I’ve always found historical novels to be really tricky. Make them too factual, and they become boring. Stray too far from the facts and they become too unrealistic and lose the “historic” base of the story. But when perfect balance is achieved, a historical novel, based on serious research, can be a real treat. Vivaldi’s Muse by Sarah Bruce Kelly certainly more than fits my requirements for this type of a book.
While I have always been an admirer of Vivaldi’s music, I’ll be the first to admit that I have never had any particular interest in his personal life. I did vaguely remember that he was a priest, but that was about as much as I could have told you before reading Vivaldi’s Muse, a truly enchanting story of Annina Girò, a young girl from Mantua, who had a burning desire to become an opera singer. That desire became even greater after she first met the “red priest,” as Vivaldi was known due to his red hair. Life can be full of surprises, and it certainly turned out to be extremely eventful for little Annina, who became one of Vivaldi’s most cherished protégées, and according to this book, certainly his most faithful one.
Ms. Kelly’s writing was engaging and enjoyable. While it is clear that she must have done an incredible amount of research (I am still astonished over Cardinal Ruffo’s letter, referenced in the book!), the book never became boring or tedious. Her sense of time and place was incredible, and I took great pleasure in revisiting some of my favorite spots through Annina’s eyes. While I was not really surprised at the way Venice came alive in the book, I certainly got amazed at the amount of feelings the little vignettes of Vienna and Graz stirred in me. I was there again, and in the best possible way.
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