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Maddalena and the Dark
Venice, 1717. Fifteen-year-old Luisa has only wanted one to be the best at violin. As a student at the Ospedale della Pietà, she hopes to join the highest ranks of its illustrious girls’ orchestra and become a protégé of the great Antonio Vivaldi. Luisa is good at violin, but she is not the best. She has peers, but she does not have friends. Until Maddalena.
After a scandal threatens her noble family’s reputation, Maddalena is sent to the Pietà to preserve her marriage prospects. When she meets Luisa, Maddalena feels the stirrings of a friendship unlike anything she has known. But Maddalena has a she has hatched a dangerous plot to rescue her future her own way. When she invites Luisa into her plans, promising to make her dreams come true, Luisa doesn’t hesitate. But every wager has its price, and as the girls are drawn into the decadent world outside the Pietà’s walls, they must decide what it is they truly want―and what they will do to pay for it.
Lush and heady, swirling with music and magic, Maddalena and the Dark is a Venetian fairytale about the friendship between two girls and the boundless desire that will set them free, if it doesn’t consume them first.
After a scandal threatens her noble family’s reputation, Maddalena is sent to the Pietà to preserve her marriage prospects. When she meets Luisa, Maddalena feels the stirrings of a friendship unlike anything she has known. But Maddalena has a she has hatched a dangerous plot to rescue her future her own way. When she invites Luisa into her plans, promising to make her dreams come true, Luisa doesn’t hesitate. But every wager has its price, and as the girls are drawn into the decadent world outside the Pietà’s walls, they must decide what it is they truly want―and what they will do to pay for it.
Lush and heady, swirling with music and magic, Maddalena and the Dark is a Venetian fairytale about the friendship between two girls and the boundless desire that will set them free, if it doesn’t consume them first.
293 pages, Paperback
First published June 13, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
January 10, 2023
I'll do the contrary to what the author of this book did and get to the point without wasting words: To me, this was by far the most overwritten book of 2022, no question.
The prose is the purplest I've found since Catherynne M. Valente, but without her skill or experience. The author is so in love with pretty words and her own writing that she's forgotten the plot in favour of crafting the perfect line, that's usually so adorned that it outshone everything else and became distracting. It took me so long to understand what exactly "the dark" was here, because Fine can't write a clear sentence but goes around and around describing everything, always with pretty words and little content, and the way the two POVs, both girls, think and talk isn't either natural or plausible. Maddalena and Luisa talk the same at 15 as at 25, do not reflect their aging or evolving level of maturity on chapter 1 as in the epilogue, and you have to guess by yourself what's going on because the scenes shift from place and time within chapters and even within paragraphs. Also, the book is all written in present tense, third person present tense at that, which is one of the least-liked POV styles around.
There's a valiant attempt made at conveying 1700s Venice, but honestly it doesn't quite feel like that because of how the setting gives off the impression of a tourist's eyeview. This is the Venice of a person who's gone there and name-drops the known locations you can find in any tourism guide and nothing else. All famous places, a few famous Venetians. It's even complete with inserts of Italian (and Latin) for "authenticity" that fall in the usual trope of immediately translating it for the reader . . . in the POV of the character that supposedly speaks Italian but somehow has to translate stuff into English.
Maddalena is alternately an annoying and forgettable character as well, Luisa is at least mildly interesting, but only because she's crazed. Their dysfunctional relationship is the highlight of this otherwise boringly overwritten story. It could've been a thrilling story about two girls growing up in Vivaldi's sphere and training with him, but so much is wasted in self-indulgent préciosité that the ending is rather a relief that you no longer have to keep reading these convoluted frilly paragraphs any longer. And speaking of the ending, I'm putting it in spoiler brackets, but that last scene read like a unwittingly hilarious rendition of that scene in "Goldeneye" where Xenia Onatopp is trying to fuck-kill Bond. No, seriously, the ending is meant to be read differently, but you'd think those two characters are shagging from the way Julia Fine wrote it.
I did say overwrought and overwritten, did I not? Yeah, there's that as just one example. I'm sorry to say this was a complete miss in every sense.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The prose is the purplest I've found since Catherynne M. Valente, but without her skill or experience. The author is so in love with pretty words and her own writing that she's forgotten the plot in favour of crafting the perfect line, that's usually so adorned that it outshone everything else and became distracting. It took me so long to understand what exactly "the dark" was here, because Fine can't write a clear sentence but goes around and around describing everything, always with pretty words and little content, and the way the two POVs, both girls, think and talk isn't either natural or plausible. Maddalena and Luisa talk the same at 15 as at 25, do not reflect their aging or evolving level of maturity on chapter 1 as in the epilogue, and you have to guess by yourself what's going on because the scenes shift from place and time within chapters and even within paragraphs. Also, the book is all written in present tense, third person present tense at that, which is one of the least-liked POV styles around.
There's a valiant attempt made at conveying 1700s Venice, but honestly it doesn't quite feel like that because of how the setting gives off the impression of a tourist's eyeview. This is the Venice of a person who's gone there and name-drops the known locations you can find in any tourism guide and nothing else. All famous places, a few famous Venetians. It's even complete with inserts of Italian (and Latin) for "authenticity" that fall in the usual trope of immediately translating it for the reader . . . in the POV of the character that supposedly speaks Italian but somehow has to translate stuff into English.
Maddalena is alternately an annoying and forgettable character as well, Luisa is at least mildly interesting, but only because she's crazed. Their dysfunctional relationship is the highlight of this otherwise boringly overwritten story. It could've been a thrilling story about two girls growing up in Vivaldi's sphere and training with him, but so much is wasted in self-indulgent préciosité that the ending is rather a relief that you no longer have to keep reading these convoluted frilly paragraphs any longer. And speaking of the ending, I'm putting it in spoiler brackets, but that last scene read like a unwittingly hilarious rendition of that scene in "Goldeneye" where Xenia Onatopp is trying to fuck-kill Bond. No, seriously, the ending is meant to be read differently, but you'd think those two characters are shagging from the way Julia Fine wrote it.
