This is a fascinating book that’s hard to rate, as it’s a poetic enterprise entirely done in opera verse. That means The Siren and the Star won’t be for everyone, nor every teenager, but its unique ways will definitely appeal to the artistic, the dramatic, the operatic.

For indeed, it is an opera. Luciana “Lula” Gabroni is a young talent whose singing skills far outpace her actual age. She’s a new student at the New England Conservatory of Music, but her voice immediately singles her out as someone who ought to be the face of the school. In short order, Lula finds herself heading to an important Venetian signing competition with the troupe.

In a parallel story, Barbara Strozzi is a young composer who plans on lifting herself out of the servant class in 17th century Italy. She refuses to back down or listen to her critics or those who stand in her way, determined to get her songs out there – no matter the cost.

The two stories collide when Lula discovers Barbara’s songs in the conservatory’s library. She decides to bring Barbara’s compositions to light – but can she truly find her authentic self and express it?

This is such a beautiful story, but not everyone is going to get The Siren and the Star. For some, it might be too confusing, too rich a stew, too much – which is a badge of honor that Barbara and Lula would be proud of. But it’s very fascinating in its way. Those who love unusual formatting in their books will take to this one like a duck to water. Lula and Barbara are imperfect, sometimes unlikable, but always compelling.

The romance quotient here isn’t too central to the narrative; but, if you’re looking for a good story about two musicians searching for themselves, then The Siren and the Star will make your heart sing.