ljm57 's review for:

The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier

4.0

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The story begins in 1486 on the island of Murano which lies across the lagoon from Venice. Murano is home to traditional glassmakers including the Rosso family who have operated their business for generations. It’s a skill and tradition passed down from father to son, the women relegated to looking after their fathers, husbands, brothers and children, as well as running the household. That is until headstrong Orsola Rosso comes along with a bold plan to save the family from financial ruin. She embarks on a clandestine venture, learning to make her own beautiful glassware which, despite the odds, becomes a success. I wasn’t too sure about how the skipping stones through time element would work, whereby time moved by throughout the centuries, the story spanning over 500 years but with the main characters living through it all, but, it worked and I enjoyed the book. Seeing how the same characters’ lives changed and adapted to the myriad of tumultuous Venetian and world events that took place over that time was very interesting, as was Venice’s role and place in the world. Characters, setting and plot all well done.