I did say overwrought and overwritten, did I not? Yeah, there's that as just one example. I'm sorry to say this was a complete miss in every sense.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2023
Maddalena and the Dark brings a friendship between two girls, and their yearnings, ambitions and self-discovery. They meet at a prestigious music school in Venice, 1717. The setting of Venice and the music school are fascinating part of this story, which is written with beautiful prose.
As the story alternates between the two girls, it doesn’t reveal much of their backstories. And this is something that helps me connect with the characters. Instead, the story propels forward, involving their situation in present time mostly.
This story is more of character driven, with girls trying to fulfil their plans and along the way learn more about themselves. The plot is lose. I wished there was more to the plot and character-development to make the story more engaging and the pace faster.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As the story alternates between the two girls, it doesn’t reveal much of their backstories. And this is something that helps me connect with the characters. Instead, the story propels forward, involving their situation in present time mostly.
This story is more of character driven, with girls trying to fulfil their plans and along the way learn more about themselves. The plot is lose. I wished there was more to the plot and character-development to make the story more engaging and the pace faster.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2022
She’s done it again! Beautiful, suspenseful, sensuous, real. If you love music or Venice, or if you’ve ever simply been a young girl aching for womanhood, this is the book for you. Reading this felt like indulging in a secret, in the best way.
January 10, 2023
Maddalena and the Dark is chocolate laced with poison. To read it is to fall under an enchantment: 18th-century Venice, desire and obsession, music and ambition, lagoons and monsters. Julia Fine is a writer of ferocious talent and originality, and with her third novel she has crafted a sweeping, dark fairy tale about the violent hearts of teenage girls. I loved it from the first sentence to the astonishing final lines.
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August 28, 2023dnf
Petition to make authors who decide to write about a country/culture outside of their own think hard about whether they can pull it off. This book reminds me of this sketch by Fry & Laurie, where they make fun of the type of tourists who don’t see themselves as tourists. I found Fine’s vision of Venice and Italian characters laughable. Sprinkling in Italian words does not make your work more authentic (especially if said words don’t ring true: “They’ll go together, tutte due”....). And why oh why make the choice to refer to il lido as “The Lido”...? Just call it “the Lido” or since you decided to leave “La Serenissima” as is, do the same and call it “il Lido”. Anyway, I found the prose affected and the dialogues unconvincing. In a way, I was reminded of The World Cannot Give, a book I did not care for in the least. Anyhow, this was a major disappointment. Maybe non-Italian readers, or less nitpicking readers, will find it to be a blast but I found the dynamics to be trying and failing to go for that Sarah Waters vibe.
Petition to make authors who decide to write about a country/culture outside of their own think hard about whether they can pull it off. This book reminds me of this sketch by Fry & Laurie, where they make fun of the type of tourists who don’t see themselves as tourists. I found Fine’s vision of Venice and Italian characters laughable. Sprinkling in Italian words does not make your work more authentic (especially if said words don’t ring true: “They’ll go together, tutte due”....). And why oh why make the choice to refer to il lido as “The Lido”...? Just call it “the Lido” or since you decided to leave “La Serenissima” as is, do the same and call it “il Lido”. Anyway, I found the prose affected and the dialogues unconvincing. In a way, I was reminded of The World Cannot Give, a book I did not care for in the least. Anyhow, this was a major disappointment. Maybe non-Italian readers, or less nitpicking readers, will find it to be a blast but I found the dynamics to be trying and failing to go for that Sarah Waters vibe.
December 25, 2022
Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this book, but whatever expectations I had, they became suspended as I read through the story, because they didn't even matter. Julia Fine does an excellent job of crafting atmosphere, tension, and her characters. The backdrop of this novel was executed well; I truly felt as though I had been immersed in the world of 18th-century Venice. I also quite enjoyed the musical setting, as a musician myself--I've never read a book like this before and I'm glad that I have.
I hesitate to identify this book solely as a "dark academia" book because that term has become a buzzword that can reduce the value of a book to how well it matches a certain aesthetic. Yes, Maddalena and the Dark is dark academia, but it should not be reduced to those two words. This novel is, at its heart, a story of wanting--a story of the lengths we would go to obtain what we want, and is a cautionary tale in itself. It doesn't seek to teach or to preach, but rather to ask questions that may or may not have answers. Often in dark academia books, women are reduced to side characters or simply are not significant at all. Fine refutes this trope by giving voices to the girls of this book--who are alternately angry, hopeful, and naive, but always dimensional and believable.
One criticism I have with this book is Maddalena's actions toward the end, which seem out of character with her personality and even rushed, as though the author wanted to reach the ending quickly. I also see that on Goodreads the book is classified as being "queer" despite the queerness in this book being mostly subtle/subtext. It is, after all, a novel set in 18th-century Venice were queerness was, if not virtually nonexistent, then unspoken of (to clarify: there is no homophobia in this book, I am just seeking historical context).
Overall, this was a stunning and striking book that will stay with me for a long time. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys narratives with unlikable female protagonists, historical (and even some supernatural) elements, and moral and philosophical dilemmas.
I'm not quite sure what I was expecting from this book, but whatever expectations I had, they became suspended as I read through the story, because they didn't even matter. Julia Fine does an excellent job of crafting atmosphere, tension, and her characters. The backdrop of this novel was executed well; I truly felt as though I had been immersed in the world of 18th-century Venice. I also quite enjoyed the musical setting, as a musician myself--I've never read a book like this before and I'm glad that I have.
I hesitate to identify this book solely as a "dark academia" book because that term has become a buzzword that can reduce the value of a book to how well it matches a certain aesthetic. Yes, Maddalena and the Dark is dark academia, but it should not be reduced to those two words. This novel is, at its heart, a story of wanting--a story of the lengths we would go to obtain what we want, and is a cautionary tale in itself. It doesn't seek to teach or to preach, but rather to ask questions that may or may not have answers. Often in dark academia books, women are reduced to side characters or simply are not significant at all. Fine refutes this trope by giving voices to the girls of this book--who are alternately angry, hopeful, and naive, but always dimensional and believable.
