The Instrumentalist, is a historical novel written in an easy read manner. This style of writting is not so easily conquered and i can only praise the author, Harriet Constable, on her debut. Having grabbed the subject she has given us a flawless, all encompassing page turner.

We all know of Vivaldi, as a violinist and musical composer. Or so we thought.

I had no idea that Anna Maria della Pieta ever lived. To find that Anna Maria and her comtempories have been instrumental in the composers works is something I shall never forget.

Anna Marie is so caught up in her world of music, sees the notes in colours that flow and flourish one after the other. Compelled to be the best violinist, Anna Marie takes two of her friends with her on this journey.

There are suprising elements, as well as twists and turns, but nothing short of a captivating read.

This book will stay with me for a long time, for I was riveted to this story of love, passion and conquering of ones start in life.

My thanks go to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc ( UK & ANZ ) for my advance copy for my honest review.

This book was a fantastic read and one of the best of the month! As a big fan of Vivaldi, it's great to learn more about the woman behind He Succeeded. The book have left a lasting impression on me i found the characters and plot to be both complex and elaborately crafted. It's always satisfying to come across a book that you can't put down, and I'm happy to say this was the case for me with this historical fiction novel. I am interested in finding out more about this author. The book has left a lasting impression on me, as it was a truly magnificent read. The author's writing style and the way the book was structured were both flawless.

Music is magic. Music draws people together and it breaks them down and pulls them to pieces.
Anna Maria della Pieta was deposited in the drop box of an orphanage as a baby. Children of the Pieta are taught music and some become part of the Figlie (an orchestra of high skill ).
This is the story of passion. A story of how one girl, who sees colours in music, practices and pushes boundaries to become the best she can. Harriet Constable has based her novel around the true Violinist and musical maestro Anna Maria and woven her tale into a spectacular novel. This story draws you in and wraps you up in the wonder of music.

I loved this book! Captivating historical novel with intriguing characters and well developed plot. The author beautifully crafted the magic of classical music in Venice in the 1700s. Of course, the author also included the harsh realities of life for the less fortunate during this period, creating a realistic picture of this historical era. I found it gripping the whole way through. Highly recommended!

Wow, what a beautiful book transporting you back to the Venice of the early 18th century. The book is about an orphan musical child prodigy called Anna Maria, who is left as a baby at Venice’s Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage / foundling hospital run by nuns. I adored seeing music through Anna Maria’s eyes: she describes music as a splash of different colours (linking to the different notes) and whilst I am not sadly musically talented, music always stirs my imagination and has done since my early years so I could really relate to this.

In the story we follow Anna Maria’s musical journey as her incredible talent of playing the violin superbly is recognised at the mere age of eight and before we know it, the famous composer Antonio Vivaldi takes her under his wings. She is receiving private lessons, obtains privileges compared to her peers in the orphanage thanks to his patronage, she is composing with Vivaldi and music becomes her driving force for life. She wants to be like her master, in fact surpass him and remembered for eternity.

“Some know their spirit can rage like a fire. Some know that power is up for the taking. Some know that death comes early and cruel. And some know that they are destined for greatness. Anna Maria della Pietà is destined for greatness.”, we read towards the beginning of the book.

But do any of us know her name today like we do Vivaldi’s (whose music I incidentally love and as such I was so eager to read this story)? I think, for most, the answer would be no and that is what this book highlights. I have read up on Anna Maria since finishing this book and in reality Vivaldi has dedicated some of his concertos to her publicly and she has indeed composed many works in her own right so I feel the book didn’t quite give me the right feeling about their relationship… But of course the ending of the book is just the beginning in many ways and maybe the things I have read online since is meant to be the result of that power within her that she feels at the end of the book. Because Anna Maria “would not fade quietly into the abyss.”

I loved learning about the historical elements of this book: the huge contrast between the lives of the rich and the poor, how the convent was such an incredible music school. The personal aspects of the story were wonderfully displayed too: the longing for love and companionship for the foundlings left at the convent, the wondering of where they came from, the pain of those who felt forced to abandon their babies, the insight into the fact that sometimes even the rich were in need of help. And of course the sad fact that in those days, being a girl meant you didn’t have the same prospects as a boy. This quote highlights this perfectly: “They play what it means to be a girl in this world. The fame and the devastation, the fear and the exhilaration, the rush of ideas and the crush of silence.”

This is a truly beautiful masterpiece covering a topic we don’t often see in historical fiction and I truly enjoyed it.

And finally, my other favourite quote from the book. This is just so true:

“Smell has power. It can conjure a person back to a time, a place. Would you agree?”[…] “Music has the same potential. The ability to control the emotion, the will, the memory of the audience.”

