me off.
He sucks.
They all suck.
I don't understand how you canhave such a good mother like the
grandmother was and Just haveshit kids, all of them.
They all suck so bad.
And even when he came to thesettlement with them, I was
like, that's way too much forthem.
(18:06):
They don't deserve anything.
The grandmother gave it to youfor Christmas because they had
no interest in it.
They didn't look for it.
Hell, Heroi didn't even find it.
You know, the grandmother foundit.
So,
Jann (18:17):
Mm hmm.
Joi (18:18):
they all suck.
Jann (18:21):
So, you said, so, I told you when I started suspecting,
and I know we, like, kind ofdiverted from there, but I told
you when I kind of suspected.
The girlfriend.
When did you start to suspecther?
Because it seems like yoususpected her before the end.
Joi (18:37):
Literally the beginning.
Like, it didn't make
Jann (18:41):
What made you suspect her?
Joi (18:43):
So, when I first started the book, I thought, cause the
way that I was like, oh, what ifI did it this way?
What if I roar it on the leftarm instead of the right arm?
What if they open it to check itat the airport, you know?
I was like, okay, so something'sgoing on with like his normal
routine.
I was like, is he cheating onhis wife?
Is this like, this girl thathe's cheating with, you know,
(19:04):
like a mistress?
That's what I was thinking.
I don't know.
That was the first thing thatcame to mind.
I was like, oh, you're in ahotel with the lady and you're
like leaving.
You guys are leaving each otherand you're going back home.
I just figured that, oh, you'recheating, you were cheating on
your wife.
With this girl and so I waslike, oh, okay.
So he probably got caught orsomething.
(19:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah I can't see what the thrillis happening And then maybe the
girl winds up dead and the wifeis trying to blame it on him I
said, I thought that this bookwas gonna go completely
different That first scene butwhen yeah, so when he said the
violin was missing I was like,oh that bitch did it like At the
very beginning like why whywould you leave your priceless
(19:46):
violin?
With this girl that you werejust sleeping with, you know, or
cheating on with your wife.
Jann (19:51):
like so intimate and like established, like they had
routines around each other.
And he, they were talking aboutnext time they would see each
other, like, they seem like theyhave their own routine.
So I didn't suspect any of that,
Joi (20:06):
Did you
Jann (20:06):
know, like, it's,
Joi (20:08):
well my thing was like, he found someone that he played
with.
And they probably did a concerttogether and that's how they
hooked up.
But his wife was like someonethat doesn't that's not in the
musical scene or anything So hegot like, oh,
Jann (20:19):
why are you assuming this man is married?
Joi (20:21):
That was my whole that was my whole spiel the first chapter
and I thought she I thought shetook it So.
Jann (20:26):
That's so interesting to me.
Yeah, I didn't think any ofthat.
Whew.
Let's unpack why you, uh, jumpedto that.
No.
So, okay, you thought from thevery beginning because you
thought that he was cheating.
So you figured out that she wasthe person.
Because you misunderstood therelationship.
(20:50):
That's so funny.
And you still suspect her afteryou figured out that he wasn't
married and that they've beendating.
Joi (20:58):
That's the only thing
Jann (20:59):
Have you, did you ever suspect anyone else throughout
the book?
I guess that's what I'm asking.
Joi (21:03):
I mean, for me, it made sense that it was her either way
just because no one else wouldbe in the room.
They said that one woman thatmoved on to Bolivia or Honduras,
that, you know, she paid off.
Um, yeah, I was like, okay, itcould have been her or Nicole.
Like, he said he put his violindown for a second to hug her.
(21:26):
So unless there was someone onthe street and they ran off,
like, it didn't make any senseat all.
So I was like, it has to be herbecause they've never followed
up with the woman from Honduras.
So, um, I think it was like,too, like the whole story in
between, people forget like, oh,that one, those couple of
details, like, it doesn't makeany sense that you never
followed up on it, you know,
Jann (21:46):
Followed up on what?
Joi (21:48):
the woman from Honduras.
They said, they're like, seewhat, what happened to her and
where she went and ice andthings like that, but they never
said anything else about itbecause we went back in time to
talk about his story leading upto that point, you know, and
then past that point.
And the only time we heard aboutit again was when Nicole was
like, oh yeah, I paid her off toleave.
Jann (22:10):
That's not true.
Like, I think they, I don'tremember if it was before the
flashback or after, but I knowthey spent quite a bit of time
like going to and following upon her.
And they were sending updates.
Like, that detective.
Natalie, I think it was.
I don't remember.
Um, or Isabel.
(22:31):
Whatever that girl's name.
Alicia.
That's what it was.
Alicia.
she was in Honduras for quite abit, like looking into her and
like following up and sendingupdates.
Uh, she actually flew there, soyeah, there were definitely
updates from that.
Joi (22:47):
I don't know, maybe I took a
Jann (22:48):
Yeah, I was like, tuned in, like, okay, now where is
she?
What happened?
I thought it was a littlesuspicious when she came back
and was like, yeah, I couldn'tget anything out of her.
She said that she just wenthome, and I was like, that's all
the investigating you're gonnado, like, after a while?
But there were a couple ofchapters.
First, when she said she wasgoing there, then a whole
section where she was sendingupdates, and then when she came
home and said that it was a deadend, and she couldn't get
(23:10):
anything.
But yeah, there was quite a bitof follow up there and I also
thought it was a little bitphony that she like, um, said
that she paid her off, at theend, but when they were
questioning her, she couldn'tget her story.
Right?
Like, she was like, yeah, I waslooking for the, his wallet.
(23:31):
It could have been like 30seconds.
Well, maybe 5 minutes.
No more than two.
I don't know and like she was sobad at it that I immediately
stopped suspecting her like nahShe didn't prepare any of this
Joi (23:43):
Well, I thought she
Jann (23:43):
like how is it that you could think ahead to look into
like calling the illegalimmigration people ice
Joi (23:53):
Mm hmm.
Jann (23:54):
Yeah, you can call them and like figure out like whose
immigration is up to date and doall this stuff, but you couldn't
think to get your storystraight?
Joi (24:04):
She probably did
Jann (24:04):
Like, on what you're going
Joi (24:06):
To make it seem like she was like nervous.
Yeah, like I don't know like orpanics, you know, like I know
Jann (24:12):
Well, she fooled me.
Joi (24:13):
i'm i'm nervous to talk about it.
Like i'm sure like it wasn'tjust a couple of seconds or a
couple minutes I'm sure you knowAnd then the way that he was
saying that her body languagelike she was getting closer and
closer Like trying to convincethem like she was actually
nervous and then she backed upwhen she realized what she was
doing So I I read it as herplaying as she she's being
nervous talking to like the fbipretty much so
Jann (24:39):
You didn't comment on all when I said that he like had no
game.
Joi (24:45):
I agree.
I agree with you.
I was like, yeah, that's true.
Jann (24:51):
I just thought that was like so suspicious.
Joi (24:54):
Yeah.
Jann (24:56):
He's sitting there like, Oh, hi.
Yeah.
So my name is Nicole.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
I'm Ray.
Oh, you know, I'm Ray.
Oh, um, so do you want to takeme to dinner?
Joi (25:13):
I was really nervous for him too.
Like, why wouldn't you just likerent a locker every time?
Like a safety deposit box orsomething.
Every time you went somewherefor that violin.
You're carrying a 5 millionviolin around everywhere you go,
you know?
That thing should have beenunder lock and key.
Even when he let those peopleinto his house, the Marxist,
that shouldn't have been in hishouse.
(25:34):
He could have been robbed at anytime if they found you that
easily, you know?
It's just, he didn't make a lotof sense to me when it came to
having a violin that expensivein his possession, you know?
Jann (25:46):
Yeah.
I think it was a compellingstory though.
Like, had I not been expecting athriller, I still don't know if
I would want to like, read astory about, um, a Stradivarski,
whatever.
What was the violin called?
Stradivarsky, right?
Joi (26:05):
hmm.
Something like that,
Jann (26:06):
Stradivarius, sorry.
I still don't know if I wouldwant to read a story about an
expensive violin, but the partthat I really did engage with
him on was just like his passionfor music.
Like it made me want to go andlike paint something, because I
lose my motivation to paint sooften.
Um, Which is probably, like, nota great thing to say.
(26:27):
I mean, no, whatever.
Every, I feel like every artist,like, has periods where they're
not motivated, um, and as muchas I don't want to admit that
that's me, that's definitely me.
It made me want to go and createsomething just because he was so
passionate about it.
So that part I really enjoyed.
I love that he, like, perseveredthrough all of his, like,
(26:50):
obstacles, including his family,including not having money.
Like he always figured out a wayto like do what he wanted to do,
which I thought was great.
I love that part of the story.
and I think if you're a musiclover or like even into music
and knew what a Stradivarius wasbefore you read this book, I
(27:10):
feel like it would be a lot moreup your alley.
yeah, I just didn't care aboutthe violin.
Once he said he was like kickingass in the competition without
it.
I'm like, why are you evenplaying with it?
I know why you're playing withit because it sounds great.
But seriously, if it were me,because I know nothing and I'm
ignorant, I would have it in a.
Vote or safety deposit box andlike play with the normal
violin.
Joi (27:31):
because that's what makes sense.
And then bring it out on thebiggest competitions.
Or when you go to Carnegie Hallor something like that, you know
that it should be treated as atime piece, you know, something
special, not something for everyday, and definitely shouldn't be
in your house.
Jann (27:45):
and let me tell you something else.
When he was in Boston, I thinkit was.
And those cops, like, Tried tomake him open it when it was
snowing on the sidewalk.
He was like, are you surebecause this is a Brooklyn?
Okay.
Yeah He was like, this is a 10million dollar violin Do you
want that lawsuit coming andthey still made him open it
(28:05):
inside and like could it took itfrom him?
Like first of all, I would havewent ahead with that lawsuit
that one and the one from
Joi (28:13):
Baton Rouge.
Jann (28:14):
It was Louisiana Baton Rouge.
Yeah, I would have filed alawsuit against both of those
cities to be honest with you.
And the fact that I have a 10million dollar violin and you
just lost business for yourcity.
Like, I feel like that gave himcredibility.
Like, he could have done it.
But the fact that those cops,had he not opened his violin,
(28:34):
could have taken it from him andgave it to the Marxist, the
Marx, I thought it was theMartins, whatever, the racist
white family.
just goes to show you should notbe carrying this thing around.
And I get it too.
Like if that's the violin thatyou're going to use, then you
have to practice with it, but itjust seems so not safe
Joi (28:54):
It was not safe.
It was no reason.
No reason to use it.
Like you said, he's talented onhis own.
He didn't have to use it.
Jann (29:03):
Well, it was an heirloom.
I can see, like, thesentimentality behind it, but it
had to be a better way.
Joi (29:09):
It was an heirloom, which is why you pull it out for the
Russian competition or CarnegieHall.
Jann (29:15):
Well, that's the thing, though.
Like, with, even, like, withathletes and violin, like,
musicians, you have to practicewith the instrument you're going
to play on.
You know, you can't just switchthem in and out.
You have to get used to it,which is why when he was looking
for a replacement, he wasfreaking out because it was so
close to the competition.
he had to get used to a new one.
(29:35):
So, again, while I understandit, I just feel like, me,
myself, I wouldn't want to takethat risk.
Joi (29:40):
Yeah, I agree.
Especially like after
Jann (29:43):
whole deal.