One criticism I have with this book is Maddalena's actions toward the end, which seem out of character with her personality and even rushed, as though the author wanted to reach the ending quickly. I also see that on Goodreads the book is classified as being "queer" despite the queerness in this book being mostly subtle/subtext. It is, after all, a novel set in 18th-century Venice were queerness was, if not virtually nonexistent, then unspoken of (to clarify: there is no homophobia in this book, I am just seeking historical context).
Overall, this was a stunning and striking book that will stay with me for a long time. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys narratives with unlikable female protagonists, historical (and even some supernatural) elements, and moral and philosophical dilemmas.
December 22, 2022
What an incredible and unexpected book. Julia Fine evokes a lush and intricate recreation of Venice in the last years of empire, framed in the lives of two girls. Even though the story takes place over a little more than half a year with a dreamy pace along the way, it grips you irresistibly as it drags you down in its narrative undertow. The female friendship at the heart of the narrative touches on some familiar tropes, but they're handled in such a visceral, passionate way that I was enthralled from start to finish. I was genuinely surprised by who and what I was rooting for by the end, and I couldn't even tell you how the author so masterfully got my sympathies to end up where they did, but I felt very satisfied by the ending of the book. It felt both unexpected and yet inevitable, and I was very, very impressed.
June 8, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’s work and I am so happy that I decided to give this book a try. I like books that involve music so the fact that Maddalena and Luisa cross paths at a music school was a big draw for me. The story is beautifully written and full of magic, music, friendship, and maybe something more. The story takes a few surprising twists that kept things very interesting.
The book is set in 1717 Venice so even though Maddalena and Luisa are only 15 the world is different and they are at the age that most girls marry. There has been some scandal in Maddalena’s family so they have sent her to the school since her marriage prospects don’t seem to be working out. Luisa has been raised at the school as an orphan like most of the other students. The story is told through both Maddalena’s and Luisa’s points of view which was a very effective way to tell this story. They share a bit of magic and develop a strong bond that stretches beyond the walls of the school. I really enjoyed seeing both of these young ladies grow individually and appreciated the changes to their bond of friendship as their circumstances change.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sophie Roberts did a remarkable job with the narration. The Italian words in the story flowed nicely and added to the story’s atmosphere. (I don’t speak Italian so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the pronunciation but it sounded good to me!) I thought that she did a great job of bringing both of these characters to life and adding just the right amount of emotion to her narration. I do believe that her narration only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book took a couple of twists that were completely unexpected and made the book impossible to put down. I will definitely be looking for more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio.
I really enjoyed this novel. This is the first time that I have read any of Julia Fine’s work and I am so happy that I decided to give this book a try. I like books that involve music so the fact that Maddalena and Luisa cross paths at a music school was a big draw for me. The story is beautifully written and full of magic, music, friendship, and maybe something more. The story takes a few surprising twists that kept things very interesting.
The book is set in 1717 Venice so even though Maddalena and Luisa are only 15 the world is different and they are at the age that most girls marry. There has been some scandal in Maddalena’s family so they have sent her to the school since her marriage prospects don’t seem to be working out. Luisa has been raised at the school as an orphan like most of the other students. The story is told through both Maddalena’s and Luisa’s points of view which was a very effective way to tell this story. They share a bit of magic and develop a strong bond that stretches beyond the walls of the school. I really enjoyed seeing both of these young ladies grow individually and appreciated the changes to their bond of friendship as their circumstances change.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Sophie Roberts did a remarkable job with the narration. The Italian words in the story flowed nicely and added to the story’s atmosphere. (I don’t speak Italian so I can’t comment on the accuracy of the pronunciation but it sounded good to me!) I thought that she did a great job of bringing both of these characters to life and adding just the right amount of emotion to her narration. I do believe that her narration only added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book took a couple of twists that were completely unexpected and made the book impossible to put down. I will definitely be looking for more of this author’s work in the future.
I received a review copy of this book from Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio.
October 14, 2023
4.5 Stars
Addie LaRue meets The Last Tale of The Flower Bride in this decadently rich and atmospheric tale of desire, ambition, obsession and betrayal that slow-burn, gothic fantasy lovers are sure to enjoy.
If you’ve followed my reviews for a while, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for a good gothic (or gothic adjacent) novel, so couldn’t pass up the chance to read Maddalena and The Dark—especially when the setting is as lush, and darkly lyrical as this was.
Set against the opulent backdrop of 18th C Venice, we follow the lives (and alternating POVs) of two fifteen year old girls Maddalena, the charismatic daughter of a Venetian nobleman, and Luisa, an orphan and longtime resident of convent and famed music conservatory, Ospedale della Pietà.
After Maddalena’s legitimacy is called into question, her family send her off to the infamous conservatory in an effort to bolster her marriage prospects. Yet from the moment she arrives, Maddalena finds herself drawn to in the shy but extremely talented Luisa.
And before long, the girls are the best of friends, leading Maddalena to reveal her greatest secret: the sea can grant all of her desires—as long as she keeps making offerings to it. But it’s after Maddalena encourages Luisa to make an offering of her own, when things really start to get interesting.
I really enjoyed this! The slow burn intensity and evocative nuance that we explore through Madeline and Luisa’s relationship, and the imbalance of power that we see slowly shift between them was intoxicatingly gripping.
Maddalena, our spoilt and calculating noble was probably the most fascinating of our protagonists. Flawed, motivated by selfishness, and eager to preserve the trappings of her incredibly privileged life— I absolutely adored the morally grey pragmatism of her initial schemes, and for a time was actually rooting for her.
Ultimately, though it was the naïve (and far too trusting) Luisa that I came to love the most. As an Orphan who’s lived at the conservatory for most of her life, Luisa’s ambitions are small: to gain the first violin spot and train with Vivaldi. But thanks to Maddalena’s influence, we see Luisa finally grow into her own confidence and self worth, and finally strive for something she’s never dreamed of before—her own happiness. Making the aftermath that results from their magical bargains even more poignant.