Thank you @netgalley @bloomsburypublishing for the gifted copy of this truly gem of a book. It will published in the UK on 15 August 2024.

Interesting and intriguing historical drama. We follow the life of Anna Marie who grows up in an orphanage and is very musical. A good read.

A dazzling historical debut set in eighteenth-century Venice, about the woman written out of the story of one of history's greatest musical masterpieces…..Another compulsive read from an author who seems to do no wrong. I absolutely devoured this one… You will want to clear your afternoon to read this one straight through, so riveting…..

As a violinist myself, I really wanted to read this book to learn more about Anna Maria della Pieta. Although this is a work of fiction, the character is based on a real woman whose life and music is not widely known. The orphanage’s history – and it’s link with Vivaldi – is fascinating and this book gives the reader a great opportunity to dive straight into the heart of Venice at the very beginning of the 18th century. It is very easy to grow attached to the characters, especially Anna Maria and her orphan friends. After a short back story to how she arrived in the orphanage, you follow Anna Maria’s journey of musical discovery. Great detail is given of her unique way of ‘seeing’ music. The only criticism I would make is the fact that Anna Maria seems to play her instruments effortlessly, just like magic, when in reality, I am sure a lot of work was put into achieving her level of expertise. All in all, a great book for lovers of historical fiction based on true events.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest opinion of the book. Review available on Goodreads.

Beautiful. vibrant and disarmingly sad.

This book was utterly fantastic, I couldn't put it down and was utterly transported to 17th century Venice.

Exploring the life and journey of Anna Maria Della Pietà, from her being dropped at an orphanage at birth to becoming an internationally renowned violinist at 17, this engaging novel takes us into her world and her relationships with the other girls at the orphanage and maybe most importantly her teacher Antonio Vivaldi.

Although Anna Maria isn't a particularly likeable character throughout most of your novel, she is endearing in that you understand why this is. Her desperation pours off the pages, and you can sense that her coldness is driven purely by her drive to improve her personal situation.

It is rare that a book absorbs me to this extent, through Anna Maria's synesthesia (although it is never referred to as such), we are enveloped in the colours of Venice's canals, culture and sounds. The author has a way of telling stories that is so vivid and beautiful, I look forward to reading more of her work, and will definitely be purchasing this when it is released.

I enjoy historical novels especially when based on real and lesser- known characters so I looked forward to reading this. To a certain degree this didn’t disappoint. I really liked learning about the orphanage and its orchestra and the descriptions of Venice were vivid and atmospheric.
In addition, I liked how Anna Maria was portrayed as not wholly likeable as she strove to become the best. Above all the descriptions of her synaesthesia to show how she “saw” her music as she played was original and exciting.
Where the book fell down for me was its use of the present tense. I want to step into a story when reading about the past and this felt more observational. An interesting read however.

Irresistible! The Instrumentalist is a great story about irrepressible ambition which takes one woman to the top.. Themes of loss and triumph loom large. Who is left behind on the path to success? This story grips the reader as they navigate the jewelled palaces of of Venice to mud-licked canals . This is a story of one of history's greatest musical masterpieces. Its about dreams, choices., ambition and mentorship. With odds stacked against an orphan girl and dreams of what is possible, this is a good read. Harriet Constable beautifully done.

Free courtesy of Netgalley


This book tells the tale of Anna Maria della Pietà, an 18th century orphan violinist who was destined to drown in the canals of Venice, who instead was left at the Ospedale Della Pieta by her mother to be raised by the nuns who housed the greatest orchestra of it's time, made up of the orphans left there.

The book is based on the true story of Anna Maria who was chosen as a favourite by Antonio Vivaldi, it is alluded that they created all his pieces of music together but he was the only person credited for it.

The book itself started really strong and I was excited to read it, but even though the ending was also good, and there was a story throughout the book was told, it was a bit boring in the middle, all the talk of Anna Maria seeing colours when she played music, didn't have to be repeated over and over, as you got how she saw things after the first couple of times. I also felt the book jumped quite a bit and it had moved on without you realising that this is what had happened a few times. Vivaldi's name is never mentioned as being the teacher and I don't know why this was never acknowledged in the book.

It wasn't a bad book to read but it was also not a great one either, it isn't going to be a book that sits with me to reflect and want to learn more, like Diva was. I would say if you want to learn a bit about Venice in the 18th century, then read this book, even Casanova is present at one concert. Overall I was a bit underwhelmed.

