In 18th-century Venice, female babies of prostitutes are commonly drowned in the canals, but a lucky few are placed through a box in the wall of the Ospedale della Pietà. Inside, the girls are given music lessons from a young age, and those who excel can escape the fate of being married off to anyone who will have them. Anna Maria is determined not only to be spared by her music but to be the best violinist ever. Anna Maria della Pietà will be remembered, and she believes her teacher, Antonio Vivaldi, will help her make it happen. She will do whatever it takes to be the best, even if that means losing the only people she has ever loved and even herself.

History may have mostly forgotten Anna Maria della Pietà, but in her debut novel, The Instrumentalist, Harriet Constable ensures she will never be forgotten again. Written in prose as beautiful as the music she describes, Constable brings alive the Republic of Venice in the 18th century. Readers who enjoy complex characters and getting a look behind the curtain will love Harriet Constable’s debut novel. Beautiful, tense, and emotionally complex, The Instrumentalist is impossible to put down.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Anna Maria della Pieta was a gifted student of Antonio Vivaldi in the 18th century. When we meet her, she is a precocious child who wants to be successful despite her meager circumstances, living in an orphanage, the daughter of a s*x worker. She has always been drawn to music and finds her muse when she picks up a violin. Vivaldi teaches music at her orphanage and Anna Maria, under his tutelage, blossoms into a young prodigy. I really enjoyed the setting and Anna Maria's journey. She is such a well-developed character. Her only desire is to be a famous violinist and composter, but there are so many external limitations put on her. It also causes her to sacrifice personal relationships.

The music and setting are so masterfully depicted! Anna Maria has synesthesia, which in her case, means that when she hears, plays, or reads music the notes burst into beautiful color and shapes. That aspect of the novel was quite fascinating. It was a little hard to connect with Anna Maria at times. She's such a devoted musician and has sacrificed so much, but it's never clear the heights she can actually reach because of sexism of her time. She can only rise so high while playing the game and working under Vivaldi's tutelage.

I read and listened to this book. The audiobook is masterfully narrated by Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen!). Clarke has such a beautiful voice and wonderful intonation and really brought the text to life. I had a wonderful time going on this journey in 18th century Venice.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

The Instrumentalist brings to life the story of Anna Maria della Pieta a violin prodigy who is mentored by Vivaldi and becomes perhaps the greatest violinist of the 18th Century.
Sound like a fairy tale? Hardly...Anna Maria is an orphan, abandoned as an infant by a mother (possibly involved as a sex trade victim) who had no means of carrying for her baby. At age 8, Anna Maria is drawn to the sound of a violin. Her natural gift of being able to convert sounds and music to colors. Her life goal becomes one of first becoming the youngest member of the renown Figlie de coro as well as a composer to make her name remembered.
This is a fascinating read of talent, betrayal, and determination, as well as navigating the water of a sexist Venice during 18th century. Follow Anna Maria's rise to achieve her goals...will she endure?
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

The Instrumentalist is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of 18th-century Venice, a city alive with music, mystery, and lots of forgotten stories. The novel centers on the untold narrative of the orphaned girls of the Ospedale della Pietà, particularly focusing on Anna Maria, who rose from being an abandoned baby to become the revered Maestra de Coro under the tutelage of the legendary Antonio Vivaldi.

For me,the main strength of this novel lies in Constable’s evocative writing, which brings the Venice of that era vividly to life. You will feel transported to the narrow, winding passageways of the city, enveloped in the misty nights that hold both secrecy and ominous beauty. Her attention to detail immerses you in the world of the Ospedale, where music becomes both a refuge and a means of expression for the orphaned girls.

Constable’s ability to resurrect these forgotten figures, is truly commendable. It’s a story that not only entertains but also sheds light on the hidden history of the “figlie di coro”, whose legacy deserves to be remembered and celebrated.

For readers who enjoy historical fiction that unearths and honors forgotten lives, this novel is a must-read. It’s a beautifully crafted novel that resonates with admiration for those who paved the way in a world that often failed to recognize their valuable contributivons.

