Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins (Review by Karilee)

Synopsis:

It is a longing and search for love that motivates three girls living in the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage renowned for its extraordinary musical program. But for Rosalba, Anetta, and Luisa, the love they seek is not where they expect to find it. Set in the early 1700s in the heart of Venice, this remarkable novel deftly weaves the history of Antonio Vivaldi’s early musical career into the lives of three young women who excel in voice and instrument. Under the composer’s tutelage and care, the orphans find expression, sustenance, and passion. But can the sheltered life of the orphanage prepare them for the unthinkable dangers outside its walls?

Review:

Although Hidden Voices is somewhat boring at the start, as the novel progresses it becomes very consuming. Each chapter is narrated by one of three main characters. At first, they are very indistinct, and I easily found myself doubling back to see who was narrating. However, as the reader learns more and more about the thoughts, actions, and lives of the three musicians their differences become apparent.

One of the most captivating aspects of the plot is how geographical separation is eventually the very thing that brings them all closer together. Annoyance, foolishness, and jealousy all turn into the true love and nurturing of undying friendships (and yes I know how cheesy that sounds, but it was all quite moving). Although the eventual outcomes are not ideal and “they-all-lived-happily-ever-after,” they are comforting in the sense that they are realistic, despite the fact that they are bittersweet.

Moving on to the critical portion of the review, there really isn’t much to be said. The slow start may turn off a wide variety of readers who lack the patience to read through the slow parts of Hidden Voices, but eventually the plot is captivating, thus making up for the semi-boring start. Another aspect of Hidden Voices to take into consideration is the musical jargon. Having been a dedicated musician for most of my life, it was easy for me to pick up on the instruments, voices, styles of pieces, and Italian words dealing with music. However, it would be fair to say that many would probably get lost in pages of words and phrases about the music of which they know nothing. So, in can simply be put that this book is well-suited for musicians just as there are girly books for girls and boyish books for boys.

To any musician, especially those who love the works of Vivaldi, I whole-heartedly recommend reading Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins. And to people who know little of music, I still suggest trying to read it for the life-lessons it contains. I thoroughly enjoyed Collins’ style and use of language and I am looking forward to reading some of her other works.

As is my tradition I have chosen a song that I love and that I feel fits the attitude and plot of Hidden Voices. However, before revealing it, I must say that I had a very difficult time actually picking. I was torn between picking a song for each of the characters or avoiding excess and only choosing one; torn between being utterly cheesy and picking a piece by Vivaldi or “keepin-it-real” and finding a modern song with heart-felt lyrics. Eventually I went with the latter of both debates, deciding upon “All Will Be Well” by the Gabe Dixon Band.
I hope you enjoyed the review and that you get a chance to read Pat Lowry Collins’ Hidden Voices.

Sincerely,
Karilee

Hidden Voices by Pat Lowry Collins can be purchased HERE.