Overall, a satisfyingly eerie read with sapphic undertones that’s perfect for fans of historical fiction and magical realism—just don’t go into this expecting a happy ending.
Also, a huge thank you to Headline for the finished copy.
Addie LaRue meets The Last Tale of The Flower Bride in this decadently rich and atmospheric tale of desire, ambition, obsession and betrayal that slow-burn, gothic fantasy lovers are sure to enjoy.
If you’ve followed my reviews for a while, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for a good gothic (or gothic adjacent) novel, so couldn’t pass up the chance to read Maddalena and The Dark—especially when the setting is as lush, and darkly lyrical as this was.
Set against the opulent backdrop of 18th C Venice, we follow the lives (and alternating POVs) of two fifteen year old girls Maddalena, the charismatic daughter of a Venetian nobleman, and Luisa, an orphan and longtime resident of convent and famed music conservatory, Ospedale della Pietà.
After Maddalena’s legitimacy is called into question, her family send her off to the infamous conservatory in an effort to bolster her marriage prospects. Yet from the moment she arrives, Maddalena finds herself drawn to in the shy but extremely talented Luisa.
And before long, the girls are the best of friends, leading Maddalena to reveal her greatest secret: the sea can grant all of her desires—as long as she keeps making offerings to it. But it’s after Maddalena encourages Luisa to make an offering of her own, when things really start to get interesting.
I really enjoyed this! The slow burn intensity and evocative nuance that we explore through Madeline and Luisa’s relationship, and the imbalance of power that we see slowly shift between them was intoxicatingly gripping.
Maddalena, our spoilt and calculating noble was probably the most fascinating of our protagonists. Flawed, motivated by selfishness, and eager to preserve the trappings of her incredibly privileged life— I absolutely adored the morally grey pragmatism of her initial schemes, and for a time was actually rooting for her.
Ultimately, though it was the naïve (and far too trusting) Luisa that I came to love the most. As an Orphan who’s lived at the conservatory for most of her life, Luisa’s ambitions are small: to gain the first violin spot and train with Vivaldi. But thanks to Maddalena’s influence, we see Luisa finally grow into her own confidence and self worth, and finally strive for something she’s never dreamed of before—her own happiness. Making the aftermath that results from their magical bargains even more poignant.
Overall, a satisfyingly eerie read with sapphic undertones that’s perfect for fans of historical fiction and magical realism—just don’t go into this expecting a happy ending.
Also, a huge thank you to Headline for the finished copy.
June 17, 2023
Really?! All that build up just to find that a woman falling in love with another woman is "the dark." Ugh. Also, the whole dark gondolier thing was so obviously Phantom of the Opera inspired. Written entirely in third person present tense and frought with purple prose, I'm glad this was short. This book had so much wasted potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
I don’t write reviews. until now. because I desperately need to tell people not to read this. This book feels like waking from a dream. Insubstantial. a sort of disturbance of loss. feeling like something is missing. It’s gauzy and vaporous, occupied with constructing beautiful sentences, leaving the story and characters dull without its embellishments.
for 18th century venice, i feel like im merely viewing Italy from a postcard. it falls flat and has no dimension to the setting. playing papa’s pizzeria would’ve been more immersive! famous places are name dropped, with italian and latin carelessly spilled onto the page da una bottiglia di prosecco… and immediately translated to the reader. This is that friend who went abroad for two weeks and now uses buongiorno!!!!! and grazie!!!!!
this is marked as lgbt,,, i know, keeping in mind the baroque venetian views, but cmon where were my girls at? me myself im never beating the yearning allegations. but holy moly thats all this book was. maddalena and i both: where are the sapphics???? also note: maddalena is not meant to be likeable, and wowie was that effective! actually i couldn’t stand anyone here. except my boy vivaldi, and sadly he was barely in it
the pacing is bizarre and it’s like changing time signatures from 3/2 to 12/16 to 5/4 all while going larghissimo, because this person is sight reading this music for the first time and keeps tripping over the key changes in the process. Maddalena is maddeningly slow. And after dragging for the entire book, (which is btw divided by vivaldi’s four seasons,) the last section, aptly named, winter, is exactly that. watch out minecraft youtubers cause suddenly we’re speedrunning, slapping you like a snapped string on a violin, because where in the world did that ending come from?
anyway ciao!!!!! arrivederci!!!!!!!
for 18th century venice, i feel like im merely viewing Italy from a postcard. it falls flat and has no dimension to the setting. playing papa’s pizzeria would’ve been more immersive! famous places are name dropped, with italian and latin carelessly spilled onto the page da una bottiglia di prosecco… and immediately translated to the reader. This is that friend who went abroad for two weeks and now uses buongiorno!!!!! and grazie!!!!!
this is marked as lgbt,,, i know, keeping in mind the baroque venetian views, but cmon where were my girls at? me myself im never beating the yearning allegations. but holy moly thats all this book was. maddalena and i both: where are the sapphics???? also note: maddalena is not meant to be likeable, and wowie was that effective! actually i couldn’t stand anyone here. except my boy vivaldi, and sadly he was barely in it
the pacing is bizarre and it’s like changing time signatures from 3/2 to 12/16 to 5/4 all while going larghissimo, because this person is sight reading this music for the first time and keeps tripping over the key changes in the process. Maddalena is maddeningly slow. And after dragging for the entire book, (which is btw divided by vivaldi’s four seasons,) the last section, aptly named, winter, is exactly that. watch out minecraft youtubers cause suddenly we’re speedrunning, slapping you like a snapped string on a violin, because where in the world did that ending come from?
anyway ciao!!!!! arrivederci!!!!!!!
March 15, 2024
BIG FAN of how this turned out actually. veered sharply and wonderfully into a toxic relationship that reminded me of nbc hannibal.... ohhh maddalena my girl you are so everything to me
July 26, 2023
Vicious, obsessive girls willing to risk everything for their desires. Fine enraptured me with her beautiful prose, magical setting, and slow-build haunting!