I found the story and the historical background/setting appealing but the writing style wasn’t doing much. I found the writing to be disorganized and slightly jarring. This book could be enjoyable for people who like historical fiction

The Instrumentalist is a beautiful and powerful coming-of-age story with a realistic, empathetic and flawed main character, Anna Maria.
This book is divided in 4 parts: the first two being focused on two different ages of the protagonist and all the learning she has to go through in order to stand out among the other young girls who play different instruments; and the last 2 parts are more focused when Anna Maria is 17 years old and has already made a name for herself, despite the dirty secrets someone close to her was trying to keep hidden from her. Also in the last part, Anna is destined to finding out who her mother really was.
I thought the writing was stunning and comfortable to follow, and all characters were well-developed enough.
Personally, I didn't love the ending. I thought the last 2 chapters felt a little rushed. But I believe this is the kind of book in which the journey matters more than the destiny itself.
I'd recommend this novel to any readers who enjoy reading historical fiction with a coming-of-age character-driven story and to those who also enjoy music.

It was fine. The main character is insufferable at times, and I was trying to remember if I could be this cunning and cold at 8 years old. I am not a professional musician, and I wonder if those who play violin would enjoy the book or find it annoying.

My main gripes with the book are the general language used and the too-modern dialogue.

Constable talks about the research she did for the novel - why not incorporate more of it?

Could "traveler" or "foreigner" can be used instead of the "tourist?" (Since the word "tourist" was first used in the 1770s)

Why use "velvet blazer," a term from 1820s Cambridge, instead of "justaucorps" or "frock coat?"

I understand the difficulty of dealing with early 1700s Venetian Italian and English and combining all that with modern language, but feel that more of an effort could be made. Include more of the Italian words that were used then? (We have figlie di coro and Pietà, why not use more words that could transform the readers to that time and space?)

Similarly, why not use a sentence structure that resembles that period's way of speaking?

The author's choice is hers, of course. But as a result, the characters seem out of time and Venice in the book can be the Venice of today - maybe with a little less stench.

The plot is based on the real story of Anna Maria, who lived and worked at the Pieta at the same time as Vivaldi was teaching there. Yet, Constable changes what little is known about Anna Maria's life to "fit the dramatic narrative." So, in the book about women not being remembered by history, you literally change the main things we do know about her while adding personality traits that don't make her exceptionally likable?

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for providing an early reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. The book is out on August 20.

I received an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. Author Harriet Constable did a fine job bringing to life Venice during the 1700s. It was a time of little opportunity for women when Anna Maria is abandoned as a baby and left with the nuns who ran the Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage. From the beginning, Anna Maria knows she is different and she takes to the violin to prove it. She comes under the tutelage of 'the maestro' and when she eventually becomes more proficient and a better composer than he is, she puts her dreams and career in jeopardy. From the muddy canals to the palaces and mansion of Venice, Anna Maria climbs to success, but remains at the orphanage. Her story is based on the life of the real Anna Maria della Pieta who studied under Vivaldi and became one of Europe's most famed violinists, composers, and teachers. She, too, remained at the orphanage her entire life despite mingling with the upper crust as well as royalty. The author told a splendid story that was colorful and interesting. The unique setting and one-of-kind main character made for a very pleasant read. I highly recommend it.

For fans of historical fiction about real people and places, women’s literature, and literary fiction. Think Amadeus, but deeply feminist.

The Instrumentalist tells the story of an orphan girl born with synesthesia and innate musical talent, who feels entitled to become the best in her field, and eventually does so through a series of fortunate circumstances.

Anna doesn’t show any really character development until about the 85% mark, I would encourage readers who find her unlikeable to stick with the story through the end. I would have preferred to see the sections about her childhood given less attention so we could spend more time with adult Anna Maria. However, I did appreciate learning of the Pietà and Vivaldi’s tenure there, which I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced review copy of this novel.

I was so excited when I got a copy of this book. I’m obsessed. Venice is my favorite city so I was excited to pick this up. I will say that Anna Maria was far too feminist in thinking for a girl of her time, but regardless this was a fun and intriguing historical fiction to read for entertainment!

