The Venice Sketchbook

A mostly nice story - but the prevalent anti-Catholic sentiments and strange family relations at the end soured this one for me.

I really loved the setting. The descriptions were so lovely and it made me feel nostalgic for the one afternoon I've spent in Venice. That being said, the plot dragged on and was extremely predictable. The part of the story I wound up the most interested in didn't come until the last few chapters of the book so it was rushed through. I wasn't thrilled with the ending either, because while it dropped off at many points, it was at the same time too resolved. Regardless, I enjoyed parts of it and will hold on to those.

While this book is marketed as a historical fiction, it reads much more like a romance to me. That being said, I did enjoy the reading experience.

When the story begins, we are introduced to a scene between a woman and a man. The man is recruiting the woman to be a spy for Britain while she is living in Venice. The reader then expects to read a book about about a brave woman spying for her government. Instead, the story is mostly about Juliet's romance with an Italian man she cannot have and the city of Venice. The war and the spying does not really enter the book until the last 20% of the book.

The best aspect of this book is the Venice setting. The descriptions of the city and its canals and churches are beautifully detailed and create a lovely image for the reader.

The characters in this book are quite likable. Juliet is a protagonist for whom the reader can feel sympathy. She is talented and kind, and she tries to do what is right in most situations. Her love interest can be a bit frustrating at times because of his lack of concern for decorum. He often does not seem to realize the pain he is causing Juliet.

There is also a modern timeline featuring Juliet's great niece who travels to Venice after Juliet's death to scatter her ashes there. She learns a lot about her aunt's history while in Venice and even meets some relatives of Juliet's lover. This timeline is not as interesting and entertaining to read as the one that occurs in the time of the second world war.

Overall, I can say that enjoyed the book. However, it is not the story I was expecting to read based on the start of the novel and its synopsis.