July 10, 2023
Lovers of dark historical fiction - drop everything now and pick up Maddalena and The Dark. Julia Fine has captured the decadence of 18th century Venice, and created two irresistible teen characters, Maddalena and Luisa, whose friendship almost makes you forget the stink coming from the canals.
Maddalena’s life is complicated. She is part of a wealthy family, but there is some doubt as to her true parentage. She is approaching 15, and is expected to find a suitor imminently, so her family sends her to the Ospedale della Pietà to try and smooth out her edges. It is here she meets Luisa, an accomplished but shy violin student.
But here’s the coolest thing about Maddalena: she has a mysterious gondolier at her beck and call, and he can seemingly give her anything she desires, but at a cost. So when Maddalena shares this with Luisa, and Luisa makes a choice to change her future prospects, things get incredibly complicated.
It took me a couple of attempts to get into this novel. In the first few chapters, I felt a little overwhelmed by all the characters. But once Maddalena and Luisa meet, the adventure truly begins.
Fine has captured the intensity of teenage girl friendships perfectly. While Maddalena’s love for Luisa is unrequited, their emotional and physical closeness is truly magical, and makes the conclusion even more devastating.
Fine’s writing talent was highlighted for me during the passage when Maddalenda takes Luisa on her strange gondola for the first time. I could almost smell the damp, and was absolutely terrified by the surrounding darkness.
I absolutely loved the drama of Luisa and Maddalena’s lives; the complete absurdity of their limited life choices (marriage or nunnery), and their complex relationship. And the supernatural, Faustian element fit perfectly.
I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but this really won me over. It is so utterly engaging and exciting. Again, I urge everyone to read this; it’s truly remarkable.
Maddalena’s life is complicated. She is part of a wealthy family, but there is some doubt as to her true parentage. She is approaching 15, and is expected to find a suitor imminently, so her family sends her to the Ospedale della Pietà to try and smooth out her edges. It is here she meets Luisa, an accomplished but shy violin student.
But here’s the coolest thing about Maddalena: she has a mysterious gondolier at her beck and call, and he can seemingly give her anything she desires, but at a cost. So when Maddalena shares this with Luisa, and Luisa makes a choice to change her future prospects, things get incredibly complicated.
It took me a couple of attempts to get into this novel. In the first few chapters, I felt a little overwhelmed by all the characters. But once Maddalena and Luisa meet, the adventure truly begins.
Fine has captured the intensity of teenage girl friendships perfectly. While Maddalena’s love for Luisa is unrequited, their emotional and physical closeness is truly magical, and makes the conclusion even more devastating.
Fine’s writing talent was highlighted for me during the passage when Maddalenda takes Luisa on her strange gondola for the first time. I could almost smell the damp, and was absolutely terrified by the surrounding darkness.
I absolutely loved the drama of Luisa and Maddalena’s lives; the complete absurdity of their limited life choices (marriage or nunnery), and their complex relationship. And the supernatural, Faustian element fit perfectly.
I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but this really won me over. It is so utterly engaging and exciting. Again, I urge everyone to read this; it’s truly remarkable.
December 5, 2023
this has juice but it's the juice of a weird lightly homophobic used bookstore artifact from maybe the 70s. which hey. sometimes things that are lightly homophobic are (straight readers stop reading here xo) better for gay tension, HUGE shout out to our heroine the young hot deranged italienne with the heart and soul of mrs. danvers—but sometimes, and more importantly, things that are present tense are worse. would have slayed on tumblr in 2010 tho (derogaffectionate)
June 21, 2023
It’s honestly comical at this point but every time I buy a book instead of loan it from the library it’s pretty much a guarantee I won’t like it. It’s practically a scientific law at this point. Anyway, this was really weird and dark and not what I was expecting at all and I regret reading it!!! I AM TRAUMATIZED WHAT DID I JUST READ
October 11, 2025
never trusting a GR average on a queer book again!
"This feeling, this hatred made up of both anger and desire, this resentment that wants not to erase but to own---what is it if not jealousy?"
never trusting an average review again! i can't believe i actually considered unhauling this more than once before reading it bc this actually knocked me out of a slump. it won't be for everyone, sure, but give it a try if you like:
- decadent, DEEP purple prose
- toxic 15 yr old queer behavior
- historical fiction with women navigating what power they can access
- eerie and vague faustian bargains
is it "overwritten" or do people just not appreciate lush prose anymore? maybe it's just a matter of preference. but i adored this. the characterization of our two main girls is just excellent. they are both flawed and foolish and prone to acting on impulse/passion, bc they are FIFTEEN! this is actually a powerful story about how women have historically had to strategize for influence wherever they can get it, often stepping on and over each other in the process. the second half got soooo messy and i was eating it up.
warning: you should be able to guess pretty early on, but this does NOT have a happy ending for the main sapphics. it's definitely not in the bury your gays/torture your lesbians camp, at least not in my opinion, because you know from the beginning that there is something off, some price that will be paid. also, it's 1717, and it's not a historical romance. it's romantic, but it's a gothic tale first and foremost.
tl;dr queer teen girls are messy and this book shows that perfectly. this was exactly what i was in the mood for and i'm so glad i gave it a chance.
"This feeling, this hatred made up of both anger and desire, this resentment that wants not to erase but to own---what is it if not jealousy?"
never trusting an average review again! i can't believe i actually considered unhauling this more than once before reading it bc this actually knocked me out of a slump. it won't be for everyone, sure, but give it a try if you like:
- decadent, DEEP purple prose
- toxic 15 yr old queer behavior
- historical fiction with women navigating what power they can access
- eerie and vague faustian bargains
is it "overwritten" or do people just not appreciate lush prose anymore? maybe it's just a matter of preference. but i adored this. the characterization of our two main girls is just excellent. they are both flawed and foolish and prone to acting on impulse/passion, bc they are FIFTEEN! this is actually a powerful story about how women have historically had to strategize for influence wherever they can get it, often stepping on and over each other in the process. the second half got soooo messy and i was eating it up.
warning: you should be able to guess pretty early on, but this does NOT have a happy ending for the main sapphics. it's definitely not in the bury your gays/torture your lesbians camp, at least not in my opinion, because you know from the beginning that there is something off, some price that will be paid. also, it's 1717, and it's not a historical romance. it's romantic, but it's a gothic tale first and foremost.
tl;dr queer teen girls are messy and this book shows that perfectly. this was exactly what i was in the mood for and i'm so glad i gave it a chance.
