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An enthralling coming-of-age debut novel about a young woman in late 19th-century Venice who becomes a man to join the male-dominated world of the theater as a puppeteer�in the vein of Sarah Waters. Ever since her grandfather introduced her to eight-string marionettes, Francesca has dreamed of performing from the rafters of Venice�s popular Minerva Theater. There�s just one problem: the profession is only open to men. When her father arranges to sell her into marriage to pay off his gambling debts, Francesca flees her home. Masquerading as a male orphan named Franco, she secures an apprenticeship with the Minerva�s eccentric ensemble of puppeteers. Amid the elaborate set-pieces, the glittering limes, and the wooden marionettes, she finds a place where she belongs�and grows into the person she was always meant to be: Franco. The past threatens to catch up with Franco when his childhood friend Annella reappears and recognizes him at the theater. Now a paid companion to an influential woman, Annella understands the lengths one must go to survive, and she promises to keep Franco�s secret. Desire sparks between them, and they find themselves playing a dangerous game against the most powerful figures of Venice�s underworld. With their lives�and the fate of the Minerva�hanging in the balance, Franco must discover who is pulling the strings before it�s too late. Rich in historic detail and imbued with sharp social commentary, Eight Strings is a gorgeous, spellbinding debut that celebrates love, life, and art in all its forms.