Joi (29:45):
especially after.
Honestly, after when the, whenthe racist white family came
into his house and the violinwas there too, I'm like, oh,
this gotta have a safe place,you know?
And then having that cop inBaton Rouge drop it in the case.
All that stuff.
So I was like, there's a lot oftimes where I'm just like, you
know, I'm gonna go ahead and putthis away in storage.
Jann (30:07):
Yeah, but I guess like the reason why it was important to
him, why he didn't want to sellit in the first place is because
he said his grandmother wantedhim to play on it.
Like he's not selling hisviolin.
Joi (30:17):
Yeah.
Jann (30:18):
Another thing I don't understand, but I didn't really
look up and I probably shouldhave, I'm going to now, is what
is the difference between aviolin and a fiddle?
Like I don't understand why theykept going back and forth like
it was interchangeable.
Joi (30:29):
I think they're the same thing, aren't they?
Jann (30:35):
Oh, yeah, it says there isn't a difference between a
fiddle and a violin, at leastnot physically.
The difference between a fiddleand a violin is simply the style
of music they are used to play.
So, yeah, I guess it's the same.
I never knew that.
Joi (30:48):
and they're literally the same thing.
Because, you know, I learnedthat from Futurama, when the
demon robot, yeah, he alwaysplayed on his fiddle, and I
think, I think Fryer was like,well, I have this violin, so, I
don't, I, I, I'll tell you
Jann (31:05):
That would have been me.
Joi (31:07):
Yeah.
But no, yeah, it's the exactsame thing.
Jann (31:13):
Interesting.
I didn't know that.
I was so confused throughout thebook.
Like, is it a fiddle?
Like, did they do something inthe repairs to make it a violin?
Like, is this just differentstrings?
Like, what's happening?
Joi (31:23):
Was it, um, was it Malcolm in the Middle when he joined,
like, the country, um, littleband?
It was a show.
Something was a show that had aviolin and they called it a
fiddle.
Like, no, it was a fiddle.
That's gonna bother me.
It's something, something likethat happened.
Jann (31:40):
I am so confused as to why you even brought it up.
Wait! You said it's some showwhere he joined a country band
and they called it a fiddle.
Joi (31:48):
Yeah, but he played the violin, and he's like, no, no,
no, it's a fiddle.
Jann (31:54):
Oh.
Please look it up because I'm soconfused.
Um, I, the only thing I canthink of while in music and mock
them in the middle is when thedad joined the acapella group.
Joi (32:10):
That dad was amazing.
Nah, you know what it was?
It was, um, when he was doingthe, the fast walking thing in
the park.
Jann (32:20):
Oh, the speed walking.
Yeah.
That's the episode.
Joi (32:25):
what that's from.
No, no, it's not.
I was just saying how much Ilike how.
Jann (32:28):
Oh my goodness.
Okay.
So here's a question for you.
Joi (32:33):
Okay.
Jann (32:34):
Were there any recurring motives or symbols that stood
out to you?
During the book I can take itfirst if you want
Joi (32:41):
Yeah, go for it.
Jann (32:43):
so the one thing that stood out to me was like this
selfishness of Everyone likethat seemed very recurring when
it came to every single one ofhis family members when it came
to the girlfriend when it cameto Who was it?
The, the guy he was playingagainst, the guy who eventually
(33:04):
won the Turk, the Tchaikovsky,he had a whole, like, his
family.
Had a whole, like, violin thatwas in the black market that
they decided to sell just sothat he could drop out of the
competition and, like, getdistracted, like, even though it
wasn't his violin, like,everybody had a selfish motive,
it seemed like, except for him,when it came to even the violin,
(33:28):
you know, or the fiddle, when hewas looking for it up in the
attic, he said he wanted it togive to his grandmother, like,
everybody, I hated that, like,After he was up there for more
than a day, there was like, youknow, you can't have it, right?
Even if you wanted it, like,after mom dies, we're all gonna
figure out.
What we're gonna do witheverything like you just told
him to stop looking for itbecause it's trash and no one
(33:50):
cares about It and like makingfun of your grandmother or
mother in that case Because shekeeps talking about it and
you're telling him he can't haveit Even though he didn't even
ask for it like just the factthat they assumed that he was
also being selfish in hismotives You know
Joi (34:04):
Mm hmm.
Mm hmm.
Jann (34:06):
Helm and Janice, I feel like, his like mentor, were the
only ones in the book thatseemed to have motives that were
not selfish.
So that was also interesting.
And one of the best moments inthis book for me was when he was
talking about how he couldn'tget Nicole out of his mind, and
he just missed her so much, andhow she asked him to write a
(34:29):
letter for him.
Or for her to get leniency fromthe judge
Joi (34:34):
Oh! Yeah!
Jann (34:36):
started writing a letter and I'm like, I can't believe
you're doing this.
And he went on with the letterlike, she is the most selfish
person I've ever met.
She manipulated me for monthsand she's heartless.
And I want you to give her thefull sentence.
Joi (34:50):
hmm.
Yep.
That was perfect.
I was like, you better not bewriting this daggone letter.
Jann (34:58):
Like, good job, for real, like, he was sitting here, so
sad boy, and still, like, reallystuck it to her, which I liked
quite a
Joi (35:08):
it counted.
Um, I think for me, when it cameto the whole respect, even when
you're being disrespected, itkind of annoyed me a little bit.
I didn't,
Jann (35:22):
Girl, when, it,
Joi (35:24):
So every time he had a racist encounter, he was trying,
like, we all know you have tobe, um, a certain level of,
like, respectful just so youdon't get killed.
But I feel like when it came to,like, the slave story, where it
was like, oh yeah, they drawnand quartered your dad and set
him on fire, your mom is in thefield, and the only reason that
(35:45):
they, your master set you freeis because you were a good
player.
For him on the fiddle orwhatever.
And he's like, Oh, and I earnedit because I was respectful the
whole time, no matter what hedid to my family, no matter how
evil he was.
What you're telling this to yoursix year old to write down
because she had a argument withher mother.
(36:07):
Like what trauma is happeninghere?
No, that's not a lesson to belearned.
No.
Jann (36:13):
fuck, yeah, like, you're pretty much teaching them to let
people walk all over you, in myopinion.
Joi (36:20):
absolutely.
Jann (36:21):
I feel like the whole reason why Martin Luther King
was such a person that likepeople bring up to try to like
get people, like people to notspeak up for themselves.
Like, what about turning theother cheek?
We're done with that.
If you say somethingdisrespectful to me, then expect
that back.
(36:41):
Now, I'm not saying that I'malways going to like pop you in
the face.
Though that may happen, so watchout.
But don't expect respect ifyou're being disrespectful,
period.
Joi (36:53):
exactly.
And even, I don't know, like,this book, I will say it was a
well written book, even thoughit wasn't necessarily, like,
something that I would normallypick out.
It was just very triggering forme.
I had to take breaks whilereading it.
It was just like racism afterracism after like trauma and
(37:15):
trauma like the cops constantlygoing against him and the white
family going against him.
N words here.
Oh, and when in the firstchapter when he was like, Oh,
everyone's gonna think that'swhy this, this N word shouldn't
have something so expensive orsomething.
Nobody.
So we just go in there, I guess.
(37:36):
And that should have been my,my, my, my thing.
I should have known where we'regoing, you know,
Jann (37:41):
That was very like out of the blue
Joi (37:43):
it
Jann (37:43):
me
Joi (37:43):
was.
So I was just like, I feel likethis book is putting me like in
a funk a little bit.
Like I, I, I'm not caring for itat all.
Jann (37:51):
me tell you, when they came in my house and read that
racist letter, And she, she hadthe nerve to pause before she
said like nigger and said itanyway, multiple times.
would have been the end for me.
I would have closed that door,locked it and started swinging
the fucking lamp.
Like you want to come into myhouse uninvited and start like
(38:14):
disrespecting me like this.
I'm just defending myself.
I am defending myself againstyou right now.
And let me, they probablywouldn't have had that lawsuit
because they would have knew.
Joi (38:27):
My thing
Jann (38:27):
It's
Joi (38:28):
it's just like, that story didn't even say anything about
the fiddle itself.
It's just like, Oh yeah, weowned your family.
And also they had a fiddle thatwe used to play.
That didn't say anything thatwas about it was yours at all
and my whole thing was like Whywouldn't anyone ever say like
hey, you know You own somebodyin their family kill them beat
them rape them Just let themhave the fucking fiddle.
Jann (38:50):
Let it
Joi (38:50):
You know?
Jann (38:51):
didn't have this before.
There is literally nothingchanged about your life because
this guy is playing.
Joi (38:57):
the Anderson Cooper saying like oh yeah this is ours and
we're gonna get it back causeour grandpappy, you know, had
owned them, they took our shitwhen you know, during the
revolution or whatever.
So I was like, isn't that a badlook for you guys?
A horrible look actually.
So.
And on top of that, I was likeyou know what?
(39:18):
I'm glad you bring this up aboutthe fiddle.
I want reparations.
Where's my part?
my house that my family builtfor you?
Where's my money at?
I know exactly where I'm from.
Come on.
Jann (39:29):
Seriously, like, if that's all it takes, like, we about to
reclaim a lot of stuff.
Because,
Joi (39:37):
that we're talking about money, let's talk about it.
Jann (39:39):
owes to who, like,
Joi (39:42):
This will be the first check, sir, that you're
Jann (39:44):
who owns,
Joi (39:46):
Get used to it.
Jann (39:50):
like, just the insanity, like, stop it,
Joi (39:53):
The way I could have pictured you beating them up in
your house, taking the check andthen kicking them out.
I want the next one in sixmonths, bitch.
Lucky you
Jann (40:04):
I wouldn't have took the check, but let me tell you, I
would have beat the shit out ofthem until they couldn't move
and then call the police.
Like, yeah, I just, um, I had todefend myself in my home against
some intruders that refused toleave.
Please come and collect thetrash.
Joi (40:20):
weren't in Texas, bitch.
Jann (40:24):
laughs
Joi (40:25):
You know, the only thing...
Jann (40:26):
in me, yeah.
Joi (40:29):
What's that Beyonce song?
My daddy said shoot!
Jann (40:34):
laughs Daddy lessons, yeah.
Joi (40:36):
But um, The only thing that kind of got me through any scene
with the Marks or the Martinswhatever their name was, was
that I pictured them as um,Nigel Thornberry and his wife.
Jann (40:48):
Did you really?
Joi (40:50):
Cause she said
Jann (40:51):
confused me?
I'm sorry, go
Joi (40:53):
What?
What confused you?
Jann (41:02):
I missed what you said.
I'm sorry.
Joi (41:04):
No, I said, what confused you?
Jann (41:08):
Oh, I thought you were going to talk about the wild
thornberries.
Joi (41:10):
Oh, no, I was gonna say, cause he mentioned his mustache
and his big belly, and I waslike,
Jann (41:14):
Oh.
Joi (41:15):
that seemed like Nigel Thornberry, you know?
Jann (41:17):
That's so funny.
And you know what?
They weren't even a marriedcouple.
They were brother and sister.
Joi (41:21):
Mm hmm.
Jann (41:23):
But anyway, what confused me is when they first introduced
them and they said their names.
I thought they were a blackcouple.
Like, what white couple do youknow are named Dante and Andrea?
Joi (41:32):
Someone from the South.
Jann (41:35):
guess so.
But when he said Dante andAndrea, I was like, okay, what's
this?
