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A review by shanacorrin
The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie
5.0
I have to say that I am a bit of a sucker for Salman Rushdie, though I'm fully aware that he isn't for everyone. I first became aware of this novel when an excerpt was published in The New Yorker. I was so taken with the excerpt that I pre-ordered the novel from Barnes & Noble (a big mistake, but that's another matter). Oddly, when the novel finally arrived, I let it sit on my shelves for a time before I finally picked it up. It was part delayed gratification, part not wanting to carry around a hardcover book, and part fear of being disappointed.
I'm happy to report that disappointment was never a factor. The characters and stories are fascinating, and the fact that some are drawn from history adds to the fascination. The writing is rich and evocative. I cannot count how many gorgeous turns of phrase I underlined in my copy. Best of all, for me anyway, were the ruminations about the creative power of the artist and how like it is to being god. There are beautifully written explorations of the power of the creator and it can limited by the power of the created thing to live it's own life. At the heart of all these musings is a recognition of the power and beauty and even the necessity of stories, and this is something Rushdie does, to my mind, in a way that too few others can.
I'm happy to report that disappointment was never a factor. The characters and stories are fascinating, and the fact that some are drawn from history adds to the fascination. The writing is rich and evocative. I cannot count how many gorgeous turns of phrase I underlined in my copy. Best of all, for me anyway, were the ruminations about the creative power of the artist and how like it is to being god. There are beautifully written explorations of the power of the creator and it can limited by the power of the created thing to live it's own life. At the heart of all these musings is a recognition of the power and beauty and even the necessity of stories, and this is something Rushdie does, to my mind, in a way that too few others can.