The Queen's Soprano

by Carol Dines

Book Overview

Seventeen-year-old Angelica Voglia loves to sing. But she lives in seventeenth-century Rome, and the pope has forbidden women to sing in public. To make matters worse, her controlling mother is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0152054774
• ISBN13: 9780152054779
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P
• Length: 318 Pages
• Weight: 3.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 14 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 9 and higher

Customer Reviews

A sastifying and enriching tale

I read this book cover to cover in a day and when it ended, I was thirsty for more. Carol Dines is an amazing author and paints this story beaitfully. The descriptons of everyday life in Rome in the 1600s were realistic and then the harshness that Angelica went through touched the reader's heart. This book is wonderful.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

It was the cover of the book that first got my attention. The girl on the cover of THE QUEEN'S SOPRANO was wearing a beautiful gown fit for royalty. Little did I know at the time that this book was a fictionalized account of Angelica Voglia, who became Queen Christina's soprano during the time of Pope Innocent XI. All Angelica wants to do is sing, but the pope has forbidden women to sing in public. Angelica has a voice that was able to bring people to their knees weeping. People come from all over Rome to stand beneath her window to hear her sing. She had many suiters, all arranged by her mother, but the one she was interested in was a poor but talented French artist, Jean Theodon. Jean courts her in secrecy, exchanging messages and drawings with her via the servant girl that works for her family. Her mother, though, has other ideas. She plans on giving Angelica up to the highest bidder on the hopes that the family's status will be elevated. Angelica's determined to sing and realizes that the only way to do that before an audience and escape a forced marriage arranged by her controlling mother is to flee to Queen Christina's court, where she will become the queen's soprano. Dines tells Angelica's story beautifully. The characters are all richly developed. I was really able to feel Angelica's determination to accomplish her goals despite the odds stacked against her. Of course there is more to the story, but you will have to read the book to find out what else happens. I will tell you, though, that the rest of the story is filled with romance, betrayal, death, intrigue, and action. The book will keep your attention until the very end. If you are a historical fiction fan then this is a book that you should place on your list of must-reads. Definitely recommended!! Reviewed by: coollibrarianchick

The Best Historical Novel I've Read in Ages!

After slogging through those Phillipa Gregory novels (found them quite anachronistic in terms of the female characters' advanced feminism), "The Queen's Soprano" struck me as much more realistic in imagining the motives & plights of the characters. Dines does a great job of using historical information on economic/social class & religion to firmly ground the story. The singer's naive ideas of romantic love, the reactions of other women to attempted rape, the mother's treachery, the complex schemes of various church institutions--these situations felt authentic, and not merely story devices for imparting 20th Century ideology. I'm not sure why this book would only be targeted to teens. It is an engrossing read for adults as well, and generated enough interest on my part to do further reading about Rome during the time of Queen Christina's presence. I look forward to a sequel.

Excellent

This is a very exciting and riveting book and I highly recommend it. I have not connected with a book like I did with this one in a very long time. Ms. Dines depicts the life of a young soprano in fresh bold strokes with wonderfully graphic detail for day to day Roman life. As a soprano myslef, I was swept away by her prose and the story and would recommend it to all, young and old! 5 stars!

Could Have Been Better

This book is about a real-life woman named Angelica Voglia living in Rome in the seventeeth century. She has what is called a "miracle voice" several times in the book, but just how her voice is a miracle is never described in full. She has to live with her critical younger sister, a mother who is using her to further her own place in society, two brothers, and a father who is not really her blood-father. The Italian in this book is well used and the only thing that made me feel like the setting was actually in Italy. Angelica's time at Queen Christina's court is fraught with emotions, including her loyalty to the queen, frustration with the insipid talks of her peers about the goings-on at Court, and the love she feels for "the Frenchman" Jean Theodon, whose love she ends up rejecting. This novel is based on a real woman named Angelica Voglia who lived as Queen Christina's soprano during seventeeth century Italy. Although a good (and fast) read, this novel could have been flushed out a lot more and been made into an engrossing novel. Overall, a good book for anyone wishing to hear the story of a woman who refused to have her life dictated for her. 4 stars.