June 11, 2023
What are they to each other, she and Maddalena, these girls with their hearts in their throats and their affection and their secrets, and the sinuous jealousy that motivates each muscle, all that sweet venom in the blood?
In a novel that completely transports the reader to 18th century Venice, Maddalena and the Dark is the story of two teenagers, Maddalena and Luisa, whose fates become inextricably intertwined when they meet at the Ospedale della Pietà, an elite music school associated with Antonio Vivaldi. When Maddalena confides to Luisa a way to make all her dreams come true, Luisa doesn't hesitate to trust her new friend. But granted wishes often come at a price -- one that the girls may not be prepared to pay.
Part dark academia, part magical realism, and part historical fiction, Maddalena and the Dark is a seductive, bewitching journey into the murky hearts of teenage girls, and I was captivated by it. At the same time, I can see how other readers wouldn't enjoy this as much as I did; Julia Fine is an intentional writer, one who crafts each sentence carefully and intricately, and her prose can be a bit much at times. The plot sometimes feels secondary to the words being used to tell the story, and I can see how some readers would be frustrated by that (and I actually disliked Fine's first novel, What Should Be Wild, for that very reason). But in Maddalena, I was so swept up in the rich atmosphere Fine created, so immersed in her portrayal of 18th century Venice, that every one of her meticulously-curated words drew me into her entrancing narrative -- all leading to a conclusion that felt both inevitable and impossible.
In Maddalena and Luisa, Fine has crafted two complex characters who are brimming with vivacity, ambition, and desire, and you can't help but be drawn in as their relationship develops and evolves, just like the symphonies they play and sing. It's an original take on toxic female friendship, one that will have your loyalties continuously shifting, set against an intoxicating backdrop of music and magic. I listened to most of the book on audio, and Sophie Roberts's emotionally resonant narration definitely added to my enjoyment of this story.
Immersive and intricate, sinuous and provocative, Maddalena and the Dark is a dark, cautionary fairy tale that I will be thinking about for a long time. Thank you to Flatiron Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity.
August 10, 2023
Maddalena and the Dark is one of those stories that truly contains multitudes, at least when it comes to genre. First and foremost, it’s historical fiction, set in 1717 Venice. The lush, clever writing invites readers to place it in the literary fiction camp, while the darkly romantic tone and tension house it firmly in gothic fiction, which blends with the more fantastical elements to tip it into magical realism or even fantasy territory and, since much of this dark story takes place in a school setting, dark academia could be included for good measure. All of this could have made for a muddled story, and it did in a few instances. But overall, this is a story unlike anything else I’ve ever read.
There’s an elegance to this story because of the beautiful, unusual setting. However, one of my favorite elements of the book was that Venice was not simply the setting, but an actual character in her own right. And a deeply disturbing one, at that. All of the fantastical elements of the story were based around this idea of Venice having a life and mind of her own, and I found that aspect of the story absolutely fascinating.
This is, at its core, a story of obsession. Luisa is obsessed with music, and wants nothing more than to be the best violinist in Venice, but her nerves get in the way. She’s an orphan, valued only for her musical talent at the Pieta she calls home. She has never quite fit in, and longs to belong to someone. Then she meets Maddalena, the daughter of a noble family sent to the Pieta to study music and improve her marriage prospects after scandal strikes. Maddalena is obsessed as well, but not with music; it’s Luisa who consumes her heart and mind. The friendship between the two borders on the romantic, which is completely impermissible at the Pieta.
We see obsession close in on madness. We see deals struck for selfish gain. We see romance blossom and backs stabbed. It’s a fascinating, if dark, look into a society and time I know little about. I felt that the narrative unraveled a bit toward the end, and lost itself a couple of times earlier in the story, but I was always interested enough to continue reading. I can’t say I liked any of the characters much, but they were at least compelling. I would definitely recommend this book for those who like gothic or historical fiction and would like to try something more unique to both genres.
There’s an elegance to this story because of the beautiful, unusual setting. However, one of my favorite elements of the book was that Venice was not simply the setting, but an actual character in her own right. And a deeply disturbing one, at that. All of the fantastical elements of the story were based around this idea of Venice having a life and mind of her own, and I found that aspect of the story absolutely fascinating.
This is, at its core, a story of obsession. Luisa is obsessed with music, and wants nothing more than to be the best violinist in Venice, but her nerves get in the way. She’s an orphan, valued only for her musical talent at the Pieta she calls home. She has never quite fit in, and longs to belong to someone. Then she meets Maddalena, the daughter of a noble family sent to the Pieta to study music and improve her marriage prospects after scandal strikes. Maddalena is obsessed as well, but not with music; it’s Luisa who consumes her heart and mind. The friendship between the two borders on the romantic, which is completely impermissible at the Pieta.
We see obsession close in on madness. We see deals struck for selfish gain. We see romance blossom and backs stabbed. It’s a fascinating, if dark, look into a society and time I know little about. I felt that the narrative unraveled a bit toward the end, and lost itself a couple of times earlier in the story, but I was always interested enough to continue reading. I can’t say I liked any of the characters much, but they were at least compelling. I would definitely recommend this book for those who like gothic or historical fiction and would like to try something more unique to both genres.
July 7, 2023
An intriguing premise for a story, but ultimately one that fails in execution.
I love the potential that this setting gave for a good story, as well as the idea of two young girls training with Vivaldi. Sadly that part of the story takes a backseat to what is largely an angsty and overwritten romance, which is far more boring than what the former plot point likely would have produced had it been allowed to be the central focus of the story.