And that's why it made sensethat he was like, oh, does your
niece like me?
Lessons because that's some,that's something that we do in
the black community, like forbetter or for worse, like people
feel like they can ask you forpersonal favors when you're
black, like, I'm glad that wekind of look out for each other,
(41:55):
but I do feel like, um, peopleare also like, feel entitled to
your help sometimes.
So
Joi (42:01):
That's how I felt when he gave them money, too.
Jann (42:04):
Yeah.
Joi (42:04):
say when they make it out of the hood, they go like, they
always reach back and try tohelp, and that's why they kind
of like, suffer, like notsuffer, but um, struggle a
little bit.
Jann (42:13):
as fast.
Yeah,
Joi (42:14):
They definitely struggle trying to bring the hood up with
them.
And I'm not saying it's a badthing to try to reach back and
help, but you also have to knowyour limitations, and I don't
think Ray knew that either.
He didn't have a
Jann (42:25):
that's true.
And again, I feel like it's agood thing to reach back and
help.
But when somebody that you don'tknow is asking you for personal
favors, just because they alsohappen to be black is where I
feel like that line is crossed,you know.
Joi (42:39):
And it's different than when he was at the competition
and he offered the extra help tothat one black kid who the other
judges didn't even give a chanceto.
Like, let me
Jann (42:47):
and I'm so glad he told him off about that too.
That's another situation where Ifeel like he did very well.
Like he let them talk themselvesinto a corner and then like
right when they were going to belike, and you showed him
favoritism, like cut it off.
Like, no, like they didn't givehim a chance immediately because
they didn't like that kid didn'thave the same equipment and
because he looked different.
So don't tell me about who I'mgiving special treatment to.
(43:08):
I'm here as a favor to you.
And don't you ever ask me forthis favor again.
Goodbye.
Joi (43:15):
When they were like,
Jann (43:16):
I loved
Joi (43:16):
even have an accompaniment.
I'm like, he don't need onebitch.
He got it Like I was sooffended.
So
Jann (43:26):
fact that he like just gave him a fair shot during the
audition and as soon as he leftthe stage, the other judges were
mad.
Like if you give him a shot,you're taking the opportunity
away from someone else.
Like literally all I did so farwas give him encouragement.
How is that hurting anybodyelse?
Like you're seriously sittinghere mad because I told him good
(43:47):
job and like didn't like put himdown.
Get over yourself.
Like there was so much likesnottiness
Joi (43:58):
Mm hmm.
Jann (44:00):
and elitism in this book, it like made me nauseous.
Joi (44:04):
Yeah, it was horrible And it's one of those things to be
like, you know, it wasinteresting to see the musical
scene in racism even though itwas kind of a lot but You forget
that when you enter these reallyold established institutions
like that, like, you're like,you're right.
There's only 1 percent people ofcolor and even less of someone
(44:25):
that's just black.
Like, I'm sure the same thing ifit was a ballet, you know, so.
Jann (44:31):
like stepping back at least 50 years in the civil
rights movement.
Joi (44:35):
Was it the ballet?
I follow ballet a lot.
I don't know if you knew that ornot, but TikTok, I learned a lot
of stuff on TikTok.
So when they, they, the brown,like, you know, the skin tone
shoes, those are pretty newstill.
Like I won't say the last 10, 15years, maybe that they came in
different colors other than justlike, like pink.
And then the girls would have todye them to make them their skin
(44:58):
color.
You know to make it look morecohesive.
So,
Jann (45:02):
surprised we just got band aids as if we don't get hurt.
Joi (45:06):
you know, I was just telling my husband that I was
like, you know I thought i'mgetting ripped off by band aid
right now because I have to getmy skin color and your skin
color So i'm already buyingtwice as much And i'll make less
than
Jann (45:19):
like they
Joi (45:20):
around here
Jann (45:20):
in a range.
Every time you buy a pack ofband aids, I feel like it should
be a range so everybody getsscrewed over at least a little
bit.
Joi (45:29):
I gave up.
I just started getting blue yband aids and call it a day.
Jann (45:36):
I myself like to use some cotton and tape.
Joi (45:41):
You know, I just put a little, a little piece of tissue
there and it sticks by itself.
Yeah, that's a
Jann (45:48):
And other than that, I just, you know, try not to get
hurt.
Joi (45:54):
It's America, I can't afford it.
Jann (45:58):
I'm looking it up now to see if any like black people
have actually won thiscompetition.
The
Joi (46:03):
The Russian, um,
Jann (46:05):
Czechs, the Tchaikovsky.
Joi (46:10):
Man, speaking of Russians, that um, guy that he hired to
help him out and like, standout.
I was like, what are you doing?
What is happening here?
Jann (46:28):
since I was an American pianist who won in 1958
Joi (46:32):
And they're black?
Jann (46:37):
at least by this name.
I assume not harvey lavin vansilbourne
Joi (46:43):
I would guess not.
But hey,
Jann (46:48):
I'm, sorry Um, yeah, whatever So I guess no black
winner.
So this is a fiction buthopefully soon
Joi (46:59):
technically he wasn't even a winner, he was in second, so.
Jann (47:03):
true Sure.
He was a finalist.
I think they say he was thefirst.
Um, Silver medalist, Americanand black.
So,
Joi (47:13):
Yeah, So, my question is, now that you know that this kind
of like, even though this isfiction, there has to be a scene
of Black people in music, inlike, orchestra, opera,
obviously the ballet, but did itwant you to like, look into it
more, maybe like, go to aconcert maybe, and like, You
(47:35):
know, like, get a little bit ofculture.
Hehehehe.
Old fashioned culture in life.
Jann (47:45):
not really.
And I'll say it again, like Idid love his passion for his
art.
it made me want to go paint.
It made me want to like reachout to other black, like visual
artists.
Um, it made me want to like divedeeper into my passion, but I
was just telling this to Jasminethe other day too, like out of
all of the arts, probablymusical arts is the last that I
(48:09):
will be involved in.
Um, I feel like I've at leastdallyed in every single other
type of art, even dance.
I've dallyed in that, you know,like it was a huge hobby of mine
for a long time.
Um, and that could be because Iplayed the flute.
In elementary, and I had atraumatic experience where they
hired this crazy ass teacher.
(48:31):
He was a white male.
I don't know if that'ssignificant or not, or if it
played a role in it, but we werein the fourth grade and we used
to have to do our practices, um,during recess.
So after we ate lunch, wheneverybody else went out to
recess, the people in theorchestra went and played their
instrument.
So, we were playing out theflute, having a good time, and
(48:56):
somebody missed a note, a fourthgrader missed a note, and this
crazy man picked up the musicstand and threw it at us, and I
never went back.
Like, I would go to recess afterthat.
He would, like, come out andlook for me, and I would hide.
And, uh, he was there for maybe,like, two weeks after that
before he got fired.
(49:17):
Um, but yeah, I...
Did not want to play anyinstruments after that, so.
Joi (49:21):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Jann (49:23):
Um, yeah.
So a long way to answer yourstory.
No, I did not want to like getmore involved in like the
musical like arts.
Um, but what about you?
Like, did that, is that theexperience you had?
Joi (49:37):
No, I've always had an interest of wanting to go see
something in person eventually,but it didn't, like, persuade me
to do it any sooner or later.
Just like when I can.
You know.
Hehehehe.
Jann (49:48):
Oh, I'm sorry.
I misunderstood.
Like, I've gone and seenorchestras.
I like to go and like, to the,like, orchestra and listen to
them play.
Um, I thought you meant doing itmyself.
No, no, thank you.
Um, unless it's piano.
I would love to learn the piano.
Um, but yeah, I can see myselfgoing to a concert again.
(50:09):
Yeah.
Joi (50:09):
Yeah.
I just like, you know, justlearning a little bit more about
it, just like seeing what thescene is like, you know.
Not necessarily having to be apart of it, but, you know, see
what's going on over there.
Jann (50:18):
So is this a book that you would recommend out to somebody?
And if so, who would yourecommend it to?
I
Joi (50:24):
I don't think I would recommend it to be honest.
Like I like how it was written,it was written well, but I just
feel like the amount of thingsthat black people go through
constantly, especially rightnow, I'm just.
I wouldn't want someone to haveto read so much traumatic when
it was supposed to be escapinginto another reality, you know
what I mean?
I don't think it was worth it orthe payoff, you know?
Jann (50:46):
Yeah, I don't think I would recommend this to like a
person like you because I knowwhat you that you use reading as
A like form of escapism.
I know some people read it andthey like to see life reflected
back at them Like I have friendswho love reading Sad books,
period, which I don't getbecause if I'm crying, something
went wrong, you know, this wasnever the plan.
(51:09):
I'm not trying to make myselfsad or scared or like any of
those other negative emotions,but some people do like it.
So, I think you have to know whoyou're recommending it to, like,
I would definitely recommendthis to my, like, friends who
were in the orchestra, like,heavy in high school and who
like to read.
Um.
Because I, I, again, I do thinkit was well written.
If someone asks me for athriller recommendation, I
(51:31):
probably wouldn't recommendthis.
Like, I feel like it was kind ofmisclassified in genre, and I
just picked it up fromGoodreads, so it could be that
the author didn't intend this tobe placed under the thriller
genre, but that's the main genrethere, But yeah, I don't think I
would recommend this and say,Hey, this is a great thriller.
Um, it's a good mystery.
It's a good whodunit.
So, if I were giving this outand saying, Hey, this is a good
(51:55):
mystery that like goes into themusic world and it has black
characters and talks about thatexperience as a black character
going through like thisprestigious music competition.
Yes, I would say it's a goodmystery about that story.
Joi (52:10):
I mean, I don't know because I feel like even the
black characters were kind ofcaricatures.
You know?
They were just awful.
And the white people were awful.
I feel like everyone was awfulin this book.
Jann (52:22):
That's kind of how it is with murder mysteries when I
think about it,
Joi (52:25):
Yeah.
Jann (52:26):
like everybody's kind of one dimensional done that way on
purpose so that it's hard to seewho the actual murderer is, or
in this case, who the thief was,I guess.
Joi (52:40):
I
Jann (52:40):
So I think that's part of the genre of mysteries.
Joi (52:44):
I mean, I'm just used to mysteries, I'm just used to
Scooby Doo, you know, murdersshe wrote, you know.
People you actually like, youknow.
Jann (52:56):
All right.
So I gave this book,
Joi (52:59):
No, you're right.
You're right.
Jann (53:00):
I was going to say, I gave this book a 3.
5 and I don't think I wouldchange it again.
I think it's a good book forsome people.
I didn't necessarily not enjoymyself reading it.
There was a lot of like,frustration.
I felt very like, sad for thiskid who I thought he was great
through the whole thing.
I didn't have a problem withthis character, even though I
thought he was believablebecause he had his flaws as well
(53:23):
being awkward and.
You know, just trying to figureout the world.
I thought he was a very wellwritten character.
I felt bad for him that hedidn't have a lot of support.
Um, and I feel like he grew upwell, still, like he stood up
for himself when he needed to,which I loved.
Um, there are a lot of goodthings about this book.
Like I said, it, his passion formusic sparked my passion for
(53:46):
painting, like, not sparked, butreignited, I guess.
So yeah, I do think it was wellwritten.
I think this is a good book forsome people, but I just couldn't
connect with like, this violinis so expensive, and it's like,
he was so stressed.
