Thanks to Flatiron for the advanced copy of this book!

In the 1700s, Maddelena and Luisa are students at the Ospedale della Pietà, aiming to be violinists worthy of performing alongside Vivaldi. They make deals with "the dark" in attmepts to get what they want, and develop feelings for each other. But, given the time period, they obviously cannot really BE together. This is a very character-driven story that is somewhat lacking in plot and has characters that aren't very likeable or easy to connect with. I generally love dark academia novels, but this one skirted around the edges of that genre and was more a look into the relationship between two women. It wasn't for me, but I think for someone who loves historical fiction and 18th-century Venice, this could be a win.