The Instrumentalist

A spellbinding novel that will transport you to 18th-century Venice

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The Instrumentalist

By: Harriet Constable

Narrated by: Emilia Clarke, Harriet Constable

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Bloomsbury presents The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable, read by the Emmy nominated actor and Games of Thrones star Emilia Clarke.

Nominated for Best Performance: Narrator at The Speakies (The British Audio Awards).

The Times top ten bestseller

‘As tightly tuned as a thriller’ Telegraph
‘A marvel’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave
‘Compelling, vividly described magic’ Observer
‘Historical fiction as it should be written’ Mail on Sunday
‘Remarkable’ New York Times

Anna Maria may have no name, no fortune, no family. But she has her ambition, and her talent.

Her best hope lies in her teacher, Antonio Vivaldi. Soon she is his star pupil.

But as Anna Maria’s star rises, not everyone is happy. Because Anna Maria’s shining light threatens to eclipse that of her mentor…

She will leave her mark, whatever it takes. Her story will be heard.

‘A compassionate coming-of-age tale … Constable understands the power music has to sustain us’ Observer
‘Had me spellbound from start to finish’ Emma Stonex
‘Constable infuses historical fact with richly wrought fictional details, to investigate admiration and resentment, ego and legacy’ i paper
‘A whirlwind of all-consuming, dizzying ambition … Spectacularly imagined’ Mail on Sunday
‘Vibrates with colour and passion … I was completely swept up’ Elodie Harper
‘An immersive, impassioned tale full of colour and sound’ Guardian©2024 Kubuni Ltd (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Harriet ConstableEmilia ClarkeHarriet ConstableBloomsbury Publishing

Historical Fiction

Renaissance

Women's Fiction

Inspiring

Heartfelt

Thought-Provoking

Historical Fiction Renaissance Women's Fiction Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

Enthralling, passionate, vivid. The Instrumentalist is a marvel (KIRAN MILLWOOD HARGRAVE, author of The Heresies and The Dance Tree)

A compassionate coming-of-age tale, inspired by true events, explores youthful ambition and the allure of fame … Constable understands the power music has to sustain us … Compelling, vividly described, magic

An engrossing tale about an unexpected coup de musique, and a vivid and nuanced portrait of a groundbreaking woman … Constable fills in the gaps, giving this remarkable figure the kind of origin story that has rarely been afforded by history to female artists

Constable infuses historical fact with richly wrought fictional details, to investigate admiration and resentment, ego and legacy ... While the book is steeped in time and place, it nonetheless sheds light on gender dynamics that will be all too familiar to readers today

This novel about music is fundamentally about silence; the myriad ways in which female authorship has been erased … a captivating narrative that’s as tightly tuned as a thriller... A heartening tribute to a group of formidable women

Harriet Constable’s impressive debut novel conjures up the tumultuous life of Venice in the early years of the 18th century in vivid detail … Constable succeeds in telling an absorbing story of musical rivalry and ambition, and rescuing an unjustly forgotten woman of genius from history’s dustbin

A whirlwind of all-consuming, dizzying ambition. The true story of her battle to realise her extraordinary talent is spectacularly imagined – historical fiction as it should be written

Haunting, lyrical and so passionately rendered, The Instrumentalist is a virtuoso performance. Constable's evocation of Vivaldi's Venice and the lost - until now - life of Anna Maria della Pietà had me spellbound from start to finish. This is a remarkable story of strength and survival, talent and ambition, and the searing power of music to keep a heart beating. Wonderful (EMMA STONEX)

Fans of Jessie Burton’s The Miniaturist will adore it

That rare creation - a powerful contribution to our understanding of women's history and a captivating novel in its own right. Harriet Constable's reimagining of Anna Maria della Pieta's life vibrates with colour and passion, a tale worthy of the violinist's genius. I was completely swept up into the intense world of Venice's forgotten orchestra of orphans, where the girls' hopes, dreams and relationships are movingly drawn ... A story of musical rivalry which will completely capture your imagination (ELODIE HARPER, Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Wolf Den)

Constable’s lyrical prose and deep emotional insight create a rich, immersive reading experience

Most relevant

The main character, Anna-Maria, is an intense person. Arrogant in her naivety, striving for perfection.
The story, and stories, around her bring a sense of the time it is set, where women were nothing, and girls more so. And yet, men are nothing without them... and yet, so unaware of it.
It is filled with sadness, joyfulness, sorrow, and pride.

Well written and lovely narration.