I felt so bad for him the wholetime, and he found this passion,
and like, not once did he have amoment where he could just enjoy
(54:10):
it, know?
It seemed like he was alwaysgoing through something that was
putting, like, obstacles in hisway.
Until he won that silvermedalist and like found his
violin.
It seemed like it was prettysmooth after that but who knows
what he was going throughbecause it was like Anyway years
later epilogue, but I hope forhim that it was a lot smoother.
Like he said he was just Touringaround so yeah, hopefully he
(54:34):
found his peace then that was along rant to say I would
recommend it, but to probably avery select few people that I
think would appreciate it.
Um, now, would you change yourrating?
Joi (54:49):
Um, my personal rating, if it's a story for me, I'm gonna
keep it at the two, but if I'mrecommending to somebody who
likes music, who likes thrillerslike that, and doesn't mind the
racism and things like that inthe story, I'll give it a four.
So I'm like, oh, if you're intoit, it's a good four, but for me
(55:11):
personally, for my taste, I'mstill giving it a two.
Jann (55:15):
Um, okay.
So this conversation, I think wecan wrap it up.
Um, and I'm going to go aheadand introduce our next book,
which is let's play white by Um,Chesia Burke.
Joi (55:30):
Pretty name, Cheshia.
Jann (55:33):
right?
Alright, here's the synopsis,guys.
White brings with it dreams ofrespect, of wealth, of simply
being treated as a human being.
It's the one thing Walter willnever be.
But what if he could play Whitethe way so many others seem to
do?
Would it bring him privilege orsimply deny the pain?
(55:54):
The title story in thiscollection asks those questions
and then moves on to challengenotions of race, privilege,
personal choice, and even Lifeand death with equal vigor.
From the spectrum spanningdespair and hope in what she saw
when they flew away to the starkweave of personal struggles in
Chocolate Park, Let's Play Whitespeaks with the voices of the
(56:16):
overlooked and the unheard.
All right, so that's our bookfor next week.
It sounds like it is going to bevery race heavy again.
So, probably not up your alley,but we will have a special guest
who actually requested this booknext week and we'll let it be a
surprise on who that is.
Joi (56:35):
All right.
That sounds awesome.
I mean, yeah.
Jann (56:41):
You seem stressed already.
Joi (56:43):
I'm I'm so stressed, but I'm excited.
Jann (56:48):
Well, I think we have a romance after that.
So it'll be very lighthopefully.
and guys, if you ever want tolike read along with us and like
know what we're going to readbefore we're reading it, we also
have our whole schedule of booksthat we're going to read for the
season up on our website, blackgirl reads.
com.
So go there and check it out.
If you want to know what'scoming up.
(57:08):
All right, Joy, do you want totell us, um, where, do you want
to tell them where they can findus?
Joi (57:14):
I do.
on TikTok and Twitter, you canfind us at BLK girl res Pod and
that's TikTok and Twitter only.
B l k Girl Res Pod on Instagram,YouTube and Facebook.
You can find us on B l k GirlReads podcast.
Just a little extra words, butyou got it
Jann (57:35):
All right.
Well, thanks for listening to usthis time and have a good day.
Bye.
Ray MacMillan loves playing the violin more than
anything and nothing will stophim from pursuing his dream of
becoming a professionalmusician.
Not his mother who thinks heshould get a real job.
Not the fact that he can'tafford a high caliber violin.
Not the racism inherent in theclassical music world.
And when he makes this startlingdiscovery that his great
grandfather's fiddle is actuallya priceless Varus, his star
(00:24):
begins to rise.
Then with the InternationalKowski competition, the Olympics
of classical music.
Fast approaching his prizefamily heirloom is stolen.
Reyes determined to get it back,but now his family and the
descendants of the men who onceenslaved for Ray's
great-grandfather are eachclaiming that the violin belongs
to them.
With the odds stacked againsthim and the pressure mounting.
(00:46):
Will Ray ever see his belovedviolin again?
All right.
Welcome back to Black GirlReeds.
How's everybody?
Everybody meaning you and me,Joy.
Joi (00:57):
It's just us.
I miss just us.
Jann (01:01):
Since it's just you and me, Um, let's jump right into
Ratings.
What did you think about it?
Joi (01:07):
Um, this one's hard to rate.
Um.
I'm
Jann (01:13):
I'll go first if you
Joi (01:14):
yeah, you go first, you go first.
Jann (01:16):
Okay, so I'm gonna rate this one at 3.
5 and I'm not gonna rate it a 4because it wasn't my favorite
book But I do think it wasreally well written I felt a lot
of emotions throughout it andthat's all I'm gonna say without
getting into spoilers.
Oh Joy, what do you think?
Joi (01:38):
I'm giving it a 2.
I feel like when I saw that itwas a thriller, I expected to be
more thrilled.
And I was more just traumatized.
And annoyed that it was called athriller.
Jann (01:52):
spoilers.
Joi (01:53):
So, yeah.
Jann (01:55):
I
Joi (01:55):
that's me without my spoiler.
No spoiler.
Spoiler free rating reason.
Jann (02:01):
So you didn't feel like it fit the genre.
I would actually agree withthat.
Um, so with that said, let'sjust jump right into it.
so spoilers from here on out ifyou haven't read it and you want
to read it before you hear them,then click off and come back.
All right, so I would agree,with your assessment about it
kind of not being a thriller.
(02:22):
I've never like, really donethrillers where.
No one dies.
Joi (02:30):
Yeah.
Jann (02:30):
Um, normally I'm like used to them trying to figure out a
murder, which maybe means that Ineed to read more thrillers, I
guess.
do you read thrillers a lot, bythe way?
Joi (02:40):
I read a lot of books.
It's like horror slash thriller,but it's usually horror.
You know, it's likeinterchangeable sometimes, but
if it's not a supernatural ormystery, technically it's a
mystery and technically someonedied in the book, but I wasn't
feeling it, you know?
Jann (02:56):
Yeah.
Which actually is, feedbackwe've gotten on our book list
quite a bit.
So just in case you're listeningand you don't know, we do have a
book club book lists, um, with.
200 plus books written by Blackauthors and all sorts of genre
that you can get for free if yougo to blackgirlreads.
com and sign up girlreads.
(03:18):
com.
But, some feedback that we'vegotten on our book list is that
we don't have a lot ofthrillers.
And I think that's because likethe books that I normally read.
And the books that joy, I guess,to normally reads are mystery
slash thriller or horror slashthriller.
Like, I don't normally read abook.
That's just normally thriller.
so, yeah, I'm normally like,when I'm reading it, it's
(03:40):
solving a mystery, solving amurder, something like this in
the case of solving for amissing violin.
or just a stolen object.
I guess I'm not used to that.
Like, it seemed like more bankrobbery kind of feel, you know,
like an Ocean's Eleven vibe,like a heist
Joi (03:56):
Yeah,
Jann (03:57):
rather than like I would consider a thriller.
What was thrilling about it?
Like, I don't think, other thanhis blood pressure going up
because he lost somethingpriceless.
Joi (04:05):
am I Overall I feel like the only character that was very
developed was The main characterright, but I feel like everyone
else was like very generic alittle bit.
Like cartoonish to how likehorrible they were.
(04:26):
And then I feel like the wrap upat the end with the violin when
he found it was very easy.
And I'm just like, I thought wewere on the same page from
chapter one.
Like it was the girl.
So
Jann (04:38):
I didn't guess it from chapter one.
So I did guess the ending, andI'll tell you exactly in the
book where I suspected it.
And then when I knew for sure,so when they first started the
book, they started in themiddle, right?
Like right when it washappening.
And to me, it seemed like theyhad a very established
relationship.
So I was like, okay, I'm notsuspecting her right off the
bat.
(04:58):
Like they seem close.
And then once they got into thepast and I didn't see her and I
didn't see her and I didn't seeher.
I'm like, okay, it doesn't seemlike they've been together for
that long.
So now I am kind of suspectingher like she's on the suspect
list now too.
And then when he actually mether in the story and he had zero
(05:19):
game.
Zero game.
Like, she walked him throughthat whole, like, lunch.
She walked him through, like,inviting her to stay.
And I'm like, do you reallythink this, like, hot girl that
you keep talking about youcan't, like, take your mind off
of?
This is all just falling intoplace for you?
You don't have to put in anyeffort?
You just sit there like an idiotwith your mouth open and it just
(05:41):
works out?
Like, she is playing you! Like,
Joi (05:46):
I
Jann (05:47):
don't work like that.
Joi (05:49):
completely right.
I was just like, are youserious?
Like you're not suspecting her.
He was stigmatized, like, whatwas it?
Dramatized like
Jann (06:01):
Girl, what?
Joi (06:06):
dramatized, hypnotized.
Jann (06:08):
you to, um, figure out what you're trying to say and
say it, because that can't bewhat you were trying to say.
Joi (06:13):
It was, it was, it's a new word.
I don't know, he just seemedlike, he was very knowledgeable.
You don't get people like veryknowledgeable about certain
things and then very stupidabout other things.
He wasn't very street smart atall.
Like, every time he had asituation come up about with
race, he was an idiot.
I was just like, what?
(06:34):
Like, why are you so confusedright now?
It was, I don't know.
The only,
Jann (06:39):
Tell me, give me some examples.
What are you talking about?
Joi (06:42):
so the only, the only one I'm going to give him a pass on
when it's concerning race and hewas kind of confused was when he
had his first, gig at thewedding and the, the father was
like, you can't come in here.
We don't want you in here.
You almost ruined my daughter'swedding.
He's like, what, what, what'sgoing on?
I'm supposed to be, you knowwhat I mean?
Okay.
15, 16 years old.
(07:02):
I'll give you a pass, but it'sjust like, okay.
When he went on to just likeconstantly having certain
situations happening to him.
I can't I'm really mad I can'tthink of the other ones right
now because eventually hestarted to speak up to other
people saying like, you know Oh,you know good thing It wasn't a
charity case that you know I Iwas able to come here and I
(07:23):
actually have talent like hesaid suck up to himself like at
least one time Just about onceor twice
Jann (07:28):
Like he did really well.
Like I'm thinking of, okay, solet's go through the situations
that we can like, kind of figureout, like parse out what you
think was bad and what, becauseI feel like he did pretty well.
The one I'm thinking of is theone in Baton Rouge where
immediately the cop told him toget out of the car and like put
a gun in his face.
So obviously nothing could havebeen done.
But the fact that he like spokeup for himself, like when he had
(07:49):
the press conference withoutactually being.
Quote unquote confrontational, Ithought he handled really well
and especially since his tutorat the time, like the douche bag
that told him to give out roses,told him that he shouldn't have
said anything.
He should have just apologizedfor not showing up.
I know.
I'm glad that he spoke up forhimself and I'm glad that he
fired him at that point.
(08:09):
So I think he handled thatpretty well.
and then I'm thinking about thetime where.
They were asking him to playmusic and they picked a black
composer and kept saying Ithought you would be interested
in this And in his mind, I thinkhe was a little confused because
he said yeah, I love thatcomposer Like, how did you know
(08:30):
and they kept saying?
Oh, well, I think you know, justyou are Probably interested in
this And they wouldn't say it.
And he said that he wasgenuinely thinking, like, did I
say this in an interview?
Like, how do they, like, how dothey know?
And then he, like, got it.
And then he was sarcastic andwas like, I'm not going to play
for you.
Like, you just missed youropportunity.
(08:50):
Again, I felt like he handled itwell.
