Reviews - The Glassmaker | The StoryGraph

945 reviews for:

The Glassmaker

Tracy Chevalier

3.97 AVERAGE

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

4.25

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The Glassmaker follows Orsola Rosso, the daughter of a Murano (an island off Venice) glass blowing family from 1486 up until the present. No, that's not a typo for Chevalier plays with time. Orsola and other family members age but not at the speed conventional time would dictate. I was unsure how this would work, but honestly I barely noticed the asynchronous chronology and it did solve the problem of having to get to know the large cast of characters a novel spanning more than 500 years would normally feature. I loved Orsola as a character, a strong but flawed woman who often held her family and their business together despite the obstacles she faced as a woman. The immersion into the art and business of glass blowing was another plus. Venice was very much a character in this novel, and I loved watching her fortunes ebb and flow. At times, I could clearly picture it unspooling in cinematic detail. I also liked seeing the impact of historical events on the city and its economy, as well as comparing and contrasting the impact of the plague and the Covid pandemic, which bookended the story. All in all, well-researched, readable story that I enjoyed.

Content Warnings

ase126's review against another edition

4.0

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

talyahonor23's review against another edition

3.5

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

piggersen's review against another edition

4.0

slow-paced

What I really liked about this book is the movement of time. This book is about a glass making family starting in the 1400’s living in Murano, a small town near Venice. I had thought it would be about a family in generations but no. This is about the family and those connected to the family loving 500 years. Not in a weird way but as though the historical events of those 500 years were happening in their lifetime. Very cool and different, as long as I don’t think too much about it. This story is very slow and lots of description. I can’t really say why I liked it but I feel like it was just a good book!

kchristopher24's review against another edition

4.0

Loved the historical aspects, characters and learning about glassmaking in Venice/Murano. The time jumps were an interesting way of making the story flow but I still have many questions about how this worked in the minds of the characters.

dahlialover's review against another edition

4.75

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book and it was a perfect January read - interesting, clever, good character development and lovely topic. Chevalier's device of 'skipping' forward in time was well done and not too contrived. Felt entirely realistic and as ever well researched by the author. It was fascinating to contemplate the changes that Venice and the glass making industry would have undergone during centuries. Family relationships seemed entirely realistic, complete with endless struggle of coping with the younger, emergent generations and their desires to succeed. Admired Orsola and how she managed family dynamics and her aspirations. Some terribly devastating moments in the book but they were handled so adeptly by Chevalier. Would highly recommend!