Excerpt from Isola by Allegra Goodman, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

My guardian saw me staring, but he did not rebuke me. "Would you like to see?"

I met his eyes, delighted as he beckoned me. He drew me in so I could examine gold-touched finials and fluted columns, marquetry doors, and then—with a flick of his finger, the bottom drawer sprang open.

Starting back, I nearly jumped into his arms.

Amused, he asked, "What do you see?"

"Gold," I whispered, gazing at the open drawer, brimful with écus. I had never known a cabinet like this or seen such money.

"Take these for clothes and lessons." My guardian gathered coins for Damienne.

Damienne murmured thanks and began to back away, but my guardian spoke to me again. "What do you play?"

"Nothing, my lord."

"No instrument at all?"

"No."

"Can you write?" I hesitated, and he said, "Can you write your name?" I nodded, although I did it poorly. "Can you read?"

"Words I know, my lord."

Excerpted from Isola by Allegra Goodman. Copyright © 2025 by Allegra Goodman. Excerpted by permission of The Dial Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.