This book is very well-written and delightfully descriptive. However, Anna Maria della Pietà was a real woman, and this story is nothing more than a feminist fantasy. It is a real shame that the characters reacted in a modern way when this could have been an incredible story of this amazing woman whose works excelled despite the odds, and not because she demanded them. With some more research and a less fabricated tale this could easily become an endurable classic. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I couldn't put this down. Beautiful, beautiful writing - very immediate and really drew you into the sights, sounds and smells of early 18th-century Venice. It's about Anna Maria della Pieta, one of the orphan girls at the Pieta who became an amazing violinist and worked with Vivaldi. The author notes that not much is known about her, but she's done a fantastic job in bringing Anna Maria to life. I loved the use of synaesthesia in this (so interesting). We're very much in Anna Maria's head: how music consumed her, how desperate she was to follow her dreams and how she was haunted by her past, to the point where we understand why she treated her best friends badly.

This is a book that will draw you in, make you angry and sad and wistful at times. It's one of the best books I've read in a while, and I'll be buying copies for friends when it comes out (as well as a hard copy for my own bookshelves).

It's worth more than five stars :) Thank you very much indeed to Harriet Constable and Netgalley for a fabulous read.

I was utterly captivated by the beginning of this novel and expected great things. Unfortunately once Anna Maria's talent had been recognized it became repetitive. I do find the music/colours connection fascinating, but it was given too much page space.

On the positive side, the squalor and opulence of Venice is vividly evoked through all the senses. It was interesting to learn about the less than edifying life of Vivaldi, and about the fate of baby girls born to prostitutes.

On the negative side I had many questions, for example who made Paulina pregnant; what happened to Anna Maria during the days she was drugged? And I felt that much of the language used was of the present day which detracted from the novel's authenticity.

The Instrumentalist is a captivating historical fiction novel set in 17th century Venice. The story follows Anna de la Pieta, an orphan raised to be useful to society. Anna has exceptional musical talent and pursues her dreams of becoming a renowned violinist. By the time she was eight her talent had brought her to the attention of the heads of the school and was taught the violin by the school music director Antonio Vivaldi. Anna is one ambitious young lady determined not to be constrained by the limitations placed on women, historically, in society!

It is clear that the author has undertaken a great deal of historical research for her debut, I am not a music boff so I had never heard of Anna de la Pieta, this prompted me to read more about her too - I also absolutely love the cover!

This is such an amazing story, beautifully told. I live historical fiction and this swept me into 17th century Venice. But more than that, I was emotionally invested in an improbable tale of an orphan with musical talent who is destined to reach the top. I’m not particularly fond of classical music but Harriet Constable brought everything so lividly to life. Music isn’t just notes and sound, it’s colours and smell. It becomes all enveloping and gives a whole new perspective to music. I was engrossed to the extent that reading almost became a physical experience and that’s exceptionally difficult to create. Powerful writing in a glorious setting with crafted plotting. Not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed this.

A great read: I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anybody who wants to get lost in a tale. Thank you to the writer, NetGalley and the publisher for enabling me to read this book.

Review of The Instrumentalist – Harriet Constable

This book is a triumph in many ways. Not only is ‘The Instrumentalist’ written with great style and undeniable flair, the author, Harriet Constable, takes an intriguing and compelling story and creates a fascinating account of real life characters and the unfolding of their relationships and careers. The setting in the Venice of the early 1700s contrasts the opulent palaces, fragrance and riches of wealthy city areas, with the austere convent, the muddy malodorous canals and the chilling poverty which exists alongside.

Anna de la Pieta, The Instrumentalist, is here given acclaim and acknowledgement of her huge talent, her persistence and her determined ambition, restoring the balance of her neglected achievements and the betrayal she endured. Her teacher, Vivaldi, sees her talent and fosters her development, but exacts a price for his attention. Here, in ‘The Instrumentalist’, we see a certain redress and acknowledgement of the input and inspiration Anna de la Pieta provided, and her place in history is given the opportunity to shine more brightly.

I couldn’t put it down. A brilliant debut novel and highly recommended.

The premis of this story gripped me i was thrilled to be able to read this as an ARC, however the blurb covers the first 10 pages of the book and then it fell flat and got boring for me. Nothing happens in the first 35% of the book, however there is one scene i feel warrants a trigger warning of child death/infancy death. I had to DNF at 40% completed as it was so slow. I struggled to understand why and orphan would have a bit of a spoilt brat attitude. I understand she wants to be the best but the way her character is portrayed it just didnt sell it to me. This book had so much potential for a historical fiction novel, but sadly it fell too flat and too slow paced for me.