Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable. I loved reading about Anna Maira della Pieta and the lives of the other orphans in Venice during the 18th century. Ms. Constable's writing style kept me intrigued throughout the entire novel. The book takes you into the musical world of the times and brings into focus the composer Antonio Vivaldi influence on Anna Maria's life. A stunning debut novel and I look forward to more books by Ms. Constable.

DNF as this arc is all over the place pre-edit and unreadable. Sad about it because this title was so intriguing to me. Looking forward to the print copy after street date. Giving it a hopeful three for the title, cover, and book description alone.

I highly recommend THE INSTRUMENTALIST for fans of historical fiction. I also think it will be a winner for fans of literary fiction because the writing is at a high level. The author does a remarkable job of immersing the reader in time and place and, because she keeps us in scene, the pace is brisk. Anna Maria is a compelling main character, and I loved following along on her journey. I'm a fan of classical music, but certainly no expert in the field, and this novel felt like an intimate peek into this piece of history. Thoroughly enjoyable, immersive, and compelling.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy, all opinions in this review are completely my own.