altlovesbooks
Orsola Rosso is born into a family of glassmakers, grows up around glassmakers, and all she knows is glass. The book begins with glassmaking rivalry; the Rossos are competing against another family in the glass trade, but it's this other family that finally gives Orsola the chance she needs to start working glass for her family herself. As time passes, we see Murano and Venice change around them, but Orsola's family remains the same, with Orsola's glasswork holding things together. 500 years pass, and we get to see how changing times impacts the Rossos, and Orsola too.
You have to go into this book with an open mind and an ability to ignore glaring inconsistencies with the time skipping idea the book is predicated on. Some of the periods the book touches on are fleshed out in a meaningful way, while others that seemed equally important get only a brief mention, a brief chapter, or are otherwise glossed over before moving on to the next point in time. This time skipping idea was hard for me to get around at first; wouldn't Orsola question the passage of time? But eventually I stopped looking for answers and just enjoyed the book. It's a beautifully crafted story.
I guess my real hangup with this book was the ending. (ending spoilers here) I don't get why Orsola didn't realize that Antonio was dead, had died a long time ago, and that the dolphins she received were crafted by different people. She even points out that each one was crafted differently; to someone as familiar with glass as she was, you'd think that would tell her something.
I enjoyed this book in spite of the time elephant in the room though.
Orsola Rosso is born into a family of glassmakers, grows up around glassmakers, and all she knows is glass. The book begins with glassmaking rivalry; the Rossos are competing against another family in the glass trade, but it's this other family that finally gives Orsola the chance she needs to start working glass for her family herself. As time passes, we see Murano and Venice change around them, but Orsola's family remains the same, with Orsola's glasswork holding things together. 500 years pass, and we get to see how changing times impacts the Rossos, and Orsola too.
You have to go into this book with an open mind and an ability to ignore glaring inconsistencies with the time skipping idea the book is predicated on. Some of the periods the book touches on are fleshed out in a meaningful way, while others that seemed equally important get only a brief mention, a brief chapter, or are otherwise glossed over before moving on to the next point in time. This time skipping idea was hard for me to get around at first; wouldn't Orsola question the passage of time? But eventually I stopped looking for answers and just enjoyed the book. It's a beautifully crafted story.
I guess my real hangup with this book was the ending. (ending spoilers here) I don't get why Orsola didn't realize that Antonio was dead, had died a long time ago, and that the dolphins she received were crafted by different people. She even points out that each one was crafted differently; to someone as familiar with glass as she was, you'd think that would tell her something.
I enjoyed this book in spite of the time elephant in the room though.