Anna Maria della Pieta was a real person, born in Venice in 1696 to a sex worker. Pieta was an actual orphanage that became known for its musical programs and advancement of women in music. All the orphans were given the last name of della Pieta. She had two friends that were everything to her until she realized that music allowed her to escape the orphanage, its substandard food and the hard work that went along with being an orphan. Music took her away--she was able to see colors and beauty in the sound. Many of the orphans played instruments. Once Anna Maria made her way to the violin she realized that the playing, the music, the composing, and the dream of becoming a maestro became the most important things to her. The novel describes her rise to fame but also her losses and growth along the way. This is a story not so much of ambition, but rather a story of a girl who fights to keep that which is most important in her world. Very well written, kudos to the author. This book certainly held my interest over the 24 hour period in which I read it. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Schuster for the honor of reading a complimentary digital ARC. This review is entirely my own opinion.

The Instrumentalist is a refreshing, vividly written historical fiction (not dealing with WW2!) set in 18th century Venice. It is loosely based on Anna Maria Della Peita, a violin prodigy of the famous composer Vivaldi. I loved learning about Venice during this time period, including the vibrant musical culture and the orphanages where the orphans were trained in many musical instruments. I loved Anna’s character and appreciated how the author chose to tell her story. While some reviewers did not think her portrayal was representative of that time period, I do think Anna’s character is very believable - a determined confident woman who realizes her contributions to society will never be truly known or appreciated simply because she was born a female. I especially loved the author’s note at the end and had fun researching the real Anna Maria after reading the book.

Thank you to Bloomsbury for an advanced reader’s copy.

This book had me struggling to stay engaged. Nothing was terribly memorable, so each time I picked it up, I completely forgot what I had read during the previous sitting. I had to stop after a few chapters because I couldn't connect with the characters or the story.

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is a piece of historical fiction that allows us to vision Vienna in the 1700s. The main characters are also real people, Antonio Vivaldi and Anna Marie della Pieta. The Ospedale della Pieta is an orphanage where there is a small place to put a female newborn into and leave for the Sisters to raise.

At the orphanage, little girls are taught and trained to become wives. Those girls who have special talents in the area of music are given special treatment with food, clothing and music lessons. Anna Marie excelled in music. Her instrument was the violin and she learned to play it with great strength and skills. The music teacher was Antonia Vivaldi. He was beginning to become famous with his compositions. It is with the help of Anna Marie that his compositions begin to catch attention. Soon the Pieta is holding huge events allowing the students to earn money and gifts with Vivaldi pulling in the majority of goods. Anna Marie felt that in order to grow and become really famous and produce music she needed to be singular and hard hearted. Her pushing herself and pushing away others was really hard to read and understand.

The book is well written and engrossing, however, it is important that you leave reality to the side for some of this book. In the 18th century, women did not demand or expect to rise to a level of conductor. Giving Anna Marie too much power at the end bothered me. I also think that some of the descriptions of music with the feelings and flying over the city (that she rarely if ever saw) was also over the top.

On the other hand, I absolutely believe that people have synesthesia and hear colors or see music as a movie scene. Certainly Anna Marie could certainly have it and seeing music as sounds and colors obviously would have helped her grow to a major musician and composer. According to history, Anna Marie della Pieta was a violin virtuoso. Her performances drew many people to the Pieta and she collected a following. Her real call to fame according to some is not just Vivaldi and his music but the students she taught.

To me the novel feels like a cross between historical fiction with some magical realism involved. I really enjoyed the novel and found the main characters and the description of the orphanage fascinating. The world of Venice with its glittering richness and poverty feels magical in itself. The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is a good read.

I was totally blown away by Constable’s immersive descriptions, especially in all things music. She brought Anna Maria alive and I couldn’t get enough! I wasn’t expecting the Vivaldi storyline at the end of the book, but it did make sense and was woven in very convincingly - secrets, isolation... all tell-tale signs that I didn’t want to believe. Would recommend!

