May Book Selection- The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable

Join us for an enjoyable time at La Casa Blanca Mexican Restaurant to discuss the Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable.

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable is a historical novel based on the true story of Anna Maria della Pietà, an orphaned violin prodigy in 18th-century Venice who studied under Antonio Vivaldi. The book follows her rise as a virtuoso musician, exploring themes of ambition, gender barriers, and exploitation in a male-dominated world, and is praised for its immersive detail and emotional depth.
Key aspects of the book:

• Protagonist:
  Anna Maria della Pietà, a gifted musician from the Ospedale della Pietà orphanage, who becomes Vivaldi's star pupil and muse.
• Setting:
  18th-century Venice, bringing to life the city's canals, palaces, and the orphanage's music school.
• Themes:
  The pursuit of artistic perfection, the struggle for recognition as a woman in music, ambition, exploitation, and the collaborative nature of art.
• Inspiration:
  Inspired by the real, often overlooked, history of the female musicians at the Pietà, whose contributions to Vivaldi's famous works are significant.
• Genre:
  Historical fiction, compared to The Queen's Gambit and The Handmaid's Tale for its compelling narrative.