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.