Symphony of Secrets

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the dual timeline structure of Symphony of Secrets affect your reading experience? Did you find yourself more drawn to the 1920s storyline with Josephine or the modern-day investigation with Bern?

2. What emotions did the novel evoke for you as it gradually revealed Josephine’s story? How did your feelings toward Delaney evolve throughout the book?

3. The theft of artistic work by those with more societal power appears in several notable works, such as Brendan Slocumb’s earlier novel The Violin Conspiracy. How does Symphony of Secrets compare in its treatment of this theme? What makes Josephine’s story particularly compelling or distinct?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Josephine experiences sounds as colors through synesthesia. Have you ever experienced art or music in an unconventional way that gave you a unique perspective?

2. Bern’s initial reverence for Delaney and the Foundation is shattered when he discovers the truth. When have you experienced a similar disillusionment about an institution or person you once admired?

3. Throughout the novel, Bern struggles with the conflict between institutional expectations and his personal integrity. When have you faced a situation where you had to choose between career advancement and standing up for what you believed was right?

4. The novel portrays various relationships with music—from Josephine’s innate genius to Bern’s trained appreciation. What role has music played in your life, and has it ever provided comfort or transformation during difficult times?

5. Both Josephine and Bern experience moments when their identities as Black individuals clash with institutional systems. How has your personal identity influenced how you navigate professional or academic spaces?

6. Eboni and Bern bond over their quest to find “the Best Pizza in New York” (75). What seemingly small shared interest helped you forge a meaningful connection with someone in your life?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does the novel portray the evolution of racism from the overt segregation of the 1920s to the more subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) forms experienced by Bern in the 2020s? What has and hasn’t changed over the century between the two timelines?

2. The Delaney Foundation’s attempts to protect its legacy at all costs mirrors many real-world institutions’ resistance to acknowledging problematic histories. What responsibility do cultural institutions have to address historical injustices, even when doing so might damage their reputation?

3. Throughout the novel, different technologies—from sheet music to phonographs to digital files—help preserve and transmit art across generations. How has technological evolution changed your relationship with art and the way you understand authorship and ownership?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Slocumb’s use of musical terminology and structure (overture, acts, scherzo, etc.) enhance the reading experience? Does this organization add depth to the novel’s themes?

2. Analyze the symbolism of Josephine’s unique musical notation system. How does her Compendium represent both her genius and her vulnerability?

3. The narrative structure of Symphony of Secrets, given its dual timelines and literary detective work, shares similarities with A. S. Byatt’s novel Possession. How does Slocumb’s approach to uncovering hidden history compare to Byatt’s or that of other works that feature characters investigating the past?

4. Colors play a significant role throughout the novel, especially in Josephine’s experience of music. How does this motif develop throughout the narrative, and what might it represent beyond Josephine’s synesthesia?

5. How does the champagne ritual that opens and closes Delaney’s storyline function as a symbol? What does it reveal about his character and his relationship with guilt?

6. In what ways does Slocumb use clothing as a symbol of identity and power throughout the novel? How does clothing (or lack thereof) reflect the characters’ sense of self and societal position?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The novel ends with the premiere of Josephine’s opera Red. What do you think the audience experienced during this performance, and how might it have differed from the reception of Delaney’s inferior version nearly a century earlier?

2. Which piece of music described in the novel would you most want to hear, and why? What emotions or colors might you associate with it based on the descriptions?

3. The story centers on uncovering hidden truths about artistic creation. What other historical figures might have had their contributions obscured or stolen, and how would you design an investigation to uncover the truth about them?

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