The Violinist of Venice: A Story of Vivaldi by Alyssa Palombo
Synopsis:
A sweeping historical novel of composer and priest Antonio Vivaldi, a secret wealthy mistress, and their passion for music and each other
Like most 18th century Venetians, Adriana d'Amato adores music-except her strict merchant father has forbidden her to cultivate her gift for the violin. But she refuses to let that stop her from living her dreams and begins sneaking out of her family's palazzo under the cover of night to take violin lessons from virtuoso violinist and composer Antonio Vivaldi. However, what begins as secret lessons swiftly evolves into a passionate, consuming love affair.
Adriana's father is intent on seeing her married to a wealthy, prominent member of Venice's patrician class-and a handsome, charming suitor, whom she knows she could love, only complicates matters-but Vivaldi is a priest, making their relationship forbidden in the eyes of the Church and of society. They both know their affair will end upon Adriana's marriage, but she cannot anticipate the events that will force Vivaldi to choose between her and his music. The repercussions of his choice-and of Adriana's own choices-will haunt both of their lives in ways they never imagined.
Spanning more than 30 years of Adriana's life, Alyssa Palombo's The Violinist of Venice is a story of passion, music, ambition, and finding the strength to both fall in love and to carry on when it ends.
My Review:
“And if I have taught you nothing else, remember this: we will never, ever find enough beauty in this world to satisfy ourselves. And so we must make our own, and never stop making it.”
Absolutely captivating, this stunning book will capture your heart with the marvelous descriptions of Venice, the characters that practically pull you right into the story, and the heart-wrenching romance that you can’t help but be hopeful for, even though their love is forbidden.
Alyssa Palombo creates the fictional character of Adriana d-Amato. She adores music, but her overly strict father forbids her from playing the violin that she so loves. But she sneaks out to have lessons with Vivaldi, who can see she is naturally talented. But what begins as secret music lessons soon turns into a passionate love affair. Their love is the all-consuming, powerful love that everyone hopes for in their lives however, they cannot ever truly be together. While Adriana’s wealthy father is busy trying to find a suitable husband for Adriana, Vivaldi is a priest which means they can never really be together. Forced to find a husband from a prosperous family, Adriana fights and hopes that their forbidden romance might still work out. When their passion leads to circumstances, that force them to decide their relationship, hearts are broken, lives are shattered, and both Adriana and Vivaldi are forced to come to terms with what is happening between them.
This is one of the most beautiful novels that I have ever gotten the chance to read. The Violinist of Venice is written very lyrically that practically emanates a burning passion, not only the romantic variety but for music. The relationship that Adriana has with her violin is amazing, and her desire to pursue her dreams to not only play music but compose it as well is inspiring. Palombo’s descriptions of performances, techniques, and the composing process are so emotive and alive that you swear you can hear the violins or an entire orchestra.
The character development is exceptional, and it was wonderful watching her develop from a young woman into an adult, all the while dealing with the choices she made back when she was a young girl, and carving a new path for herself based on the situations she has been presented with.
If you’re a fan of music, romance, and historical novels, this one is a must-read. I devoured this book in two days, and I loved every page. This might be Alyssa Palombo’s debut novel, but it has been written with the amazing talent of a dedicated author who has the passion of her I cannot wait to read more of her books!
My Rating:
✬✬✬✬✬
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