I can't think of any instanceswhere I feel like Maybe he,
like, even the one where thecouple, okay, so this is one I
didn't feel like he handledwell, but he said this himself
when the couple, the Martinshowed up at his house and like
push their way in that one.
(09:10):
I feel like he was very naiveon, but I don't even think that
was a race thing until theystarted talking about the
letter.
Like, that was just naive.
Like, why would you let randomstrangers into your house?
Joi (09:20):
Yeah, even opening your door in the first place, in the
middle of the night.
Jann (09:24):
Well, he wasn't opening the door.
I remember I think he was cominghome.
Um, and I might have misheardthat.
So tell me if I'm wrong, but Ithink he was coming home and
they like accosted him.
No, he opened the door.
Joi (09:35):
Yeah, he opened his door, and he was talking to them, and
they were like, oh, my niece.
He's like, oh, do you want totake lessons?
And he opened the door, and theykind of like, strode in he's
like oh i guess i guess this isokay you know and that's when
everything went down and thenwhen he finally opened the door
back up to let them out theyweren't trying to leave
Jann (09:52):
well, I don't think he ever closed the door to
Joi (09:53):
and then like okay oh i know which one i know which one
bothered me
Jann (09:57):
Okay,
Joi (09:58):
one no when he was on the street and he finally got mad
when the marks came back and waslike messing with him about the
violin again he got pissed offabout it and i was like I don't
know about this.
You're in Brooklyn, man.
You're a black guy.
Like, get it together, you know?
Like, you're so patient in everyother instance, you know?
I don't know.
Maybe he just reached his
Jann (10:18):
I, I feel like it was justified, to be honest with
you.
I feel like it was bullshit thatthey like cuffed him and like
didn't make the other peopleshow their idea.
And you know, like I do agreelike it could have been handled
better, but I'm not gonna judgeyou after like they've been
stalking you and like tellingyou like, I don't, I feel like
um, it's one of thosesituations, you know, where like
he's, he had enough.
Joi (10:39):
Yeah.
Jann (10:40):
But, um, going back, I agree with you that I feel like
his character was the only onethat actually developed and I
can't tell if that was like aconscious effort on the author's
part because his family wasshitty from the start.
I absolutely hated that he waspaying them money at all.
The aunt, I guess at the verybeginning had a little bit of
(11:02):
character development.
Rochelle, because she didn'ttalk to him at all.
And then they started to like,kind of establish a
relationship.
So, no, I guess to your point,that isn't necessarily character
development.
It's just him getting to knowher, which he hadn't before.
Joi (11:15):
Right, because she could
Jann (11:16):
but I do feel like he grew quite a bit.
What'd you say?
Joi (11:19):
yeah, I said she could have been like that the whole time
like he just got to know herright It pissed me off that he
kept paying though And then sheoh my gosh, can we get into who
we hate the most
Jann (11:37):
Who did you hate the most?
Joi (11:38):
he's mom
Jann (11:42):
His mom was awful.
Joi (11:43):
His mom fucking sucked.
It was just one of those thingsthat's just like, you can't be
this stupid, you know?
You can't be this uneducated.
You're telling your son, who'slike doing so well in music and
doing well in school, tell himto get his GED to work at
Popeye's to bring some moneyinto the house.
And who's gonna pay these bills?
(12:04):
I'm not your husband.
You know?
Like, why am I, like, this hasnothing to do with me.
Figure it out, bitch.
Like, what's happening?
So and then like every time hewas excited and wanted to show
her something because he's a kidand he wants to make His mother
happy.
She's just like I don't give afuck, you know Like she never
(12:25):
cared and then when he was like,oh well She always knew when he
was had another gig set upbecause she was like, oh you
forgot about us was our moneyYou know, she just pissed me off
the whole book
Jann (12:37):
So
Joi (12:37):
I'm like her kill her off.
Jann (12:38):
for like the people who didn't read the book.
So what Joy is talking about is,he was sending the family money,
Joi (12:46):
Mm hmm
Jann (12:46):
after every concert because they claim that this
violin belonged to them, eventhough the grandmother gave the
violin to him and said like,this is something like none of
you guys.
Sick lessons when you and your,me and your dad wanted you to,
so you can't have it.
Like, I'm giving it to him.
And it's something they didn'tcare about.
Like, even when he was lookingfor it up in the attic for his
(13:06):
grandmother, they kept tellinghim that it was a waste of time
and who cares about that fiddle.
And I'm mad because you're upthere for no reason.
And that's something I wanted tosay too, when you were talking
is that, There's a differencebetween being dumb and being
selfish, and I feel like thatmother was fucking selfish,
like, I think she knew exactlywhat she was doing and she
didn't care, like, all thosethings that she said didn't,
(13:28):
like, lead me to believe thatshe was uneducated, it led me to
believe that she was an awfulmother, to him specifically,
Joi (13:35):
Why not both?
Jann (13:36):
in common with him.
But yeah, I just didn't see anyevidence that led to her being
uneducated necessarily, justmean, mean and selfish.
so that's why I say that.
but yeah, he was giving themmoney and he said that the
family was constantly textinghim and contacting him for more
money.
And while the mother did not dothat, she didn't text him or
(13:59):
communicate with him at all.
And, she would look out for hisconcert schedule.
And if he didn't pay themimmediately after she would text
and say, did you forget aboutus?
And that's all the contact thatshe had with him, which is, I
think, the most despicable thingthat I've ever heard of.
And I feel like if they did givesome kind of indication that she
(14:19):
was uneducated.
Or dumb, I would be even alittle bit more forgiving, I
think, but there was no likeindication at least that I saw
that she just didn't understand.
I felt like she understood andshe didn't care, even to the
point where he, she finally cameto one of his concerts and
brought flowers.
(14:40):
Cause that's something hementioned in the book earlier
that everybody else had flowersafter a performance and he never
did.
Um, I, me wanting to give herthe benefit of the doubt just
figured maybe she doesn't knowthat this is something that
people do, but she obviouslyknew because when she wanted
something, she showed up and shehad flowers.
(15:01):
So, yeah, it was unforgivable.
Honestly,
Joi (15:05):
Yeah, she's very manipulative.
When, like, she knew that hewanted her affection and wanted
her to be there.
And that's when, like, thebigger checks started coming and
everything too.
Which made it even worse whenthey sued him.
He'd been paying them for years.
He don't have his own savings oranything because he was helping
them out.
Jann (15:26):
The fact that when he showed up before they did the
blast of the past and went to gotalk to the mother.
And she said, well, you haven'tsent any checks in a while.
Like, what do you think I'msupposed to do?
And I'm thinking, why would youjust not send her money?
I didn't know the situation atthe time, but like, someone's
expecting money from you.
Like you don't just like cut itoff without telling them.
(15:47):
But then to find out this, shewas actively suing him.
When this happened, like, whywould he continue to send you
money if you're actively suinghim, your own son?
So, uh, yeah, completely awful.
Joi (16:04):
And then the uncle that kept calling like, Oh, well,
this get rich quick scheme and Ineed 20, 000 to buy kitchen
equipment so I can do arestaurant and blah, blah.
And then, like, they would justbe playing in his face
constantly.
And I'm just like, why are y'allCut them off! Cut them off! You
know?
Man, they're the worst familyever.
(16:24):
Minus Mm hmm.
Jann (16:28):
Okay, well Sean, the grandmother seemed pretty cool.
I do want to dig into the uncletoo, because he called him after
he visited his mom and said thathe threatened her and said that
he grew up to be a piece ofshit, which is insane to me
because Now, with finishing thebook and having context, the
(16:50):
last time he talked to his uncleis when he was calling him
asking him for 20, 000.
And right before that, they goton the phone and he said, Hey,
how are you doing?
I just sent you the newpaycheck.
And he was like, yeah, thanksfor everything you're doing.
Anyway, I also need 20, 000 forthis and I need to answer now.
And after he said, you know, Ican't do it.
(17:11):
He tried to make him take a loanout on the violin.
Or against the violin, he gotthe phone still cool with him,
sent his girlfriend over to hiscounselor to try to borrow money
for something for her.
I, how are you?
Joi (17:26):
Yeah.
Jann (17:27):
guy is trying to like make a living, he's giving you money,
you're asking him for moremoney, and sending your
girlfriend to ask him for money,and then you tell him that he
grew up to be a piece of shit?
Excuse me, like, are you lookingin the mirror at all?
Joi (17:46):
Yeah, he pisses me off.
He sucks.
They all suck.
I don't understand how you canhave such a good mother like the
grandmother was and Just haveshit kids, all of them.
They all suck so bad.
And even when he came to thesettlement with them, I was
like, that's way too much forthem.
(18:06):
They don't deserve anything.
The grandmother gave it to youfor Christmas because they had
no interest in it.
They didn't look for it.
Hell, Heroi didn't even find it.
You know, the grandmother foundit.
So,
Jann (18:17):
Mm hmm.
Joi (18:18):
they all suck.
Jann (18:21):
So, you said, so, I told you when I started suspecting,
and I know we, like, kind ofdiverted from there, but I told
you when I kind of suspected.
The girlfriend.
When did you start to suspecther?
Because it seems like yoususpected her before the end.
Joi (18:37):
Literally the beginning.
Like, it didn't make
Jann (18:41):
What made you suspect her?
Joi (18:43):
So, when I first started the book, I thought, cause the
way that I was like, oh, what ifI did it this way?
What if I roar it on the leftarm instead of the right arm?
What if they open it to check itat the airport, you know?
I was like, okay, so something'sgoing on with like his normal
routine.
I was like, is he cheating onhis wife?
Is this like, this girl thathe's cheating with, you know,
(19:04):
like a mistress?
That's what I was thinking.
I don't know.
That was the first thing thatcame to mind.
I was like, oh, you're in ahotel with the lady and you're
like leaving.
You guys are leaving each otherand you're going back home.
I just figured that, oh, you'recheating, you were cheating on
your wife.
With this girl and so I waslike, oh, okay.
So he probably got caught orsomething.
(19:25):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah I can't see what the thrillis happening And then maybe the
girl winds up dead and the wifeis trying to blame it on him I
said, I thought that this bookwas gonna go completely
different That first scene butwhen yeah, so when he said the
violin was missing I was like,oh that bitch did it like At the
very beginning like why whywould you leave your priceless
(19:46):
violin?
With this girl that you werejust sleeping with, you know, or
cheating on with your wife.
Jann (19:51):
like so intimate and like established, like they had
routines around each other.
And he, they were talking aboutnext time they would see each
other, like, they seem like theyhave their own routine.
So I didn't suspect any of that,
Joi (20:06):
Did you
Jann (20:06):
know, like, it's,
Joi (20:08):
well my thing was like, he found someone that he played
with.
And they probably did a concerttogether and that's how they
hooked up.
But his wife was like someonethat doesn't that's not in the
musical scene or anything So hegot like, oh,
Jann (20:19):
why are you assuming this man is married?
Joi (20:21):
That was my whole that was my whole spiel the first chapter
and I thought she I thought shetook it So.
Jann (20:26):
That's so interesting to me.
Yeah, I didn't think any ofthat.
Whew.
Let's unpack why you, uh, jumpedto that.
No.
So, okay, you thought from thevery beginning because you
thought that he was cheating.
So you figured out that she wasthe person.
Because you misunderstood therelationship.
(20:50):
That's so funny.
And you still suspect her afteryou figured out that he wasn't
married and that they've beendating.
