I think the concept and historical setting is very unique and many readers will enjoy this story of an orphan's journey to musical success that charts Anna Maria's life from a baby to first picking up the violin to eventual success. She is portrayed as ruthlessly dedicated to her violin and often seen losing the ones around her due to her ambitions. The historical context of Venice and the what life was like for orphans is written in detail and is emphasised through Anna Maria's friends like Paulina. The author attempts to portray the sexism towards women, especially in the music industry through Anna Maria and her determination to break down barrier that obviously many girls or women in the same position weren't able to. Considering this is based on a real historical figure, I didn't feel that they were well presented or their story communicated in a way that celebrated an individual that really made great strides in a male dominated period of time.

That being said, I really struggled with the writing style that was often jarring and disjointed that made reading difficult. The characters aren't written in a way that I could connect with early on and I found Anna Maria unlikeable, which I think is the point. This book would definitely appeal to fans of musical history that captures the context and realities of life at the time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I’ve really started to enjoy reading historical fiction, and this was no exception. The writing was vivid, the story was well paced, and I really enjoyed the modern take on it. It’s important to mention that this book is inspired by a real person, but is NOT a biography, so it’s important to realise that not everything mentioned in this book will be “factually” accurate.

Overall, great book, great storytelling, and I enjoyed it!

This book was magnificent! The raw passion that burns on every page! Absolutely enthralling.

This is a historical novel that tells us of Anna-Maria, a ridiculously talented and driven musician who discovers the violin at the age of eight and realises what she wants in life is to be the greatest violinist of her time. However she lives in a time where women have few rights and their successes are to be owned and paraded by men. She is frequently reminded how lucky she is to be in such a nice orphanage. A hypocrisy when, if it wasn’t for societal prejudice, she wouldn’t have been in an orphanage to begin with.

Anna-Maria has a mentor she adores, but who we learn is capricious and often toxic. She is driven to work harder, often at the cost of her own personal relationships. But suffers from the vanity of her mentor and the sexism of the time. This is her story of how, despite the odds being stacked against her, she is determined to succeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it was beautifully written, completely engrossing and so thought-provoking. Definitely read the author’s notes at the end for historical context!

I really enjoyed this book which imagines the story of Anna Maria della Pieta. Left at an orphanage as a baby, she has the chance to embrace music and becomes a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Her teacher, Vivaldi, leads the orchestra of extremely talented orphans to perform to the rich and famous of Venice. However, as a girl she can’t have the recognition she deserves.

Whilst based on fact, the story fills in the gaps that nobody knows. Was Vivaldi the person he is made out to be? Could orphaned girls possibly have the power suggested? Whether or not the details are true I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Playing Vivaldi while reading enhances the experience even more.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

I was quite dubious about this as it’s not my go to genre. However, I was enthralled!! Absolutely captivating writing. This is historical fiction that grabs you and keeps you reading until the very last page

This is the best book I have read recently. It tells the little known story of a virtuoso violinist, Anna Marie de la Pieta who was an orphan, yet became a hugely famous violinist. The book details her struggles to get to that position, sometimes selfish, always determined and hugely talented. The lovely aspect of the book was the use of prose to describe playing music, making it sound lyrical and describing it in terms of colour emanating from the violin. This made Anna Marie sound an inspirational and instinctive player setting her above her peers. There is a strong voice for women’s rights and how despite their talent, their influence was quite unjustly sidelined. All in all, a lovely read.

The Instrumentalist tells the story of Anna Maria della Pieta, a young musician who is tutored by Antonio Vivaldi. From the first few pages, Harriet Constable's writing style is captivating, with elegant descriptions of both the city of Venice, and the music that Anna composes throughout the story. The way she writes about Anna's synaesthesia and what she sees as she hears and plays her compositions was particularly striking, and made it easy to imagine such vivid images. The plot itself was gripping, and I never wanted to put the book down.

Despite Anna's often unlikeable character, Harriet Constable really made me understand her and feel for her. I didn't have much historical knowledge about this period of time in Venice before reading, but the book really piqued my interest and I spent some time researching it myself after reading. It was clear that the author did a lot of research while writing, and she was able to paint a detailed picture of what life was like for women in Venice, both inside and outside the Pieta. Some of the characters' attitudes were perhaps more progressive than they were likely to be in real life at the time, but if you can suspend your disbelief, you'll be swept up into the story. Overall a strong debut, and I'll be looking out for more books from Harriet Constable!

Four stars as it would have been interesting to see more of Anna Maria's adult life (although I do see the appeal of leaving this open-ended) and the lives of other girls in the Pieta who were perhaps not as fortunate as Anna Maria.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the ARC! This review will be shared on my goodreads profile and Instagram page closer to the publication date.

Although an interesting subject i struggled to get into this one and to get into the lead story.
However, knowing that these characters existed has made me want to look into that more.
I think if this had been more non fiction i'd have been more interested in all honesty.

