The Glassblower of Murano
by: Marina Fiorato
Genre: General Fiction, Historical Fiction
Rating: 4 stars
Summary from Goodreads:
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.
I read this right after I got home from a trip to Venice so I believe that's what made it so wonderful. Also the focus was more that of intrigue than of romance, particularly during the portions of the story set in the past. That combined with the writing and the wonderful character of Leonora - a woman trying to make it in a predominately male career made the book one of the best I read that summer. The fact that I had just come from Murano and had seen how they made their glass (and I admit bought quite a few trinkets) made me enjoy it all ther
The writing - particularly for Corradino's story - is very well crafted I especially enjoyed the symmetry of the first and last chapters. It showed the readers exactly how much Leonora has grown throughout the novel. This is one I would pass along to anyone who loves history, art, and intrigue with just enough romance to keep it interesting.
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