Joi (20:58):
That's the only thing
Jann (20:59):
Have you, did you ever suspect anyone else throughout
the book?
I guess that's what I'm asking.
Joi (21:03):
I mean, for me, it made sense that it was her either way
just because no one else wouldbe in the room.
They said that one woman thatmoved on to Bolivia or Honduras,
that, you know, she paid off.
Um, yeah, I was like, okay, itcould have been her or Nicole.
Like, he said he put his violindown for a second to hug her.
(21:26):
So unless there was someone onthe street and they ran off,
like, it didn't make any senseat all.
So I was like, it has to be herbecause they've never followed
up with the woman from Honduras.
So, um, I think it was like,too, like the whole story in
between, people forget like, oh,that one, those couple of
details, like, it doesn't makeany sense that you never
followed up on it, you know,
Jann (21:46):
Followed up on what?
Joi (21:48):
the woman from Honduras.
They said, they're like, seewhat, what happened to her and
where she went and ice andthings like that, but they never
said anything else about itbecause we went back in time to
talk about his story leading upto that point, you know, and
then past that point.
And the only time we heard aboutit again was when Nicole was
like, oh yeah, I paid her off toleave.
Jann (22:10):
That's not true.
Like, I think they, I don'tremember if it was before the
flashback or after, but I knowthey spent quite a bit of time
like going to and following upon her.
And they were sending updates.
Like, that detective.
Natalie, I think it was.
I don't remember.
Um, or Isabel.
(22:31):
Whatever that girl's name.
Alicia.
That's what it was.
Alicia.
she was in Honduras for quite abit, like looking into her and
like following up and sendingupdates.
Uh, she actually flew there, soyeah, there were definitely
updates from that.
Joi (22:47):
I don't know, maybe I took a
Jann (22:48):
Yeah, I was like, tuned in, like, okay, now where is
she?
What happened?
I thought it was a littlesuspicious when she came back
and was like, yeah, I couldn'tget anything out of her.
She said that she just wenthome, and I was like, that's all
the investigating you're gonnado, like, after a while?
But there were a couple ofchapters.
First, when she said she wasgoing there, then a whole
section where she was sendingupdates, and then when she came
home and said that it was a deadend, and she couldn't get
(23:10):
anything.
But yeah, there was quite a bitof follow up there and I also
thought it was a little bitphony that she like, um, said
that she paid her off, at theend, but when they were
questioning her, she couldn'tget her story.
Right?
Like, she was like, yeah, I waslooking for the, his wallet.
(23:31):
It could have been like 30seconds.
Well, maybe 5 minutes.
No more than two.
I don't know and like she was sobad at it that I immediately
stopped suspecting her like nahShe didn't prepare any of this
Joi (23:43):
Well, I thought she
Jann (23:43):
like how is it that you could think ahead to look into
like calling the illegalimmigration people ice
Joi (23:53):
Mm hmm.
Jann (23:54):
Yeah, you can call them and like figure out like whose
immigration is up to date and doall this stuff, but you couldn't
think to get your storystraight?
Joi (24:04):
She probably did
Jann (24:04):
Like, on what you're going
Joi (24:06):
To make it seem like she was like nervous.
Yeah, like I don't know like orpanics, you know, like I know
Jann (24:12):
Well, she fooled me.
Joi (24:13):
i'm i'm nervous to talk about it.
Like i'm sure like it wasn'tjust a couple of seconds or a
couple minutes I'm sure you knowAnd then the way that he was
saying that her body languagelike she was getting closer and
closer Like trying to convincethem like she was actually
nervous and then she backed upwhen she realized what she was
doing So I I read it as herplaying as she she's being
nervous talking to like the fbipretty much so
Jann (24:39):
You didn't comment on all when I said that he like had no
game.
Joi (24:45):
I agree.
I agree with you.
I was like, yeah, that's true.
Jann (24:51):
I just thought that was like so suspicious.
Joi (24:54):
Yeah.
Jann (24:56):
He's sitting there like, Oh, hi.
Yeah.
So my name is Nicole.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
I'm Ray.
Oh, you know, I'm Ray.
Oh, um, so do you want to takeme to dinner?
Joi (25:13):
I was really nervous for him too.
Like, why wouldn't you just likerent a locker every time?
Like a safety deposit box orsomething.
Every time you went somewherefor that violin.
You're carrying a 5 millionviolin around everywhere you go,
you know?
That thing should have beenunder lock and key.
Even when he let those peopleinto his house, the Marxist,
that shouldn't have been in hishouse.
(25:34):
He could have been robbed at anytime if they found you that
easily, you know?
It's just, he didn't make a lotof sense to me when it came to
having a violin that expensivein his possession, you know?
Jann (25:46):
Yeah.
I think it was a compellingstory though.
Like, had I not been expecting athriller, I still don't know if
I would want to like, read astory about, um, a Stradivarski,
whatever.
What was the violin called?
Stradivarsky, right?
Joi (26:05):
hmm.
Something like that,
Jann (26:06):
Stradivarius, sorry.
I still don't know if I wouldwant to read a story about an
expensive violin, but the partthat I really did engage with
him on was just like his passionfor music.
Like it made me want to go andlike paint something, because I
lose my motivation to paint sooften.
Um, Which is probably, like, nota great thing to say.
(26:27):
I mean, no, whatever.
Every, I feel like every artist,like, has periods where they're
not motivated, um, and as muchas I don't want to admit that
that's me, that's definitely me.
It made me want to go and createsomething just because he was so
passionate about it.
So that part I really enjoyed.
I love that he, like, perseveredthrough all of his, like,
(26:50):
obstacles, including his family,including not having money.
Like he always figured out a wayto like do what he wanted to do,
which I thought was great.
I love that part of the story.
and I think if you're a musiclover or like even into music
and knew what a Stradivarius wasbefore you read this book, I
(27:10):
feel like it would be a lot moreup your alley.
yeah, I just didn't care aboutthe violin.
Once he said he was like kickingass in the competition without
it.
I'm like, why are you evenplaying with it?
I know why you're playing withit because it sounds great.
But seriously, if it were me,because I know nothing and I'm
ignorant, I would have it in a.
Vote or safety deposit box andlike play with the normal
violin.
Joi (27:31):
because that's what makes sense.
And then bring it out on thebiggest competitions.
Or when you go to Carnegie Hallor something like that, you know
that it should be treated as atime piece, you know, something
special, not something for everyday, and definitely shouldn't be
in your house.
Jann (27:45):
and let me tell you something else.
When he was in Boston, I thinkit was.
And those cops, like, Tried tomake him open it when it was
snowing on the sidewalk.
He was like, are you surebecause this is a Brooklyn?
Okay.
Yeah He was like, this is a 10million dollar violin Do you
want that lawsuit coming andthey still made him open it
(28:05):
inside and like could it took itfrom him?
Like first of all, I would havewent ahead with that lawsuit
that one and the one from
Joi (28:13):
Baton Rouge.
Jann (28:14):
It was Louisiana Baton Rouge.
Yeah, I would have filed alawsuit against both of those
cities to be honest with you.
And the fact that I have a 10million dollar violin and you
just lost business for yourcity.
Like, I feel like that gave himcredibility.
Like, he could have done it.
But the fact that those cops,had he not opened his violin,
(28:34):
could have taken it from him andgave it to the Marxist, the
Marx, I thought it was theMartins, whatever, the racist
white family.
just goes to show you should notbe carrying this thing around.
And I get it too.
Like if that's the violin thatyou're going to use, then you
have to practice with it, but itjust seems so not safe
Joi (28:54):
It was not safe.
It was no reason.
No reason to use it.
Like you said, he's talented onhis own.
He didn't have to use it.
Jann (29:03):
Well, it was an heirloom.
I can see, like, thesentimentality behind it, but it
had to be a better way.
Joi (29:09):
It was an heirloom, which is why you pull it out for the
Russian competition or CarnegieHall.
Jann (29:15):
Well, that's the thing, though.
Like, with, even, like, withathletes and violin, like,
musicians, you have to practicewith the instrument you're going
to play on.
You know, you can't just switchthem in and out.
You have to get used to it,which is why when he was looking
for a replacement, he wasfreaking out because it was so
close to the competition.
he had to get used to a new one.
(29:35):
So, again, while I understandit, I just feel like, me,
myself, I wouldn't want to takethat risk.
Joi (29:40):
Yeah, I agree.
Especially like after
Jann (29:43):
whole deal.
Joi (29:45):
especially after.
Honestly, after when the, whenthe racist white family came
into his house and the violinwas there too, I'm like, oh,
this gotta have a safe place,you know?
And then having that cop inBaton Rouge drop it in the case.
All that stuff.
So I was like, there's a lot oftimes where I'm just like, you
know, I'm gonna go ahead and putthis away in storage.
Jann (30:07):
Yeah, but I guess like the reason why it was important to
him, why he didn't want to sellit in the first place is because
he said his grandmother wantedhim to play on it.
Like he's not selling hisviolin.
Joi (30:17):
Yeah.
Jann (30:18):
Another thing I don't understand, but I didn't really
look up and I probably shouldhave, I'm going to now, is what
is the difference between aviolin and a fiddle?
Like I don't understand why theykept going back and forth like
it was interchangeable.
Joi (30:29):
I think they're the same thing, aren't they?
Jann (30:35):
Oh, yeah, it says there isn't a difference between a
fiddle and a violin, at leastnot physically.
The difference between a fiddleand a violin is simply the style
of music they are used to play.
So, yeah, I guess it's the same.
I never knew that.
Joi (30:48):
and they're literally the same thing.
Because, you know, I learnedthat from Futurama, when the
demon robot, yeah, he alwaysplayed on his fiddle, and I
think, I think Fryer was like,well, I have this violin, so, I
don't, I, I, I'll tell you
Jann (31:05):
That would have been me.
Joi (31:07):
Yeah.
But no, yeah, it's the exactsame thing.
Jann (31:13):
Interesting.
I didn't know that.
I was so confused throughout thebook.
Like, is it a fiddle?
Like, did they do something inthe repairs to make it a violin?
Like, is this just differentstrings?
Like, what's happening?
Joi (31:23):
Was it, um, was it Malcolm in the Middle when he joined,
like, the country, um, littleband?
It was a show.
Something was a show that had aviolin and they called it a
fiddle.
Like, no, it was a fiddle.
That's gonna bother me.
It's something, something likethat happened.
Jann (31:40):
I am so confused as to why you even brought it up.
Wait! You said it's some showwhere he joined a country band
and they called it a fiddle.
Joi (31:48):
Yeah, but he played the violin, and he's like, no, no,
no, it's a fiddle.
Jann (31:54):
Oh.
Please look it up because I'm soconfused.
Um, I, the only thing I canthink of while in music and mock
them in the middle is when thedad joined the acapella group.
Joi (32:10):
That dad was amazing.
Nah, you know what it was?
It was, um, when he was doingthe, the fast walking thing in
the park.
Jann (32:20):
Oh, the speed walking.
Yeah.
That's the episode.
Joi (32:25):
what that's from.
No, no, it's not.
I was just saying how much Ilike how.
Jann (32:28):
Oh my goodness.
Okay.
So here's a question for you.
Joi (32:33):
Okay.
Jann (32:34):
Were there any recurring motives or symbols that stood
out to you?
During the book I can take itfirst if you want
Joi (32:41):
Yeah, go for it.
