Dangerous Notes

by Gillian Bradshaw

She wanted no escape from her mind But they say she's a liability to the public. She could be dangerous, she could kill. Branded a pariah, a potential cloned-brain psychotic roaming the streets, Val Thornham's life is going to be turned upside down. As a child, she was one of the few recipients of CICNPC - Cerebral Implantation of Cloned Neural Progenitor Cells - a treatment that has ruined the lives of many of the first-ever guinea pigs. She was one of them, but she knows she is sane. Apart from the strange and deeply moving tunes that run through her brain, that impinge on her consciousness whenever she thinks about music. The trouble is, is this genius - or the beginnings of the end?

Genres: Science Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Born in Arlington, Virgina, Gillian Bradshaw grew up in Washington, Santiago, Chile and Michigan. She is a Classics graduate from Newnham College, Cambridge, and published her first novel, Hawk of May, just before her final term. A highly acclaimed historical novelist, Gillian Bradshaw has won the Hopwood Award for Fiction, among other prizes. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and their four children.

Reviews

[Peter Tillman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: "A-" -- a very nice near-future SF medical/musical(!) thriller.

"They arrested me on the train to France..." Meet Valeria Thornham, pretty music student, promising young composer -- and threat to public safety?

Valeria, brain-damaged as an infant, was successfully treated with Cicnip-C -- "cerebral implantation of cloned neural progenitor cells." Now, in 2032, a Cicnip-C patient has turned mass-murderer, the media are in a frenzy about "cloned-brain psychos", and the Ministry of Health is in a panic....

Val is hustled to the posh Laurel Hill Centre for Cognitive Research, where the odious Professor Bernet plans to use her for brain research -- with a threat of lobotomy if she doesn't cooperate. But Val is a fighter, and with the help of sympathetic staff, she reaches an accommodation of sorts with the Evil Genius. There are clever twists en route, a new love won and lost, and some very nice passages on music: its performance, composition and place in human culture. It wouldn't be fair to reveal the ending, but it's fast and furious. Here's a clue: music really does soothe the savage breast...

This is Bradshaw's second SF outing, following her less-successful The Wrong Reflection (2000). Bradshaw is better-known as a historical and fantasy novelist, but I predict she'll be well received by Nancy Kress and LE Modesitt SF fans. Bradshaw may be new to SF, but she's an experienced, smooth, economical storyteller.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my new favorites. The book is a well told story that had me riveted and explores many themes intelligently without being pretentious and without beating you over the head with them. The main character is a muscian and composer and the book absolutely captures the importance of music - for her and for humanity on a grand scale. And it's clear Bradshaw understands and loves music - if she isn't a muscian herself, then she is very close to someone who is to have this level of understanding. I could go on and on about themes and well-rounded characters and all - but I would sound pretentious and this book is not. It's perfect.

[RiverShore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Bradshaw! She is able to present both sides of an ethical dilemma and prove (again!) that not everything can be easily decided. People once more make the difference.

Her storyline is fascinating. It deals with the question of "what is normal?" and "are some "abnormalities" actually miracles in disguise?" What would you do if your dearest talent was redefined as an abnormality and as such considered "dangerous" to you and society?

Bradshaw's ability to examine situations from all sides is refreshing and intriguing.

[Annmarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gillian Bradshaw is one of my go-to authors when I need a comforting reread that I know I will enjoy again, such as when I am home with the flu like last week. This, along with Island of Ghosts and The Sand Reckoner, is one of my favorites by her. She usually writes historical fiction but this one is mildly futuristic sci fi. In it, young, gifted classical musician Val has been yanked in by the police because the British government wants tests run on her brain. You see, as a baby she was the recipient of a brain regeneration treatment which now has been found to cause dangerously erratic behavior in a few recipients, and there has been a bit of a media frenzy about it. She's been avoiding the tests, because she dreads what may happen to her musical ability if they try to fix things. Val finds herself consigned to a specialized, fancy brain study facility with a misogynistic and menacing doctor, her only ally a young post graduate assistant. But allies, enemies, gifts and hazards, sometimes they aren't what they appear.

[Evan Þ. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This's my favorite of Gillian Bradshaw's modern-day books. I usually prefer her historical fiction, but this one was surprisingly good.

Our protagonist, a college-aged violinist, received a novel brain treatment as a child - but recently, the procedure has been found to result in episodes of lapsed consciousness that occasionally turn violent. The legally-mandated study turns up surprising things about how her brain relates to music. Meantimes, the neuro-researcher leading the study turns out to have mysteries of his own.

The exploration of personal identity and responsibility here is very well done, and held my attention throughout the book. Bradshaw brought in very good twists, and I liked her ending - in every respect, but I'm going to call out that the end of the romantic subplot was a pleasant surprise.

[Lesley]

Not so much already read, as gave up on. An example of that phenomenon whereby I love a writer's work in one genre (Brandshaw's historicals) but can't get on with their work in another (futuristic thriller).