The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato
Addition: Paperback
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 3 out of 5
Synopsis:
Venice, 1681. Glassblowing is the lifeblood of the Republic, and Venetian mirrors are more precious than gold. Jealously guarded by the murderous Council of Ten, the glassblowers of Murano are virtually imprisoned on their island in the lagoon. But the greatest of the artists, Corradino Manin, sells his methods and his soul to the Sun King, Louis XIV of France, to protect his secret daughter. In the present day his descendant, Leonora Manin, leaves an unhappy life in London to begin a new one as a glassblower in Venice. As she finds new life and love in her adoptive city, her fate becomes inextricably linked with that of her ancestor and the treacherous secrets of his life begin to come to light.
This is book number four off my Mount TBR List. This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages, and when I discovered by husband’s Nan used to be a glassblower, I was even more eager to read it. However, this book wasn’t really what I expected.
The story is set in both the 1600s and the present day. Normally, I like novels which jump between time periods – novels written by the likes of Rachel Hore or Kate Morton. Yet, this story just didn’t grip me like the stories from those two authors do.
The story follows the Manin family – Leonora in the present day and Corradino in the 1600s. Both are glassblowers, and both are very talented. Yet Corradino sells his secrets to France to save his daughter, and Leonora, running away from a disappointing life in London, seeks to find out about her family history and to clear Corradino’s name.
As I write this, I find myself wondering what exactly about the book I didn’t really enjoy, and I’m not sure. I didn’t really like any of the characters, which isn’t always a problem for me if I find the story enjoyable. Yet I found the storyline a bit boring. There could have been more of a sense of danger in Corradino’s time, but there wasn’t. I knew The Ten were a force to not be messed with, but I didn’t feel fearful of them. As for Leonora, I found her a bit annoying. She seemed to be seeking validation – from her work, from her possible boyfriend and from her family legacy. I guess I didn’t really warm to her so her neediness annoyed me instead of making me root for her.
I’m rating this book 3 out of 5, which is a sign I didn’t hate it! I have been fairly negative about this novel so far, but I read it to the end and I did want to know what happened to Corradino. This novel is essentially a love story, which a historical mystery woven into it. This isn’t the worst book I have read this year. It didn’t take long to read, and I whatever I thought about the writing or the characters, I did want to know what was going to happen. This wasn’t what I expected, and it wasn’t as good as I had hoped it would be; however, it was an alright read.