‘Soaring and searing.’ —Elizabeth Acevedo, former Young People’s Poet Laureate and New York Times bestselling author of Poet X
A promising young singer recovers from a traumatic experience by traveling to Venice and connecting with the work of a 17th-century female composer in this gorgeous and sensual novel-in-verse from the acclaimed author of Call Me Athena.
Introverted and homeschooled, vocal prodigy Luciana ‘Lula’ Gabroni is ready to become the star she’s trained all her life to be. After entering the New England Conservatory of Music, she is immediately chosen to join an elite ensemble of peers who will compete in a prestigious music festival in modern-day Venice, Italy.
Barbara Strozzi is a poor young woman living in 17th-century Venice who dreams of making her mark on the world through her gift of song. She is determined to fight against the prescribed path of an illegitimate servant girl, daring to envision a life filled with intellect, pleasure, and independence—even as the restrictions of her gender and status threaten to silence her forever.
When Lula comes across Barbara’s bold and seductive music in the Conservatory library, she immediately feels a striking kinship with the mysterious female composer. After an incident at school sends Lula searching to reclaim her voice, she soon realizes she must connect with the ghosts of the past to find her heart’s true song once again.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
A promising young singer recovers from a traumatic experience by traveling to Venice and connecting with the work of a 17th-century female composer in this gorgeous and sensual novel-in-verse from the acclaimed author of Call Me Athena.
Introverted and homeschooled, vocal prodigy Luciana ‘Lula’ Gabroni is ready to become the star she’s trained all her life to be. After entering the New England Conservatory of Music, she is immediately chosen to join an elite ensemble of peers who will compete in a prestigious music festival in modern-day Venice, Italy.
Barbara Strozzi is a poor young woman living in 17th-century Venice who dreams of making her mark on the world through her gift of song. She is determined to fight against the prescribed path of an illegitimate servant girl, daring to envision a life filled with intellect, pleasure, and independence—even as the restrictions of her gender and status threaten to silence her forever.
When Lula comes across Barbara’s bold and seductive music in the Conservatory library, she immediately feels a striking kinship with the mysterious female composer. After an incident at school sends Lula searching to reclaim her voice, she soon realizes she must connect with the ghosts of the past to find her heart’s true song once again.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Praise for this book
"With THE SIREN AND THE STAR, Colby Cedar Smith proves herself to be a poetic maestra, deftly crafting a multi-timeline, multi-character narrative that shimmers with magic and music. The stories of Lula and Barbara resonate long after the last page, inspiring readers to harness the power and potential of their own unique voices. A soaring, symphonic novel-in-verse." - Rebecca Caprara
"The Siren and the Star is powerful, sensual, and just as musical as the fascinating history." - Margarita Engle
"Blood Water Paint meets The Lucy Variations in The Siren and the Star, a lyrical verse novel that entwines the stories of two young women passionate about music centuries apart in Venice. The alternating points of view kept me on the edge of my seat as both musicians headed toward an inevitable crescendo. Such a beautifully-written tale!" - Kip Wilson
"The Siren and the Star is powerful, sensual, and just as musical as the fascinating history." - Margarita Engle
"Blood Water Paint meets The Lucy Variations in The Siren and the Star, a lyrical verse novel that entwines the stories of two young women passionate about music centuries apart in Venice. The alternating points of view kept me on the edge of my seat as both musicians headed toward an inevitable crescendo. Such a beautifully-written tale!" - Kip Wilson
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Colby Cedar Smith's The Siren and the Star