Wow. This book was incredibly powerful and very moving. Anna Maria was an inspiration- to be so driven from such a tiny age and yet to be so broken and unable to love and form attachments. I had never known about the existence of the Pieta- a beautiful idea, even if it was still full of heartache, it offered these girls a chance at life rather than being drowned at birth in the canals like so many others. Harriet Constable writes beautifully and I was utterly absorbed from beginning to end- would absolutely recommend.

"The Instrumentalist" by Harriet Constable immerses readers in the glittering yet harsh world of 1704 Venice, where desperation and destitution contrast sharply with the city's splendor. At the Ospedale della Pietà, abandoned orphan girls like eight-year-old Anna Maria are posted through a tiny gap in the wall every day. Anna Maria is different, obsessive, and gifted, with a singular ambition to become Venice's greatest violinist and composer. Despite the odds stacked against her, she is determined to succeed, especially when the maestro selects her as his star pupil. However, as Anna Maria's talent shines brighter, tensions arise, threatening her dreams and her relationship with her mentor.

Constable's vivid descriptions bring the setting and characters to life, transporting readers to the vibrant world of 18th-century Venice. Anna Maria's passion for music is palpable, and her journey from orphaned girl to aspiring virtuoso is compelling. The novel effectively explores themes of ambition, talent, and the challenges faced by marginalized individuals striving for greatness in a society that often overlooks them. The dynamic between Anna Maria and her mentor adds depth to the narrative, as their relationship evolves amidst the backdrop of musical ambition and rivalry.

However, while "The Instrumentalist" offers a captivating premise and engaging characters, it occasionally falls short in pacing and character development. Some plot points feel rushed, and certain aspects of Anna Maria's growth and relationships could have been more fully explored. Additionally, the resolution of conflicts towards the end of the novel may leave some readers wanting more closure or development. Despite these minor flaws, "The Instrumentalist" is a solid three-star read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction and music-themed novels, offering an immersive journey into the world of a young prodigy chasing her dreams amidst the splendor and challenges of 18th-century Venice.

I loved this book!
I have long been intrigued by synesthesia and the descriptions of how Anna Maria paints with her music were well written.

I make the link to Vivaldi until I read the authors note at the end. Much like the Masters in art, he used his students to ‘help’ his composing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to review.

I'm a recent reader of historical fiction, particularly those that give voices to female characters who were forced into silence or submission. This feels like an excellent example of the genre, and one I will be recommending to everyone. As with Maggie O'Farrell's 'The Marriage Portrait', this is the story a female figure being controlled by a dominating man and a celebration of art as a voice & means of communicating with a world that otherwise wants you shut away, A vivid and powerful story. Discovering this is a debut novel blew my mind, it's so beautifully written with such style and ease. Constable has a clear narrative voice, both lyrical and profound, and I can't wait to read what she does next!

I wanted to like this more, but my suspension of disbelief was interrupted by Anna Maria’s mastery of the violin and her strong will from the start. In a way, I liked her for her single-mindedness, passion and agency, but I expected to see these gradually, in line with the context of the times.

The pacing was perfect, and this book can be devoured in one or two sittings.

Anna Maria’s story needed to be told and I appreciate that Constable had written this book so much. However, this was not my cup of the tea. I did not enjoy the writing style much, and the dialogue did not feel realistic to me.

Though, please pick up this book, learn about Anna Maria and Vivaldi, and Venice more, and along the way, I am sure many readers will engage with this story and enjoy it.

Thank you to to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC of this book. The depictions of Venice and the Synaesthesia drew me in straight away. The descriptions of the abandonment of babies and the hard life that they often lived were based on fact as was the musical career of the main character. I really enjoyed reading this book and am surprised to see a lot of poor reviews.

The book flows like the music it portrays; the reading matching the pace of the music, the mind swirling through the colours and feeling the symphony of emotions soaring, dipping, floating. It makes the mind race as the brain works overtime to paint the scene in my head. I had to sometimes force myself to slow down, to savour the descriptions, construct the images in my mind with care and dwell on them before allowing them to leave and make room for the next. I had never thought of the music in technicolor like Anna Maria Della Pieta does.

The destitute mother wanted to drown the life out of herself and her baby. The baby was determined to live. Anna Maria Della Pieta is an orphan, put through the hole at the Pieta orphanage in Venice as a tiny baby and brought up by the nuns. Life is tough but they get a conventional and a musical education with the best performers being accepted into the orphanage’s orchestra. The figlie di coro is famous and the girls and women in it hugely talented. For the times it was actually quite forward thinking as the girls were independent and earned their own money. Anna Maria knows she is destined for greatness and she is tutored by none other than Antonio Vivaldi, who recognizes and nurtures her talent. But Anna is more than just a performer, she has ambition. She wants the world to remember her and for that she must become a maestro and she must compose and publish her own work. But women are not meant to shine, at least not too much.

