The glassblower of Murano (edition 2009)

I really enjoyed this novel, it was like being back in Venice at times! You can read my thoughts on this novel at my blog (contains major spoilers): http://www.rulethewaves.net/blog/?p=2854 ( )

I got a couple of chapters into this and realised it wouldn't be anything new. The story of the glassblower's life could have been interesting, but the modern Leonora's life was so much cliché and drew so much on people's perceptions of Venice as a beautiful and romantic place and blah blah blah. The parallel stories, modern and ancient, is a device that's been used a thousand times before.

And the writing itself is truly indifferent. I don't think I read anything with even a spec of originality. The use of italics is irritating and lazy. None of it made me care in any way.

I was, at least, entertained by the fact that apparently I know Venice quite well through playing Assassin's Creed 2, and that I understood the snippets of Italian in the same way. ( )

The story and writing was good with a lovely setting. Unfortunately, it seemed that what should have been the major elements (relationships, research, apprenticeship) were only glossed over, never really explored and therefore not really believable. Also it seemed the action was stretched out to coincided with holidays.

Lastly, my edition was an audiobook from Audible. The intermission music was much louder than the spoken parts, a bit jarring. ( )

A very quick read (finished it in one night) which plays with being a historical novel and also a romance. Neither work particularly well. I enjoyed the descriptions of Venice, but that's about all. It was hard to engage with the modern day characters and the historical characters were not given sufficient depth either, though they were better drawn. ( )

I love the descriptive details of the glass, Venice and the history of the city and the trade. It drew me into the book. There are two stories told in the book. That of the glass blower from the old world and that of today. A woman is recently divorced and goes to Venice to learn the glass blowing trade. She is fraught with all the lack of self-confidence that one might expect (and a maybe more) of a wife who has been jilted by her husband for a younger woman. It is a classic romance story I believe. I give it a 3.5 only because I am not a big fan of romance. Would have given it a higher ratting otherwise. ( )