4.0 out of 5 stars A good read if you have some historical knowledge of the culture, events, people, and places in the book.

Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2018

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This was an interesting read based on the little historical background of Antonia, known also as Anna Giraud, a protege of Vivaldi. Stories mixed in fact and fiction abound in Italy making it often difficult to sort out embellishment from reality. This author has also given just that; embellished reality-- a historical fictionalized rendition of this account. It gives the reader good insight to the political maneuverings within and between various kingdoms in Italy, in politics, class and gender, and religious practice.

The downside of this book was found both in its repetitiveness and lack of clarity in the storyline due to the constant changing between characters (some of which may be a result of conversion to Kindle). The repetitiveness caused it to drag out and the constant change caused a need to go back and try to figure out what changed--and that became tiring after while. Yet because I have great interest in Italian history, currently live in Florence, and have a love for Vivaldi's music, I did find this a good read.

Hank Lajoie

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Take On Vivaldi’s Orphans

Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2018

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By far, this is one of the finest historical fiction stories any fan could hope for. The story is good and the characters are rich and colorful. Antonio Vivaldi, the noted composer and musician, teaches the child Antonia to become a prodigious violinist and contralto singer bringing them both fame throughout Venice and other Italian locales, as well as in Vienna. Vivaldi, however objects when the young child grows into teen years and finds a lover. He is so possessive he works with nefarious characters to kidnap her and isolate her from her true love. During that isolation, she is lied to and manipulated as her young lover searches in vain for her. Peirson writes with the passion she ascribes to the passion for music and art of her characters. I found it as good a tragedy as Romeo and Juliet.

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