Anna Marie della Pieta was an orphan in Venice, and a violin prodigy. Fortunately for her, the convent where she was orphaned, the Pieta, put great importance on musical arts and she was able to find and hone her skills under the tutelage of Antonio Vivaldi.

This historical fiction novel follows Anna Marie and her friends as they grow from infancy until adulthood. The orchestra at the Pieta was among the best in the country and only those with exceptional skill were able to join. At age 8, Anna Maria decided that her life's ambition was to become a maestro, the best of the best, and her skill at violin would allow that to happen. At 13, she became the youngest girl to join the orchestra. In short time she became first chair allowing her skills to shine, and by 17, she was declared a maestro by the elite of Venice. Her relationship with Vivaldi became strained after time due to her desire to compose and be recognized for her compositions. She, and others at the school, helped him write many of his well known pieces, including the Four Seasons.

I thought this was an interesting story, and well written from a woman's perspective. I could feel Anna Maria's frustration build as people kept calling her the best female violinist, rather than just the best violinist. She was a girl/woman ahead of her time.

The author did a good job getting the story across without unnecessary fillers that plague many debut novelists. I would like to than the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for the ARC of this book to read and review.

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is a historical fiction novel about Anna Maria della Pieta. Abandoned as a baby at the Pieta orphanage, she trained under Antonio Vivaldi and rose to be one of the most famous female violinists of Venice. Anna Maria is ambitious and willing to sacrifice whatever is needed to become a great composer. Her talent is innate and fueled by the sheer will to survive and become greater than her beginning. This is a story of friendship, betrayal, and loss that takes you through a young woman’s struggle to grow up in a secluded orphanage while being a prodigy among other talented young women.

I recommend this book for historical fiction readers. The writing is lyrical, beautiful, and so honest it will take your breath away. The descriptions of music in all of the colors that Anna Maria can see them is entrancing. Anna Maria comes to life in this imaginative, well written book.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

The Instrumentalist was a refreshing historical retelling of a little known composer - Anna Maria della Pietà. During the 18th century, women were not often leading the forefront of the arts and especially not being remembered or given due credit.

Despite being an orphan, Anna Maria finds a way to thrive against all odds through her innate artistic ability. Throughout the story, she must make decisions to either help those she loves or prioritize the very thing that could be her escape from the orphanage. Her decisions shape her path and you can't help but feel for her every step of the way. At every turn, you feel the vulnerability of Anna Maria's life and how her dreams can be stripped away so easily. The stakes are high and she must decide what is most important to her and how to survive.

A critique I see of this novel is that it sugarcoats the actual societal thought of that time period and imbues modern day takes - which I can understand that commentary. But I will say, this is historical fiction and not a biography or nonfiction of this character so at the end of the day, it is a story for enjoyment. The author states in the author's note that she was aiming to give Anna Maria the story she never got due to her time in history. I really enjoyed the author's effort to showcase Anna Maria as an archetype that isn't often heard about and to make you wonder how many other women in our history we will never hear about that will be forgotten to patriarchal time.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC, I really enjoyed this one!

Really enjoyed the historical setting in Venice Italy, the canals, foods, customs and daily routines in La Pietà where the babies are left by mothers who can’t keep them to be raised. by the church. The descriptions of music which is seen as colors by the main character really brings a feel for how she is lost in and carried by the music.

Really love the concept for the book but I don't like the writing style and find myself slogging through the pages. DNF and will not public my review as it isn't favorable.

Historical fiction constructed around a real person-Anna Maria della Pietà -recognized as the finest violinist of her time( 1700s) and amazingly lived to age 86. She was raised in a home for orphans-the OSPEDALE DELLA PIETÀ- who were delivered there through a small hole in the door. They were provided a basic education but musical instruction is the key here and only the chosen become “ figlie dei cori”directed by Antonio Vivaldi. Those chosen girls , many with physical deformities, earn money for the orphanage and are provided better food better meals and a better life. The harsh treatment by the nuns, the friendships that sustain the girls, and the terrible living conditions are all too real. Verifiable or not I believe Anna Maria’s contribution to Vivaldi’s FOUR SEASONS. The wealth and life of the wealthy of Venice at the time are sharply contrasted with the squalor and the abuse so many suffered.
In short a really good read for anyone who appreciated music and/ or historical fiction.

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.