Wow! What a treat to get an early copy of this gem of a book! Learning the story of Anna Maria Della Pieta, her remarkable and often brutal journey through life in the Pieta in Venice is what I love about historical fiction.. Harriet Constable did an exquisite job with bringing the characters to life. She also has a gift for writing vivid scenes that tap into all the senses. I enjoyed listening to Vivaldi as I read this story. Thanks to Harriet Constable for awakening me to the probable realities that this happened in history. I’m quite certain it wasn’t a stand alone event. I am looking forward to watching this book be published and hoping for great success, just like Anna Maria Della Pieta.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Harriet Constable’s debut novel, “The Instrumentalist”, resonates like a finely tuned violin. Set in glittering Venice during 1704, it unveils the remarkable life of Anna Maria, an orphan girl with an unwavering dream: to become Venice’s greatest violinist and composer.

Anna Maria’s Resilience: Abandoned at the Ospedale della Pietà, Anna Maria defies her circumstances. Obsessive and gifted, she catches the attention of the maestro, who becomes her mentor. But ambition comes at a cost, and Anna Maria’s rise threatens to eclipse her teacher’s legacy.

Constable paints Venice with vivid strokes—the jeweled palaces, mud-licked canals, and the rhythm of music echoing through its streets. The city itself becomes a character, both glorious and decadent.

Inspired by the true story of Anna Maria della Pieta, a violin prodigy who studied under Antonio Vivaldi, this novel restores her name from forgotten annals. It’s a searing portrait of ambition, betrayal, and womanhood.

“The Instrumentalist” harmonizes loss, triumph, and the pursuit of greatness. Constable’s lyrical prose invites readers to listen closely—to the music, the heart, and the indomitable spirit of Anna Maria. 🌟📖✨

Thanks very much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC of the Instrumentalist! As much of my creative writing is related to music in some way, I was very interested in reading this fictional take on the life of a female composer (and instrumentalist) with whom I was unfamiliar: Anna Maria della Pieta, abandoned as an orphan before ultimately coming under the tutelage of Antonio Vivaldi. An enjoyable and read. Thank you!

“The Instrumentalist” is a beautifully told story about a subject in history that I knew virtually nothing about (a difficult feat indeed when it comes to historical fiction) and now I am curious to learn more!
I’m not sure if the author plays the violin or any instrument but as someone who does play the violin, I was swept away, back into my lessons and the grit and passion it takes to learn the violin was once again vividly brought to life in my mind!
Of course, there were some “woo-woo” moments where I thought to myself, “that would never happen” (like when Anna Maria was playing actual music the very first time she picked up a violin) but it actually really leant to the story and again, I was swept away and left breathless, almost wishing I was back in the classroom… almost!
“The Instrumentalist” was such a treat to read and I am so appreciative that I was able to get a sneak peak! Such a moving and powerful read!

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is an incredible journey into the heart of 18th-century Venice, told through the eyes of Anna Maria della Pietà, an orphan and violin virtuoso. This novel resonated deeply with me, thanks to its rich historical backdrop and compelling portrayal of a young woman’s struggle to find her place in a world dominated by male composers and patrons.

Anna Maria’s story is one of resilience and determination. Growing up in the Pietà orphanage, her exceptional talent on the violin catches the attention of Antonio Vivaldi, who becomes her mentor. The way Constable brings their relationship to life is both touching and nuanced, capturing the complexities of admiration, mentorship, and the pressures of high expectations. I found myself rooting for Anna Maria as she navigated the highs and lows of her burgeoning career, dealing with exploitation and societal constraints with a quiet strength that is truly inspiring.

The vivid descriptions of Venice, from its grandiose palaces to its murky canals, transport you right into the heart of the city. The duality of its beauty and decay mirrors Anna Maria’s own journey, making the setting almost a character in itself. The historical detail is meticulously researched, adding authenticity to the story without overwhelming it.

One of the aspects I loved most about this book is its exploration of the often-overlooked contributions of women in classical music history. Anna Maria’s passion and talent shine through, highlighting the importance of recognizing and celebrating female artists who have been erased from history.

Harriet Constable’s writing is both lyrical and evocative, perfectly capturing the essence of the music that drives Anna Maria. The emotional depth of the characters, combined with the rich historical context, makes this a truly memorable read. If you’re a fan of historical fiction with strong, complex female leads, The Instrumentalist is a must-read.

Overall, this book left a lasting impression on me. It’s a beautiful tribute to the power of music and the indomitable spirit of a young woman determined to make her mark against all odds.