Jann (32:43):
so the one thing that stood out to me was like this
selfishness of Everyone likethat seemed very recurring when
it came to every single one ofhis family members when it came
to the girlfriend when it cameto Who was it?
The, the guy he was playingagainst, the guy who eventually
(33:04):
won the Turk, the Tchaikovsky,he had a whole, like, his
family.
Had a whole, like, violin thatwas in the black market that
they decided to sell just sothat he could drop out of the
competition and, like, getdistracted, like, even though it
wasn't his violin, like,everybody had a selfish motive,
it seemed like, except for him,when it came to even the violin,
(33:28):
you know, or the fiddle, when hewas looking for it up in the
attic, he said he wanted it togive to his grandmother, like,
everybody, I hated that, like,After he was up there for more
than a day, there was like, youknow, you can't have it, right?
Even if you wanted it, like,after mom dies, we're all gonna
figure out.
What we're gonna do witheverything like you just told
him to stop looking for itbecause it's trash and no one
(33:50):
cares about It and like makingfun of your grandmother or
mother in that case Because shekeeps talking about it and
you're telling him he can't haveit Even though he didn't even
ask for it like just the factthat they assumed that he was
also being selfish in hismotives You know
Joi (34:04):
Mm hmm.
Mm hmm.
Jann (34:06):
Helm and Janice, I feel like, his like mentor, were the
only ones in the book thatseemed to have motives that were
not selfish.
So that was also interesting.
And one of the best moments inthis book for me was when he was
talking about how he couldn'tget Nicole out of his mind, and
he just missed her so much, andhow she asked him to write a
(34:29):
letter for him.
Or for her to get leniency fromthe judge
Joi (34:34):
Oh! Yeah!
Jann (34:36):
started writing a letter and I'm like, I can't believe
you're doing this.
And he went on with the letterlike, she is the most selfish
person I've ever met.
She manipulated me for monthsand she's heartless.
And I want you to give her thefull sentence.
Joi (34:50):
hmm.
Yep.
That was perfect.
I was like, you better not bewriting this daggone letter.
Jann (34:58):
Like, good job, for real, like, he was sitting here, so
sad boy, and still, like, reallystuck it to her, which I liked
quite a
Joi (35:08):
it counted.
Um, I think for me, when it cameto the whole respect, even when
you're being disrespected, itkind of annoyed me a little bit.
I didn't,
Jann (35:22):
Girl, when, it,
Joi (35:24):
So every time he had a racist encounter, he was trying,
like, we all know you have tobe, um, a certain level of,
like, respectful just so youdon't get killed.
But I feel like when it came to,like, the slave story, where it
was like, oh yeah, they drawnand quartered your dad and set
him on fire, your mom is in thefield, and the only reason that
(35:45):
they, your master set you freeis because you were a good
player.
For him on the fiddle orwhatever.
And he's like, Oh, and I earnedit because I was respectful the
whole time, no matter what hedid to my family, no matter how
evil he was.
What you're telling this to yoursix year old to write down
because she had a argument withher mother.
(36:07):
Like what trauma is happeninghere?
No, that's not a lesson to belearned.
No.
Jann (36:13):
fuck, yeah, like, you're pretty much teaching them to let
people walk all over you, in myopinion.
Joi (36:20):
absolutely.
Jann (36:21):
I feel like the whole reason why Martin Luther King
was such a person that likepeople bring up to try to like
get people, like people to notspeak up for themselves.
Like, what about turning theother cheek?
We're done with that.
If you say somethingdisrespectful to me, then expect
that back.
(36:41):
Now, I'm not saying that I'malways going to like pop you in
the face.
Though that may happen, so watchout.
But don't expect respect ifyou're being disrespectful,
period.
Joi (36:53):
exactly.
And even, I don't know, like,this book, I will say it was a
well written book, even thoughit wasn't necessarily, like,
something that I would normallypick out.
It was just very triggering forme.
I had to take breaks whilereading it.
It was just like racism afterracism after like trauma and
(37:15):
trauma like the cops constantlygoing against him and the white
family going against him.
N words here.
Oh, and when in the firstchapter when he was like, Oh,
everyone's gonna think that'swhy this, this N word shouldn't
have something so expensive orsomething.
Nobody.
So we just go in there, I guess.
(37:36):
And that should have been my,my, my, my thing.
I should have known where we'regoing, you know,
Jann (37:41):
That was very like out of the blue
Joi (37:43):
it
Jann (37:43):
me
Joi (37:43):
was.
So I was just like, I feel likethis book is putting me like in
a funk a little bit.
Like I, I, I'm not caring for itat all.
Jann (37:51):
me tell you, when they came in my house and read that
racist letter, And she, she hadthe nerve to pause before she
said like nigger and said itanyway, multiple times.
would have been the end for me.
I would have closed that door,locked it and started swinging
the fucking lamp.
Like you want to come into myhouse uninvited and start like
(38:14):
disrespecting me like this.
I'm just defending myself.
I am defending myself againstyou right now.
And let me, they probablywouldn't have had that lawsuit
because they would have knew.
Joi (38:27):
My thing
Jann (38:27):
It's
Joi (38:28):
it's just like, that story didn't even say anything about
the fiddle itself.
It's just like, Oh yeah, weowned your family.
And also they had a fiddle thatwe used to play.
That didn't say anything thatwas about it was yours at all
and my whole thing was like Whywouldn't anyone ever say like
hey, you know You own somebodyin their family kill them beat
them rape them Just let themhave the fucking fiddle.
Jann (38:50):
Let it
Joi (38:50):
You know?
Jann (38:51):
didn't have this before.
There is literally nothingchanged about your life because
this guy is playing.
Joi (38:57):
the Anderson Cooper saying like oh yeah this is ours and
we're gonna get it back causeour grandpappy, you know, had
owned them, they took our shitwhen you know, during the
revolution or whatever.
So I was like, isn't that a badlook for you guys?
A horrible look actually.
So.
And on top of that, I was likeyou know what?
(39:18):
I'm glad you bring this up aboutthe fiddle.
I want reparations.
Where's my part?
my house that my family builtfor you?
Where's my money at?
I know exactly where I'm from.
Come on.
Jann (39:29):
Seriously, like, if that's all it takes, like, we about to
reclaim a lot of stuff.
Because,
Joi (39:37):
that we're talking about money, let's talk about it.
Jann (39:39):
owes to who, like,
Joi (39:42):
This will be the first check, sir, that you're
Jann (39:44):
who owns,
Joi (39:46):
Get used to it.
Jann (39:50):
like, just the insanity, like, stop it,
Joi (39:53):
The way I could have pictured you beating them up in
your house, taking the check andthen kicking them out.
I want the next one in sixmonths, bitch.
Lucky you
Jann (40:04):
I wouldn't have took the check, but let me tell you, I
would have beat the shit out ofthem until they couldn't move
and then call the police.
Like, yeah, I just, um, I had todefend myself in my home against
some intruders that refused toleave.
Please come and collect thetrash.
Joi (40:20):
weren't in Texas, bitch.
Jann (40:24):
laughs
Joi (40:25):
You know, the only thing...
Jann (40:26):
in me, yeah.
Joi (40:29):
What's that Beyonce song?
My daddy said shoot!
Jann (40:34):
laughs Daddy lessons, yeah.
Joi (40:36):
But um, The only thing that kind of got me through any scene
with the Marks or the Martinswhatever their name was, was
that I pictured them as um,Nigel Thornberry and his wife.
Jann (40:48):
Did you really?
Joi (40:50):
Cause she said
Jann (40:51):
confused me?
I'm sorry, go
Joi (40:53):
What?
What confused you?
Jann (41:02):
I missed what you said.
I'm sorry.
Joi (41:04):
No, I said, what confused you?
Jann (41:08):
Oh, I thought you were going to talk about the wild
thornberries.
Joi (41:10):
Oh, no, I was gonna say, cause he mentioned his mustache
and his big belly, and I waslike,
Jann (41:14):
Oh.
Joi (41:15):
that seemed like Nigel Thornberry, you know?
Jann (41:17):
That's so funny.
And you know what?
They weren't even a marriedcouple.
They were brother and sister.
Joi (41:21):
Mm hmm.
Jann (41:23):
But anyway, what confused me is when they first introduced
them and they said their names.
I thought they were a blackcouple.
Like, what white couple do youknow are named Dante and Andrea?
Joi (41:32):
Someone from the South.
Jann (41:35):
guess so.
But when he said Dante andAndrea, I was like, okay, what's
this?
And that's why it made sensethat he was like, oh, does your
niece like me?
Lessons because that's some,that's something that we do in
the black community, like forbetter or for worse, like people
feel like they can ask you forpersonal favors when you're
black, like, I'm glad that wekind of look out for each other,
(41:55):
but I do feel like, um, peopleare also like, feel entitled to
your help sometimes.
So
Joi (42:01):
That's how I felt when he gave them money, too.
Jann (42:04):
Yeah.
Joi (42:04):
say when they make it out of the hood, they go like, they
always reach back and try tohelp, and that's why they kind
of like, suffer, like notsuffer, but um, struggle a
little bit.
Jann (42:13):
as fast.
Yeah,
Joi (42:14):
They definitely struggle trying to bring the hood up with
them.
And I'm not saying it's a badthing to try to reach back and
help, but you also have to knowyour limitations, and I don't
think Ray knew that either.
He didn't have a
Jann (42:25):
that's true.
And again, I feel like it's agood thing to reach back and
help.
But when somebody that you don'tknow is asking you for personal
favors, just because they alsohappen to be black is where I
feel like that line is crossed,you know.
Joi (42:39):
And it's different than when he was at the competition
and he offered the extra help tothat one black kid who the other
judges didn't even give a chanceto.
Like, let me
Jann (42:47):
and I'm so glad he told him off about that too.
That's another situation where Ifeel like he did very well.
Like he let them talk themselvesinto a corner and then like
right when they were going to belike, and you showed him
favoritism, like cut it off.
Like, no, like they didn't givehim a chance immediately because
they didn't like that kid didn'thave the same equipment and
because he looked different.
So don't tell me about who I'mgiving special treatment to.
(43:08):
I'm here as a favor to you.
And don't you ever ask me forthis favor again.
Goodbye.
Joi (43:15):
When they were like,
Jann (43:16):
I loved
Joi (43:16):
even have an accompaniment.
I'm like, he don't need onebitch.
He got it Like I was sooffended.
So
Jann (43:26):
fact that he like just gave him a fair shot during the
audition and as soon as he leftthe stage, the other judges were
mad.
Like if you give him a shot,you're taking the opportunity
away from someone else.
Like literally all I did so farwas give him encouragement.
How is that hurting anybodyelse?
Like you're seriously sittinghere mad because I told him good
(43:47):
job and like didn't like put himdown.
Get over yourself.
Like there was so much likesnottiness
Joi (43:58):
Mm hmm.
Jann (44:00):
and elitism in this book, it like made me nauseous.
Joi (44:04):
Yeah, it was horrible And it's one of those things to be
like, you know, it wasinteresting to see the musical
scene in racism even though itwas kind of a lot but You forget
that when you enter these reallyold established institutions
like that, like, you're like,you're right.
There's only 1 percent people ofcolor and even less of someone
(44:25):
that's just black.
Like, I'm sure the same thing ifit was a ballet, you know, so.
Jann (44:31):
like stepping back at least 50 years in the civil
rights movement.
Joi (44:35):
Was it the ballet?
I follow ballet a lot.
