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The Glassmaker
- Author
- Tracy Chevalier
- Narrator
- Juliet Aubrey
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 12 September 2024
- Run Time
- 14 hours 22 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
- Genre
- Fiction: general and literary, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Family life fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Health and illness, Narrative theme: Love and relationships
- Rating
- 4.4 (5 reviews)
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What to expect
'Spellbinding' ELIF SHAFAK
'Ingenious' THE TIMES, Book of the Year
'Sparkling'OBSERVER
'A triumph' PHILIP PULLMAN
'As finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead' INDEPENDENT
'Meticulously researched and evoking the beauty of the Venice lagoon’ PHILIPPA GREGORY
‘A spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game’ SPECTATOR
FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRINGVenice, 1486.
Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting.
In secret, Orsola Rosso learns to craft glass. As a woman, she must flout convention to save her family from ruin. We follow her through hundreds of years of war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.
Skipping like a stone across the centuries, The Glassmaker is a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as glass.
Critics Review
-
'A triumph… a brilliant idea carried out with confidence and brio and a deep love of an extraordinary city. The ingenuity of the time-skipping is beyond admiration' PHILIP PULLMAN
'Spellbinding…. Chevalier at her fabulous best. A rich, vivid and gently enchanting novel' ELIF SHAFAK
'Ingenious… an absorbing story' THE TIMES, Book of the Year
‘Sparkling… a triumph of craft’ OBSERVER
‘A spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game’ SPECTATOR
'As finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead… reaffirm[s Chevalier's] status as one of the reigning queens of historical fiction' INDEPENDENT
'A time-skipping Venetian tour de force' GUARDIAN
'Meticulously researched and evoking the beauty of the Venice lagoon, the story challenges and transports the reader through time and place' PHILIPPA GREGORY
'One of our great period novelists'iNews
'Combining her storytelling gifts with her love of Venice, Chevaier has produced a memorable addition to her oeuvre’ SUNDAY TIMES, Nick Rennison
'Chevalier weaves a magical thread through this extraordinary city’s history. A masterpiece' WOMAN & HOME
'Truly remarkable and richly enjoyable… very clever' SCOTSMAN
‘Reaffirms Chevalier’s skill in crafting engaging, evocative historical tales’ GLAMOUR
‘Evocative’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘Mythical’ CANDIS
‘Beautiful’ PRIMA
‘This inventive portrait of a woman and her city is mesmerising’ PLATINUM
'This charming fable is at once a love story that skips through six centuries, and also a love song to the timeless craft of glassmaking. Chevalier probes the fierce rivalries and enduring loyalties of Murano's glass dynasties, capturing the roar of the furnace, the sweat on the skin, and the glittering beauty of Venetian glass' GERALDINE BROOKS
'Chevalier, one of our great storytellers, brings us unexpected worlds' AMY BLOOM
'Tracy Chevalier pens a novel as ambitious, audacious, and artistic as a Venetian glass goblet… The Glassmaker is a thing of beauty' KATE QUINN
User Reviews
Book 4.4
Narration 4.4
-
5.0 5.0
Really enjoyed the narration as it seemed to keep the pace of this unfolding story going beautifully. Took me a little while to realise how it was unfolding but was so cleverly done. The slow pace of life in Venice. I shall look forward to more of Tracy Chevaliers books.
Jane B 2025-06-02 -
5.0 5.0
This has to be the best book I’ve listened to for a long time. Tracy Chevalier must have done a huge amount of research to be able to idescribe in such detail everywhere and everything. Her time shifting device to cover 500 years was inspired.
I must also praise the reader, Juliet Aubrey. Her delivery was smooth and measured with seamless transitions between English and Italian. An utter delight to listen to.PBee 2025-03-03 -
5.0 5.0
What a beautiful story!! Highly recommended.
ClareR 2024-11-18 -
5.0 5.0
Engaging story enhanced by clever use of time skipping
Fascinating setting of glassmaking in Murano told through one family but spanning 500 years in the outside world.
It felt like a multi-generational saga without the work of following the multiple generations.
Having recently listened to The Instrumentalist (another great book), I'm tempted to visit Venice, but I'm cutting back on air travel, which is consistent with the environmental sub-theme of this book.
Very enjoyable listenbluedocs 2024-09-25
Details
- Author
- Tracy Chevalier
- Narrator
- Juliet Aubrey
- Duration
- 14 hours 22 minutes
- Release Date
- 12 September 2024
- ISBN
- 9780008153908
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Fiction: general and literary, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Family life fiction, Narrative theme: Coming of age, Narrative theme: Identity / belonging, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Health and illness, Narrative theme: Love and relationships
- Rating
- 4.4(5 reviews)
- Narration
- 4.4(5 reviews)
Synopsis
'Spellbinding' ELIF SHAFAK'Ingenious' THE TIMES, Book of the Year'Sparkling'OBSERVER'A triumph' PHILIP PULLMAN'As finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead' INDEPENDENT'Meticulously researched and evoking the beauty of the Venice lagoon’ PHILIPPA GREGORY‘A spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game’ SPECTATOR FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here – like the glass the island’s maestros spend their lives perfecting.In secret, Orsola Rosso learns to craft glass. As a woman, she must flout convention to save her family from ruin. We follow her through hundreds of years of war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss.Skipping like a stone across the centuries, The Glassmaker is a virtuoso portrait of a woman, a family and a city that are as everlasting as glass.
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