What do you think?
A Single Witness
- GenresHistorical
324 pages, Paperback
Published May 4, 2026
About the author
Christine Balint
4 books11 followersChristine Balint, born in Melbourne in 1975, teaches writing at the Victorian College of the Arts.
She has been a professional writer for more than 20 years. Her first novel, The Salt Letters, was shortlisted for the 1998 The Australian / Vogel Literary Award. Her second novel, Ophelia's Fan, was internationally published in 2004.
She has been a professional writer for more than 20 years. Her first novel, The Salt Letters, was shortlisted for the 1998 The Australian / Vogel Literary Award. Her second novel, Ophelia's Fan, was internationally published in 2004.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 7, 2026
A Single Witness is the evocative and moving story of Anna Maria’s battle to be heard in a male dominated world. Set in the mid 1700’s, in a small rural town outside of Venice, A Single Witness is a fictional tale based on a true story.
A Single Witness is a thought provoking and emotive read. I’m not sure I would have picked this up if I saw it in a bookshop but I urge everyone to give this a read even if you are not an historical fiction fan. This is the story of a young girl who would not be silenced. The story is set in 18th century Venice however still relevant today in a society where it’s easier to turn a blind eye.
Thirteen-year-old Anna Maria lives with her grandmother and father in the small mountain village of Piovene. She is terrified of her violent, alcoholic father and tries to keep out of his way by making herself invisible to him. However she is only a slight girl and when he gets her alone he sexually assaults her.
The story follows Anna Maria’s struggle to be heard but she never gives up as she moves from the local priest and her grandmother to The Council of Ten in Venice.
Although this is a harrowing story Balint writes beautifully descriptive scenes on general life, farming practices, everyday household work, clothing and the community of the era, all which were fascinating to read.
You can read my full review at: https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
A Single Witness is a thought provoking and emotive read. I’m not sure I would have picked this up if I saw it in a bookshop but I urge everyone to give this a read even if you are not an historical fiction fan. This is the story of a young girl who would not be silenced. The story is set in 18th century Venice however still relevant today in a society where it’s easier to turn a blind eye.
Thirteen-year-old Anna Maria lives with her grandmother and father in the small mountain village of Piovene. She is terrified of her violent, alcoholic father and tries to keep out of his way by making herself invisible to him. However she is only a slight girl and when he gets her alone he sexually assaults her.
The story follows Anna Maria’s struggle to be heard but she never gives up as she moves from the local priest and her grandmother to The Council of Ten in Venice.
Although this is a harrowing story Balint writes beautifully descriptive scenes on general life, farming practices, everyday household work, clothing and the community of the era, all which were fascinating to read.
You can read my full review at: https://theburgeoningbookshelf.blogsp...
June 20, 2026
Loved this book, such a great story
July 22, 2026
A Single Witness stayed with me long before I finished the last page. Don’t you love it when a book does that? But this was a heart-heavy, gripping read. It’s based on the shocking true story of Anna Maria Bonon, a 13-year-old girl from a poor 1750s Italian rural village who works in a mill by day and farms silkworms at night while striving to keep out of reach of a violent, unpredictable, brutal father*
Having just spent time in Italy this year, I was drawn to this story that unpacked a gritty history behind a romantic destination, and Christine Balint told a compellingly raw story with deep compassion and thoughtful commitment to the character’s voice.
When Anna Maria finds no support from her grandmother and priest in response to her sexual assault from her father and is shunned by a village who live in fear and cowardice, she bravely seeks justice in Venice, giving evidence to the infamous Council of Ten.
While uncomfortable in subject. It’s compelling in the telling as Christine Balint’s atmospheric writing walks us through an unforgiving society in Italy in the 1700’s unpacking layers of family, faith, community, loyalty and justice.
The lifecycle of the silkworm is woven so cleverly here as well, from helplessness to transformation, as we walk beside a main character who emerges from powerlessness to taking on authority and refusing to be silenced.
That this novel is based on truth, drawing closely on a 13-year old’s desperation and determination for truth telling and self-preservation in a time when women had no voice is remarkable. A raw and remarkable read.
Balint’s book was researched and written from trial records housed in the State Archives of Venice.
Having just spent time in Italy this year, I was drawn to this story that unpacked a gritty history behind a romantic destination, and Christine Balint told a compellingly raw story with deep compassion and thoughtful commitment to the character’s voice.
When Anna Maria finds no support from her grandmother and priest in response to her sexual assault from her father and is shunned by a village who live in fear and cowardice, she bravely seeks justice in Venice, giving evidence to the infamous Council of Ten.
While uncomfortable in subject. It’s compelling in the telling as Christine Balint’s atmospheric writing walks us through an unforgiving society in Italy in the 1700’s unpacking layers of family, faith, community, loyalty and justice.
The lifecycle of the silkworm is woven so cleverly here as well, from helplessness to transformation, as we walk beside a main character who emerges from powerlessness to taking on authority and refusing to be silenced.
That this novel is based on truth, drawing closely on a 13-year old’s desperation and determination for truth telling and self-preservation in a time when women had no voice is remarkable. A raw and remarkable read.
Balint’s book was researched and written from trial records housed in the State Archives of Venice.
June 9, 2026
Dark and deeply disturbing A Single Witness from Christine Balint returns to a time when judgement was freely handed out and a woman’s lot was hard, challenging and accepted. Italy in 1757 was such a place, especially in the town of Schio were this story of tragedy and acceptance begins and in so many ways ends.
A girl, young, troubled and at the first blush of youth stands in her dead mother shoes, a small bag of coins fastened inside her clothing; a man relentlessly questions her. She has been bought up to always tell the truth, but when the truth compromises the family and the Church she is told to lie. Her name is Anna Maria and this is her story.
She has little but is expected to somehow manage to survive. She is reporting a rape, a rape she has endured, but whether they will believe her is still unknown. All she knows is she needs to leave to save herself from a violent man; her father.
Justice is slow to be awarded but at what cost to Anna Maria, as she is forced to make her way in an unforgiving society, one that shuns a young, unmarried girl with little or no skills.
Balint has created a story that resonates down through the ages based on a trial record housed in the State Archives of Venice under the Procesi Criminaliti Processi: Vincenza Busta 1756-59 which tells of a dark and tragic tale mired in cowardice and fear.
A girl, young, troubled and at the first blush of youth stands in her dead mother shoes, a small bag of coins fastened inside her clothing; a man relentlessly questions her. She has been bought up to always tell the truth, but when the truth compromises the family and the Church she is told to lie. Her name is Anna Maria and this is her story.
She has little but is expected to somehow manage to survive. She is reporting a rape, a rape she has endured, but whether they will believe her is still unknown. All she knows is she needs to leave to save herself from a violent man; her father.
Justice is slow to be awarded but at what cost to Anna Maria, as she is forced to make her way in an unforgiving society, one that shuns a young, unmarried girl with little or no skills.
Balint has created a story that resonates down through the ages based on a trial record housed in the State Archives of Venice under the Procesi Criminaliti Processi: Vincenza Busta 1756-59 which tells of a dark and tragic tale mired in cowardice and fear.
May 2, 2026
A compelling, raw story told with compassion and honesty. Based on a true story found in the Venetian archives about a young 13 year old girl who accuses her father of rape in the 1750s - and what that meant in families, communities, religion and law at the time. You can’t help but admire her bravery and strength for telling her truth. My heart is still heavy from reading and I know I will be thinking of this book for a while.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews