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  <title><![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]></description>
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        <name><![CDATA[Laurel Corona]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[This is, beyond a doubt, one of the best written historical novels I have ever read.  Laurel Corona paints a vivid portrait of 17th and 18th century Venetian life, examining the roles of women in society and in the ospedale (orphanages) that earned their money from womens' choruses and orchestras.  ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/38817648">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Undoubtedly part of my high rating of this book is due to the context in which I read it - my honeymoon in Italy, which began (at the same time I started the book) in Venice.  Corona does a really magnificent job of setting the scene of Venice of the early 1700s, so wandering those same &quot;street...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/74913338">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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  <average_rating>3.70</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I read this book in two days - a pretty good measurement of how much I enjoyed this book!<br/><br/>As a music major, I spent some time studying Vivaldi. I knew he was nicknamed the Red Priest (due to his fiery red hair), he wasn't the most chaste priest, he was a violin virtuoso and wrote some ext...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/50217490">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 12 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Sacred music is a huge part of my life-- I sing in a church choir that is becoming very well known for our renditions of some of the motets of the masters.  It was interesting for me to <em>hear</em> the works of Vivaldi that are mentioned in this book-- they became the musical accompaniment to the prose I w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41132285">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Two orphaned sisters, raised at the Pieta in Venice, become great musicians and interact with composer Antonio Vivaldi. Good story but a bit too slow.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[If you like books that take a 'footnote from history' and imagine the story behind that tiny tidbit, you'll enjoy this. It is the story of two sisters growing up in a Venice orphanage in the 1700s and the influence of Vivaldi in their lives. He teaches and writes music for the choir at the orphanage...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75802112">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[﻿I wish I could say I enjoyed this book. Vivaldi is my favorite composer. But as I read this novel, the characters, Maddelena and Chiaretta, felt flat to me. They took too long to develop. Though, in honesty, their love of their musical craft came through bright and clear. Within the first three c...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53050074">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[Maddalena and Chiaretta were sisters left by their mother at the Ospedale della Pieta because she couldn’t care for them.  There were four such ospedales in Venice to care for foundling children; the Pieta was noteworthy because Antonio Vivaldi was the music master there for a time. All of the gir...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52830404">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[This book definitely made me want to go to Venice.  I think when I was finished with it there were some things that I really liked about it and others that I didn't like at all.  I Liked the connection that the sisters had and through some of their challenges it was hearwarming to see them together ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/71378040">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Mon Dec 29 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[A quick but fun read about the different kinds of lives women had in early 18th century Venice told from the standpoint of 2 sisters, with a little something to do with the composer Vivaldi as well.  Corona embellishes historically based, lovable characters who tug at your heart strings.    If you a...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/41329137">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I have this book which I picked up for my adult daughter. Thought I might read it so I checked the goodreads reviews. Only 1 guy among hundreds admits to having read it. I thought it was historical fiction. I love Venice and really enjoy the Donna Leon mysteries (Commissario Guido Brunetti), so I th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62123949">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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  <average_rating>3.70</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 15 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Historical fiction of Vivaldi's Venice. Told as a story, mostly chronologically, less as a historical analysis. A friend suggested it might be like Galileo's Daughter but I found 4 Seasons much more engaging, much easier to read. The postscript includes what was historically accurate, which I find t...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65005060">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[I used to play lots of Vivaldi on my violin so this brought back those memories. It is an insightful historical fiction piece of Venice, Italy during the 1700's. The main plot is of two orphan sisters raised in a convent. Once chose a life of music in the cloister while the other married into a nobl...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/62665611">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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  <average_rating>3.70</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Fri Apr 17 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[I didn't love this as much as I thought I would. It was interesting to hear about lives in Venice. Not much is documented about Vivaldi's life (which you learn about in the afterword), so he really wasn't in the book that much. It was very entertaining to learn how they treated breast cancer in the ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52754993">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[I wish I could give this book 3 1/2 stars.  