jplane1 's review for:

The Glass Maker by Tracy Chevalier

2.5

informative reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

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The time gimmick used in this book didn't work for me. I guess the author wanted to explore the glassmaking craft on Murano through the centuries, but also wanted to develop one single cast of characters. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters to be particularly well-developed, even after 500 years with them. The idea is just so problematic. Orsola in 1600 is not going to be the same person as Orsola in 1915. That's not how human beings work, even when they are part of a protected and traditional culture. We are shaped by our time and even by our technology. I think this book might have been better if it was a non-fiction book about glassmaking on Murano through history. The stone-skipping image was silly, and the abrupt reviews of European history were jarring.