"A Song Unheard" by Roseanna M. White

A Song Unheard (Jan. 2, 2018) by Roseanna M. White.*

Where would you go if you needed a top-notch thief to steal a key before it ended up in the wrong hands, and the person you suspect holds the key is a famous master violinist? If you’re Mr. V, you go to London and find Willa Forsythe – “one of London’s best pickpockets.” She is also a violin prodigy. She poses as a family friend of the wealthy Davies sisters of Aberystwyth, Wales, where they are patrons for the Belgian Symphony Orchestra, which is made up of Belgian refugees. World-renowned violinist Lukas De Wilde is one of these refugees. He is Willa’s target, but he’s also the target of others, who would do him harm and already have, if his healing shoulder is any indication. He wants nothing more than to continue the search for his mother and sister. But with Germany invaders in Belgium, it is too dangerous to travel freely there. His only distraction is the amazingly gifted Willa and his newfound faith. But what will happen when her secret crosses his path? No cipher key will help him then.

            As I would expect from White, she has created a captivating, historical fiction novel with another strong-willed and savvy woman. Willa also has street smarts. But whereas Lukas’ faith grew throughout the story, Willa struggled longer. Because she has been as broken as a destroyed violin for a long time. Incorporating that into the plot, along with points-of-view from Lukas and his sister, Margot, provided extra elements. Instead of one layer like a piece of music for violins only, there were multiple layers like music for an entire orchestra. And White orchestrated well. My attention was kept, and I expect an encore when we are next introduced to Barclay’s story!

            Quotable: “Can a man compose a symphony without paying attention to each individual note? Can he put together an orchestra without caring about each musician in it? It’s ridiculous to posit a Creator who stands back, unconcerned. If we grant a God, we have to grant a complete God.” -- Margot, in a reminiscence by Lukas when he tried to challenge her faith (p. 126).

            Shadows Over England: Book One: A Name Unknown

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”