I was also disappointed with the setting and atmosphere here, as it feels mostly like a drive by peek at Venice in this era, something akin to what a tour group in town for two days might focus on. The magical components are minimal and also fine for the most part, though they lack the eerie sparkle that would have made this story more immersive.
I’ve liked some of Fine’s other novels and I didn’t mind the flowery writing as much as some might, but the story itself is a shell of what it could have been.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I love the potential that this setting gave for a good story, as well as the idea of two young girls training with Vivaldi. Sadly that part of the story takes a backseat to what is largely an angsty and overwritten romance, which is far more boring than what the former plot point likely would have produced had it been allowed to be the central focus of the story.
I was also disappointed with the setting and atmosphere here, as it feels mostly like a drive by peek at Venice in this era, something akin to what a tour group in town for two days might focus on. The magical components are minimal and also fine for the most part, though they lack the eerie sparkle that would have made this story more immersive.
I’ve liked some of Fine’s other novels and I didn’t mind the flowery writing as much as some might, but the story itself is a shell of what it could have been.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
April 22, 2023
I really struggled with this book. I wanted to love it but it is SO overwritten that I could barely comprehend what was happening. The language is so flowery and everything is over described with way too many words. I also found the plot very slow and very loose. Because of these things I found it so hard to really be invested in the story.
October 1, 2024
My pitch for this is basically Hot Fuss as played by teenage girls in 1700s Venice.
January 22, 2023
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was hella dark. The sapphic relationship was kind of confusing tho? Like Maddelena was all in, but I never could tell if Luisa was bi or straight.
Rep: white Italian lesbian cis female MC, white Italian uncertain cis female MC, Italian cast, mainly straight side characters.
CWs: Misogyny, sexism, implied sexual coercion from a male in power, religious bigotry, forced institutionalization at a music school, general queerphobia/queermisia, violence, blood, injury/injury detail, murder, body horror.
This was hella dark. The sapphic relationship was kind of confusing tho? Like Maddelena was all in, but I never could tell if Luisa was bi or straight.
Rep: white Italian lesbian cis female MC, white Italian uncertain cis female MC, Italian cast, mainly straight side characters.
CWs: Misogyny, sexism, implied sexual coercion from a male in power, religious bigotry, forced institutionalization at a music school, general queerphobia/queermisia, violence, blood, injury/injury detail, murder, body horror.
June 13, 2023
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Maddalena and the Dark was a luscious tale of desire, jealousy, and obsession. Set against the backdrop of 18th century Venice, it follows two girls making a bargain with a dark power. One of them is Maddalena, a noble's daughter, who gets sent to an orphanage in the wake of a scandal in her family. That orphanage, the Pietà, also functions as a music school, one of the most famous ones in Venice. Until her family can sort out the scandal and marry her off, Maddalena is to stay there and learn how to be a good wife. In the Pietà, Maddalena meets Luisa, a violin prodigy, and the two quickly form an almost obsessive friendship. Maddalena promises to help Luisa become first violin and secure the tutelage of Antonio Vivaldi. What Luisa doesn't know is that Maddalena made a bargain with a mysterious power within the lagoons of Venice, which demands a high price.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. The prose was lush and evocative, transporting you right into the alleys of Venice. The book was clearly very well researched, and I couldn't put the book down as we were brought into the gondolas, carnival, and palazzos. As for the plot, the book was very much a character study, so there wasn't all that much. Yet I was glued to my seat as you slowly watched the two girls grow apart and careen towards disaster as events overturn.
The relationship between Luisa and Maddalena was the heart of the book for me. I loved the exploration of toxic, somewhat homoerotic, female friendships and obsession. Basically, this book did for me what The Last Tale of the Flower Bride failed to do. Maddalena is clearly the more brazen and confident one of the girls, feeling almost an ownership over Luisa as soon as they meet. Luisa herself, having grown up in the Pietá, is the quieter of the two and very naive and sheltered, letting Maddalena drag her along for whatever she fancies. When Maddalena took Luisa into her childhood home, I could already see the beginning of the end. The last quarter of the book was absolutely thrilling and terrible, like watching a car crash in slow-motion.
The book did the deal with the devil aspect very well, working almost as a cautionary tale to heed your ambition and desire. While Maddalena was always bold, Luisa developed from having smaller but reachable goals to wanting more and more, and it was ultimately her downfall. I also really liked the exploration of girlhood and how limited women's choices at the time were. Maddalena and Luisa have no good choices, yet they are being made to choose. Even a deal with a dark power couldn't preserve them from the fate of women at that time. The book baulks at the injustice of it while still remaining more or less realistic to the time. Lovers of music, and especially the violin, will also love this.
The ending of the book was perhaps a bit rushed, but I nevertheless loved it. 5/5 stars.
Maddalena and the Dark was a luscious tale of desire, jealousy, and obsession. Set against the backdrop of 18th century Venice, it follows two girls making a bargain with a dark power. One of them is Maddalena, a noble's daughter, who gets sent to an orphanage in the wake of a scandal in her family. That orphanage, the Pietà, also functions as a music school, one of the most famous ones in Venice. Until her family can sort out the scandal and marry her off, Maddalena is to stay there and learn how to be a good wife. In the Pietà, Maddalena meets Luisa, a violin prodigy, and the two quickly form an almost obsessive friendship. Maddalena promises to help Luisa become first violin and secure the tutelage of Antonio Vivaldi. What Luisa doesn't know is that Maddalena made a bargain with a mysterious power within the lagoons of Venice, which demands a high price.
This book was absolutely gorgeous. The prose was lush and evocative, transporting you right into the alleys of Venice. The book was clearly very well researched, and I couldn't put the book down as we were brought into the gondolas, carnival, and palazzos. As for the plot, the book was very much a character study, so there wasn't all that much. Yet I was glued to my seat as you slowly watched the two girls grow apart and careen towards disaster as events overturn.