True greatness tends to come with single minded determination, usually with a heavy dose of emotional anguish and physical pain and we see plenty of that. I like the connection of the instrument with Anna Maria. How she interpreted the music too was a revelation to me. The scenes she envisaged and how she drew out relationships within the notes, the connection and interaction between the different instruments playing with each other. Listening to classical music and especially Four Seasons will be a whole new experience from now on.
What must have been a very tough existence was somewhat glossed over, but with snippets emerging such as girls being married off, the general conditions are a reminder of how difficult the lives of these girls were. Yet they received a good rounded education and a musical education, something uncommon for the times and thus commendable.

You see the relationship between Antonio and Anna Maria developing, based on their love of music, on their determination to be heard; to be someone. Anna Maria’s single mindedness is phenomenal. But she is always so uncertain, under confident in her abilities, although her survival instincts were most likely spot on, with her paranoia keeping her in the game. Saying that, the other girls are certainly gifted players too. But Antonio was brutal. Dropping girls more on a whim of temper and frustration than on solid grounds, creating a nervousness and sense of insecurity.

The book makes us seriously question how much of Vivaldi’s work was really his and how much was taken from his students; something we will never know. However, given past attitudes and the denial by men of women’s contributions I think it highly likely that a proportion of his work was not his own. I wonder whether he felt that it was his right to take these ideas rather than allow the women the recognition they so deserved. Was it a necessity of the times? Was he willfully manipulating Anna Maria or simply taking her devotion to music for granted and feeling that she owed him? Would it have been so difficult to publicly recognise her brilliance? Would this happen in today’s times? We often feel that change for women is slow but taken over time change does occur. It should be a lot more difficult now for a man to be able to take credit for what a female colleague has created, but not impossible.

Saying that, this novel throws the spotlight of recognition on an important and until now, forgotten female music maestro. Huge congratulations to Harriet Constable for such a fantastic first novel. I cannot wait for it to be published and get on the shelves of my bookshop here in Costa Rica. I am also hugely looking forward to her next book.

Encore! If this story was a piece of music it would be a sublime concerto! Superbly written from the heart! The music, the sounds, the colours lifted from the pages! Fabulous! Loved it from page one. It is based on the true story of Anna Maria della Pieta who was an orphan at the Ospedale della Pieta in Venice. From the age of eight her musical ability is recognised and this story tells how her famous tutor was inspired to help her achieve her goal of becoming not just a member of the famous figlie orchestra, an orchestra composed of talented young women from the orphanage itself but like her tutor, a maestro in her own right! She grows within the orphanage, her only companions being her fellow orphans Paulina and Agata. Their new teacher is famous throughout Venice and the music world, he is a maestro! Anna Maria is a strong, ambitious, hugely talented, naive young lady who will stop at nothing to achieve her goal and he will be the man to teach her! A truly wonderful story - I just wish it were possible to go back in time to listen to the music and the colours of this inspirational young woman!

This is not a book i would have chosen to pick up and read in the shop, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Tells the true story of Anna Maria, who was Vivaldis star pupil. He wrote over 20 violin concertos for her. Unbenowst to us however, she was actually writing his compositions and he was passing them off as his own. Annna was abandoned in an orphanage wall when she was a child, and developed an interest in music. Vivaldi, a young priest and music teacher took great interest in Anna Maria and nurtured her talent, even buying her very expensive gifts and violins.

I will admit i was a bit creeped out by it, especially the language he used that Anna Maria had to keep parts of their relationship secret. Whilst not directly implied, i do believe that there was a sexual relationship between the 2 starting when Anna Maria was very young. Later on you find out that Vivaldi takes another student also named Anna into his home when she is 13 and Anna Maria goes ballistic suggesting jealousy that she is being replaced.

Vivaldis 4 seasons is some of my favourite music of all time but i dont think i can ever listen to it again knowing that he not only stole it, but that he had sexual relationships with children. He is now forever tainted to me.

An interesting story, not heard of her before but she went on to become the music teacher after Vivaldis fall from grace and composed many violin concertos, i shall go and try and find some of her music.

Beautifully written and thoroughly engaging, The Insturmentalist is a historical fiction based on Anna Maria della Pieta - an 18th Century musical prodigy and later Maestra of the orphanage's orchestra. Tutored by Antonio Vivaldi, we watch as Anna Maria grows into her own on a journey of self-discovery.

The relationship between Anna Maria and Vivaldi comprises the core of the book and it was so interesting to see how it developed over time. The book doesn't shy away from the accusations of plagerism by Vivaldi and the harsh reality that talented, intelligent women in this era weren't given the recognition they deserved.

My only gripe is the modern attitudes displayed by the characters at times but overall this doesn't distract from what is a fantastic debut novel by Constable.

Harriet Constable is an excellent writer who has created a wonderful novel in “The Instrumentalist.” Do you like to listen to the works of Vivaldi? This book will make you think again when you do!

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable takes readers on a captivating journey through 1704 Venice. Amidst the city's glittering splendor, we are introduced to Anna Maria, a gifted and determined orphan girl with a passion for music. As she strives to become Venice's greatest violinist and composer, her dreams are threatened by her mentor's jealousy. With vivid descriptions and a compelling plot, this book explores themes of ambition, loss, and the power of remembrance. A must-read for fans of historical fiction and music enthusiasts.