Uncover
Her Voice
Venice, 1710
Ten-year-old Agata’s world is shaken at the sudden death of her mother. Left only with her capricious father, a working musician in Venice, her ailing grandmother sends her to the Ospedale de la Pieta, hidden from everything she’s ever known.
Agata auditions for the conservatory style music school where music is both salvation and spectacle. Hidden behind ornate metal grates, adorned with poinsettias in their hair, the singers are veiled in mystery, their ethereal music drawing noble audiences, including gilded young men who see them as treasures—not only for their sound but as coveted marriage prizes.
But just as she reaches the height of her musical journey, a marriage proposal from someone outside the audience tempts her with the promise of a new life—a return to the old neighborhood she’s longed for and a home she barely remembers. Torn between the music that has defined her and the hope of belonging to a family, Agata must confront the most profound question of her life: is her purpose rooted in the music that shaped her, or in the love that might free her?
Poinsettia Girl Reviews
Historical Fiction Company- 5 Stars
Wizbowski’s prose drifts easily between the concrete and the dreamlike, between the outer strictures of Venetian life and the inner tremors of a girl learning to inhabit her own voice. One finds oneself carried along as if on a slow-moving canal boat, watching the shifting gleam of water and shadow, listening for the faint, persistent music that threads through Agata’s story. It is a book that lingers.
Yarde Book Reviews- 5 Stars
Wizbowski’s evocative prose brings the enchanting world of Agata to life, making it impossible for readers to put the book down once the first page is turned. This book comes highly recommended.
Chick Lit Book Cafe- 5 Stars
Written in breathtaking prose, Poisenttia Girl by Jennifer Wizbowski is a work of art. Her writing is poignant and unique, and her characters are exquisite and inspiring. Her expressive writing style and descriptions of everything in each scene are deeply discerned, felt, and seen as if we were right there as the story progresses on.
Blue Ink Reviews
Through alternating character viewpoints and third-person narration, Wizbowski’s novel thoughtfully explores the challenges of claiming autonomy as a woman in a traditional, male-
dominated culture. Agata’s steady transformation from a shy foundling to a 22-year-old musician illustrates how trauma can irrevocably shape personal identity. The writing shines when depicting Agata’s growing artistry and how music serves as source of inner strength.
Historical Novel Society
Based on the life of composer Agata della Pietà , this is an atmospheric book full of strong, vividly drawn female characters. The story is compelling, and Agata’s transformation from a scared young girl to a confident woman is a moving one