Six-year-old Douglas Tryzyna lives at the Smythe Home in Elizabethtown, New York. Placed on their doorstep as an infant, he has not uttered a word since his arrival. When he finds a violin in the aftermath of a fire where itinerant gypsies had camped, he says his first word—“mine.” It doesn’t take long for Douglas to develop a communication system and subsequent deep emotional bond with the violin, who tells him its name is 253-1. Not understanding Douglas’ unusual fetish with the instrument, Hester Smythe hides it from him, at which time Douglas becomes ill with grief. Eventually, his passion for music exceeds all other emotions.
Genie Higbee’s THE VIOLIN THIEF story takes readers through the next fourteen years of Douglas’ life—a life filled with heartache over the elusive violin as it gets into the hands of people who don’t always have his best interest at heart. Douglas has an innate musical talent that helps him brave the rough times, and two music masters fight over having him as a student. While the violin remains out of his reach, communication with it continues. They understand each other, and he learns from the violin’s wisdom. Higbee portrays people, places, events, thoughts, feelings, and situations through the skillful use of description. Her well-chosen words and artful ordering of them capture each moment in vivid detail and create pictures that are easy to envision. Crucial to the flow of the narrative, the story unfolds with pacing appropriate for each scene—fast when needed to speed things up and slower when description or back story is required or when breathers are advantageous. By her masterful ability to “show rather than tell,” Higbee evokes a powerful range of emotions from scenes, dialogue, body language, and the protagonist’s multi-layered internal thoughts.
Those who read THE VIOLIN THIEF will be transported into a world of intense feelings caused by love, loss, determination, and devotion. Douglas’ journey—the book’s plot—is complicated, and Higbee’s deep understanding of human emotions and what motivates people to do what they do is commendable. The manner in which plot and character are intricately woven, combined with how internal and external conflict work together, make THE VIOLIN THIEF a remarkable story.
THE VIOLIN THIEF is a beautifully-written, distinct novel that blends an interesting plot, vivid characterization, and thought-provoking prose into a delightful story about a young boy and his love for music.
~Florence Osmund for IndieReader