I don't know if you knew that ornot, but TikTok, I learned a lot
of stuff on TikTok.
So when they, they, the brown,like, you know, the skin tone
shoes, those are pretty newstill.
Like I won't say the last 10, 15years, maybe that they came in
different colors other than justlike, like pink.
And then the girls would have todye them to make them their skin
(44:58):
color.
You know to make it look morecohesive.
So,
Jann (45:02):
surprised we just got band aids as if we don't get hurt.
Joi (45:06):
you know, I was just telling my husband that I was
like, you know I thought i'mgetting ripped off by band aid
right now because I have to getmy skin color and your skin
color So i'm already buyingtwice as much And i'll make less
than
Jann (45:19):
like they
Joi (45:20):
around here
Jann (45:20):
in a range.
Every time you buy a pack ofband aids, I feel like it should
be a range so everybody getsscrewed over at least a little
bit.
Joi (45:29):
I gave up.
I just started getting blue yband aids and call it a day.
Jann (45:36):
I myself like to use some cotton and tape.
Joi (45:41):
You know, I just put a little, a little piece of tissue
there and it sticks by itself.
Yeah, that's a
Jann (45:48):
And other than that, I just, you know, try not to get
hurt.
Joi (45:54):
It's America, I can't afford it.
Jann (45:58):
I'm looking it up now to see if any like black people
have actually won thiscompetition.
The
Joi (46:03):
The Russian, um,
Jann (46:05):
Czechs, the Tchaikovsky.
Joi (46:10):
Man, speaking of Russians, that um, guy that he hired to
help him out and like, standout.
I was like, what are you doing?
What is happening here?
Jann (46:28):
since I was an American pianist who won in 1958
Joi (46:32):
And they're black?
Jann (46:37):
at least by this name.
I assume not harvey lavin vansilbourne
Joi (46:43):
I would guess not.
But hey,
Jann (46:48):
I'm, sorry Um, yeah, whatever So I guess no black
winner.
So this is a fiction buthopefully soon
Joi (46:59):
technically he wasn't even a winner, he was in second, so.
Jann (47:03):
true Sure.
He was a finalist.
I think they say he was thefirst.
Um, Silver medalist, Americanand black.
So,
Joi (47:13):
Yeah, So, my question is, now that you know that this kind
of like, even though this isfiction, there has to be a scene
of Black people in music, inlike, orchestra, opera,
obviously the ballet, but did itwant you to like, look into it
more, maybe like, go to aconcert maybe, and like, You
(47:35):
know, like, get a little bit ofculture.
Hehehehe.
Old fashioned culture in life.
Jann (47:45):
not really.
And I'll say it again, like Idid love his passion for his
art.
it made me want to go paint.
It made me want to like reachout to other black, like visual
artists.
Um, it made me want to like divedeeper into my passion, but I
was just telling this to Jasminethe other day too, like out of
all of the arts, probablymusical arts is the last that I
(48:09):
will be involved in.
Um, I feel like I've at leastdallyed in every single other
type of art, even dance.
I've dallyed in that, you know,like it was a huge hobby of mine
for a long time.
Um, and that could be because Iplayed the flute.
In elementary, and I had atraumatic experience where they
hired this crazy ass teacher.
(48:31):
He was a white male.
I don't know if that'ssignificant or not, or if it
played a role in it, but we werein the fourth grade and we used
to have to do our practices, um,during recess.
So after we ate lunch, wheneverybody else went out to
recess, the people in theorchestra went and played their
instrument.
So, we were playing out theflute, having a good time, and
(48:56):
somebody missed a note, a fourthgrader missed a note, and this
crazy man picked up the musicstand and threw it at us, and I
never went back.
Like, I would go to recess afterthat.
He would, like, come out andlook for me, and I would hide.
And, uh, he was there for maybe,like, two weeks after that
before he got fired.
(49:17):
Um, but yeah, I...
Did not want to play anyinstruments after that, so.
Joi (49:21):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Jann (49:23):
Um, yeah.
So a long way to answer yourstory.
No, I did not want to like getmore involved in like the
musical like arts.
Um, but what about you?
Like, did that, is that theexperience you had?
Joi (49:37):
No, I've always had an interest of wanting to go see
something in person eventually,but it didn't, like, persuade me
to do it any sooner or later.
Just like when I can.
You know.
Hehehehe.
Jann (49:48):
Oh, I'm sorry.
I misunderstood.
Like, I've gone and seenorchestras.
I like to go and like, to the,like, orchestra and listen to
them play.
Um, I thought you meant doing itmyself.
No, no, thank you.
Um, unless it's piano.
I would love to learn the piano.
Um, but yeah, I can see myselfgoing to a concert again.
(50:09):
Yeah.
Joi (50:09):
Yeah.
I just like, you know, justlearning a little bit more about
it, just like seeing what thescene is like, you know.
Not necessarily having to be apart of it, but, you know, see
what's going on over there.
Jann (50:18):
So is this a book that you would recommend out to somebody?
And if so, who would yourecommend it to?
I
Joi (50:24):
I don't think I would recommend it to be honest.
Like I like how it was written,it was written well, but I just
feel like the amount of thingsthat black people go through
constantly, especially rightnow, I'm just.
I wouldn't want someone to haveto read so much traumatic when
it was supposed to be escapinginto another reality, you know
what I mean?
I don't think it was worth it orthe payoff, you know?
Jann (50:46):
Yeah, I don't think I would recommend this to like a
person like you because I knowwhat you that you use reading as
A like form of escapism.
I know some people read it andthey like to see life reflected
back at them Like I have friendswho love reading Sad books,
period, which I don't getbecause if I'm crying, something
went wrong, you know, this wasnever the plan.
(51:09):
I'm not trying to make myselfsad or scared or like any of
those other negative emotions,but some people do like it.
So, I think you have to know whoyou're recommending it to, like,
I would definitely recommendthis to my, like, friends who
were in the orchestra, like,heavy in high school and who
like to read.
Um.
Because I, I, again, I do thinkit was well written.
If someone asks me for athriller recommendation, I
(51:31):
probably wouldn't recommendthis.
Like, I feel like it was kind ofmisclassified in genre, and I
just picked it up fromGoodreads, so it could be that
the author didn't intend this tobe placed under the thriller
genre, but that's the main genrethere, But yeah, I don't think I
would recommend this and say,Hey, this is a great thriller.
Um, it's a good mystery.
It's a good whodunit.
So, if I were giving this outand saying, Hey, this is a good
(51:55):
mystery that like goes into themusic world and it has black
characters and talks about thatexperience as a black character
going through like thisprestigious music competition.
Yes, I would say it's a goodmystery about that story.
Joi (52:10):
I mean, I don't know because I feel like even the
black characters were kind ofcaricatures.
You know?
They were just awful.
And the white people were awful.
I feel like everyone was awfulin this book.
Jann (52:22):
That's kind of how it is with murder mysteries when I
think about it,
Joi (52:25):
Yeah.
Jann (52:26):
like everybody's kind of one dimensional done that way on
purpose so that it's hard to seewho the actual murderer is, or
in this case, who the thief was,I guess.
Joi (52:40):
I
Jann (52:40):
So I think that's part of the genre of mysteries.
Joi (52:44):
I mean, I'm just used to mysteries, I'm just used to
Scooby Doo, you know, murdersshe wrote, you know.
People you actually like, youknow.
Jann (52:56):
All right.
So I gave this book,
Joi (52:59):
No, you're right.
You're right.
Jann (53:00):
I was going to say, I gave this book a 3.
5 and I don't think I wouldchange it again.
I think it's a good book forsome people.
I didn't necessarily not enjoymyself reading it.
There was a lot of like,frustration.
I felt very like, sad for thiskid who I thought he was great
through the whole thing.
I didn't have a problem withthis character, even though I
thought he was believablebecause he had his flaws as well
(53:23):
being awkward and.
You know, just trying to figureout the world.
I thought he was a very wellwritten character.
I felt bad for him that hedidn't have a lot of support.
Um, and I feel like he grew upwell, still, like he stood up
for himself when he needed to,which I loved.
Um, there are a lot of goodthings about this book.
Like I said, it, his passion formusic sparked my passion for
(53:46):
painting, like, not sparked, butreignited, I guess.
So yeah, I do think it was wellwritten.
I think this is a good book forsome people, but I just couldn't
connect with like, this violinis so expensive, and it's like,
he was so stressed.
I felt so bad for him the wholetime, and he found this passion,
and like, not once did he have amoment where he could just enjoy
(54:10):
it, know?
It seemed like he was alwaysgoing through something that was
putting, like, obstacles in hisway.
Until he won that silvermedalist and like found his
violin.
It seemed like it was prettysmooth after that but who knows
what he was going throughbecause it was like Anyway years
later epilogue, but I hope forhim that it was a lot smoother.
Like he said he was just Touringaround so yeah, hopefully he
(54:34):
found his peace then that was along rant to say I would
recommend it, but to probably avery select few people that I
think would appreciate it.
Um, now, would you change yourrating?
Joi (54:49):
Um, my personal rating, if it's a story for me, I'm gonna
keep it at the two, but if I'mrecommending to somebody who
likes music, who likes thrillerslike that, and doesn't mind the
racism and things like that inthe story, I'll give it a four.
So I'm like, oh, if you're intoit, it's a good four, but for me
(55:11):
personally, for my taste, I'mstill giving it a two.
Jann (55:15):
Um, okay.
So this conversation, I think wecan wrap it up.
Um, and I'm going to go aheadand introduce our next book,
which is let's play white by Um,Chesia Burke.
Joi (55:30):
Pretty name, Cheshia.
Jann (55:33):
right?
Alright, here's the synopsis,guys.
White brings with it dreams ofrespect, of wealth, of simply
being treated as a human being.
It's the one thing Walter willnever be.
But what if he could play Whitethe way so many others seem to
do?
Would it bring him privilege orsimply deny the pain?
(55:54):
The title story in thiscollection asks those questions
and then moves on to challengenotions of race, privilege,
personal choice, and even Lifeand death with equal vigor.
From the spectrum spanningdespair and hope in what she saw
when they flew away to the starkweave of personal struggles in
Chocolate Park, Let's Play Whitespeaks with the voices of the
(56:16):
overlooked and the unheard.
All right, so that's our bookfor next week.
It sounds like it is going to bevery race heavy again.
So, probably not up your alley,but we will have a special guest
who actually requested this booknext week and we'll let it be a
surprise on who that is.
Joi (56:35):
All right.
That sounds awesome.
I mean, yeah.
Jann (56:41):
You seem stressed already.
Joi (56:43):
I'm I'm so stressed, but I'm excited.
Jann (56:48):
Well, I think we have a romance after that.
So it'll be very lighthopefully.
and guys, if you ever want tolike read along with us and like
know what we're going to readbefore we're reading it, we also
have our whole schedule of booksthat we're going to read for the
season up on our website, blackgirl reads.
com.
So go there and check it out.
If you want to know what'scoming up.
(57:08):
All right, Joy, do you want totell us, um, where, do you want
to tell them where they can findus?
Joi (57:14):
I do.
on TikTok and Twitter, you canfind us at BLK girl res Pod and
that's TikTok and Twitter only.
B l k Girl Res Pod on Instagram,YouTube and Facebook.
You can find us on B l k GirlReads podcast.
Just a little extra words, butyou got it
Jann (57:35):
All right.
Well, thanks for listening to usthis time and have a good day.
Bye.
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