The relationship between Luisa and Maddalena was the heart of the book for me. I loved the exploration of toxic, somewhat homoerotic, female friendships and obsession. Basically, this book did for me what The Last Tale of the Flower Bride failed to do. Maddalena is clearly the more brazen and confident one of the girls, feeling almost an ownership over Luisa as soon as they meet. Luisa herself, having grown up in the Pietá, is the quieter of the two and very naive and sheltered, letting Maddalena drag her along for whatever she fancies. When Maddalena took Luisa into her childhood home, I could already see the beginning of the end. The last quarter of the book was absolutely thrilling and terrible, like watching a car crash in slow-motion.
The book did the deal with the devil aspect very well, working almost as a cautionary tale to heed your ambition and desire. While Maddalena was always bold, Luisa developed from having smaller but reachable goals to wanting more and more, and it was ultimately her downfall. I also really liked the exploration of girlhood and how limited women's choices at the time were. Maddalena and Luisa have no good choices, yet they are being made to choose. Even a deal with a dark power couldn't preserve them from the fate of women at that time. The book baulks at the injustice of it while still remaining more or less realistic to the time. Lovers of music, and especially the violin, will also love this.
The ending of the book was perhaps a bit rushed, but I nevertheless loved it. 5/5 stars.
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June 23, 2023The setting, the prose, they were all very enticing in the first half of the book. I read on hoping to be given more context, for things to be less vague but I ended the book with not much knowledge of the fantasy elements in this book. All that was clear was the need to give the thing in the water what it wants. It was intriguing, the bargain and seeing Maddalena slowly succumb to it, page by page. This was gradual, the relationships between characters on the other hand were not. There was not much interaction between them before they were just seemingly super close and intimate in the next. I didn’t care much for the relationships, though they did play a big part in the story, as well as a big part of my indifference.
I complain a lot but I didn’t think this was terrible. I actually liked the ending, no matter how vague. I interpret it in such a way that each girl got what they wanted, in whatever twisted manner. I just wished for more context or explanation.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Netgalley, and the publisher for the arc!
I complain a lot but I didn’t think this was terrible. I actually liked the ending, no matter how vague. I interpret it in such a way that each girl got what they wanted, in whatever twisted manner. I just wished for more context or explanation.
Thanks to Edelweiss, Netgalley, and the publisher for the arc!
January 31, 2023
This was a beautiful, if uneven, story. I found the writing at the beginning to be a challenge, but I have a "give it 50 pages before you put it down rule" and here again it has served me well. I am constantly on the look out for fiction featuring musicians, and is a particular subgenre that I have found to be a favorite of mine, which I'm sure played into this as well.
In terms of the story, I found the "dark" parts to be compelling, but not always what was meant to be the romantic tension.
A quote: "She'd thought that wonder was strictly the provenance of music."
In terms of the story, I found the "dark" parts to be compelling, but not always what was meant to be the romantic tension.
A quote: "She'd thought that wonder was strictly the provenance of music."
December 7, 2023
Oh, to be a venetian girl falling in love with both her best friend and said friend's brother at the same time lol.
March 18, 2024
This book had me at the inside cover announcing its setting: “Venice, 1717.” I’ve often said that it might be impossible to write a bad book set in Venice, Italy. At least I haven’t run across one yet.
This tale of two girls and their friendship forged in the competitive, repressive environment of a Church-run musical conservatory makes it apparent that teenage passions may not change that much century to century or from one culture to another. I loved this beautifully written tale of music, magic, and finally, malevolence.
Highborn Maddelena’s family has barely survived a serious scandal due to her mother’s indiscretions and it is up to her to rescue all of them from society’s condemnation by marrying well (no pressure!). Orphan Luisa, whom she befriends at the Ospedale della Pietà, has no family at all to worry about, only a burning desire to excel at the violin and to develop an exceptional talent, and music eventually empowers her in a way she never thought possible.
A love triangle develops, with a woman scorned and treachery that brings a terrible revenge.
When Maddalena first discovers the source of a magical power in her magical city, she knows the main questions it asks are:
What do you want?, and
What will you pay?
Magic may be magic, but it isn't free.
This tale of two girls and their friendship forged in the competitive, repressive environment of a Church-run musical conservatory makes it apparent that teenage passions may not change that much century to century or from one culture to another. I loved this beautifully written tale of music, magic, and finally, malevolence.
Highborn Maddelena’s family has barely survived a serious scandal due to her mother’s indiscretions and it is up to her to rescue all of them from society’s condemnation by marrying well (no pressure!). Orphan Luisa, whom she befriends at the Ospedale della Pietà, has no family at all to worry about, only a burning desire to excel at the violin and to develop an exceptional talent, and music eventually empowers her in a way she never thought possible.
A love triangle develops, with a woman scorned and treachery that brings a terrible revenge.
When Maddalena first discovers the source of a magical power in her magical city, she knows the main questions it asks are:
What do you want?, and
What will you pay?
Magic may be magic, but it isn't free.
July 3, 2024
Este livro levou-me numa viagem pela Veneza do século XVIII, maravilhando-me com as passagens que aborda sobre e a competição entre as raparigas do colégio. Adorei principalmente Luísa, pela sua ambição de querer ser uma violonista reconhecida e o seu puro coração. Já Maddalena é uma personagem muito complexa, tanto havia momentos que gostava da sua dedicação por manter a amizade que construiu com Luísa como outros a odiava quando ela se achava no direito de controlar a vida da amiga.
O final é inesperado, mas já antevia que não seria um final feliz. É uma história maioritariamente melancólica, de natureza gótica e com um pouco de "dark academia". Para além de ser um bom exemplo de uma história de amizades intensas, também demonstra a pressão das raparigas para encontrar maridos e como a vida matrimonial as impedia de realizar os seus sonhos.
O final é inesperado, mas já antevia que não seria um final feliz. É uma história maioritariamente melancólica, de natureza gótica e com um pouco de "dark academia". Para além de ser um bom exemplo de uma história de amizades intensas, também demonstra a pressão das raparigas para encontrar maridos e como a vida matrimonial as impedia de realizar os seus sonhos.
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