I found it extremely interesting until it slowed down at the end.  It just felt like the main story was over but the book continued because the characters continued to live.  However, it is definitely worth a read if you are interested in music.]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sat May 02 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Sat May 02 08:28:29 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[This book gave a fascinating portrayal of 18th century Venice and a glimpse into Vivaldi's life that was based at least partially in fact.  The often stark difference between the true nature of the characters and the facade they were expected to portray to the world was quite sad.  I loved watching ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/52773601">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <date_updated>Sun Jun 28 11:34:17 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[One of the best books I have read this year.  I had no knowledge of the convent of girls who were taught to sing and play instruments and entertain the truly rich and famous during the fifteenth century.  Vivaldi plays a small role but apparently historical accurate]]></body>
    
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    <![CDATA[The Four Seasons: A Novel of Vivaldi's Venice]]>
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  <average_rating>3.70</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sun Apr 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Fri Jun 26 10:05:23 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[Story about 2 sisters who were abanded by the mother, father unknown.  Raised in a so called orphanage in Venice at an early age.  One becomes a violine virtuoso &amp; the other marries into a wealthy family,  Takes place in the 18th century.  Good read.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/61189058]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Jun 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jun 04 17:39:04 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jun 06 09:21:53 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[As everyone knows, i love historical fiction...this book was good, i liked it...i wished there was a little more to it. I felt like the story could have played out in so many ways and in the end i was left hanging on some of those. But altogether a very good read :)]]></body>
    
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  <ratings_count>116</ratings_count>
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    <![CDATA[<strong>In glittering 18th-century Venice, music and love are prized above all else--and for two sisters coming of age, the city's passions blend in intoxicating ways.</strong>    <p>Chiaretta and Maddalena are as different as night and day. The two sisters were abandoned as babies on the steps of the Ospedale della Pietá, Venice's world-famous foundling hospital and musical academy. High-spirited and rebellious, Chiaretta marries into a great aristocratic Venetian family and eventually becomes one of the most powerful women in Venice. Maddalena becomes a violin virtuoso and Antonio Vivaldi's muse. The Four Seasons is a rich, literary imagination of the world of 18th-century Venice and the lives and loves of two extraordinary women.</p>    <p>Praise for <em>THE FOUR SEASONS</em></p>    <p>&quot;Pop Vivaldi's masterpiece into the CD player, brew a pot of tea, and prepare to relinquish the rest of your afternoon. Corona brings Venice and Vivaldi to life, delivering a stirring story of love, ambition, and music that will keep you reading long after the last note of the concerto has ended.&quot;<br/>--Lauren Willig, author of <em>The Secret History of the Pink Carnation</em></p>    <p>&quot;Corona does a magnificent job of showing us the violent contradictions of life in 18th-century Venice, through the eyes of two musically gifted orphan sisters. Their relationships with music and particularly with the complex, enigmatic figure of Antonio Vivaldi are sensitively explored. This novel resists the easy cliché and really succeeds in drawing a world that is both panoramic and intimate.&quot;<br/>--Susanne Dunlap, author of <em>Liszt's Kiss</em></p>    <p>&quot;Music and the dangerous, exquisite world of 18th-century Venice form the setting of this poetic, sensual story of two orphaned sisters. The Four Seasons is a beautifully written addition to the handful of fascinating novels about women and the arts in this most intriguing of cities.&quot;<br/> --Stephanie Cowell, author of <em>Marrying Mozart</em></p>    <p>&quot;Laurel Corona's <em>The Four Seasons</em> is a poignant tale of two sisters, layered exquisitely over the exotic world of brilliant priest/composer Vivaldi and his 18th-century Venice. The result: a vibrant crescendo of hearts and history.&quot;<br/>--Karen Harper, author of <em>The Last Boleyn and The First Princess of Wales</em></p>    <p>&quot;I've never been to Venice, played a violin, or for that matter carried a tune, but after reading <em>The Four Seasons</em> I feel that I've experienced all three, and through them come to a better understanding of the many forms love takes. Brava, Laurel Corona.&quot;<br/>--Sally Gunning, author of <em>The Widow's War</em> and <em>Bound</em></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2008</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Aug 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Aug 27 07:30:29 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Aug 27 07:38:35 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a wonderful book about 18th century Venice and the lives of two sisters growing up as orphans in a musical academy.  One is a singer and the other a violinist, and their lives take very different paths.  I highly recommend this book.  ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69076846]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69076846]]></link>
</review>
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