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The Glassmaker

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The Glassmaker

By: Tracy Chevalier
Narrated by: Juliet Aubrey
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About this listen

'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.

©2024 Tracy Chevalier (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers Coming of Age Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Magical Realism War
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I enjoyed the narration very much and the storyline was a great insight into Murano glass and it's history.

Beautiful Venice

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I think this is my favourite Tracy Chevalier book. I enjoy her work and her narrators are great but there was something more to the Glass Maker. I’ve been to Venice and Murano and she creates them beautifully and although unsure at first, ended up loving how the story spans and intertwines with history, how life and the world changes but at the same time, it doesn’t! The narrator was fabulous and nailed the accent, just the right amount!

Wonderful

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I enjoyed the experience offered by the author as she shares a Murano glass makers family over the centuries.

A must read for lovers of Murano glass, especially bead collectors.

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Another beautifully crafted novel. I would have like more glasswork - there could have been a lot more to say about it. At first this book annoyed me with too much emphasis on emotions and relationships with glass in the background but once I accepted it then I became intrigued by the weird timeline and, like glass itself with colours twisted together, you can’t take emotions and relationships out of a Tracy Chevalier novel. Lovely ending.

Intriguing times

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The descriptions of Venice and Munaro through the years was wonderful. The Rosso family came alive through Orsolo. Great detail to a craft over 500 years.
Loved it, another brilliant book from Tracy Chivalier.

Historic beautifully crafted book

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I always enjoy Tracy Chevalier’s work and this one is also great. However the narrator whispers the whole story. Good if you listen when you’re trying to fall asleep but not so great otherwise . Her Italian accent was spot on however.

Interesting story , not so great narration

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I was initially put off by the idea that time would jump but not for the characters, but it was actually a wonderful device that allowed you to trace the historical evolution of Venice and the larger world, whilst also tracing the life path of the Rosso family. And as someone who collects glass in all its forms, the story of the glass industry of Murano was fascinating. And the ending was unexpected but just so right. Loved this story, and it was beautifully narrated.

A novel take on the family saga

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A magical and emotionally satisfying story, interesting historical aspects as well. Highly recommend, I was sad to finish this one as I could have listened to it forever!

Outstanding

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I loved this storyline.
I particularly loved how it run through generations with the same characters. Simply genius!

Brilliant

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I absolutely loved the story. I have spent a great deal of time in Murano over the last 30 years and seen the recent changes and recognised so much including the secrecy and landmarks. The protagonist was very believable through time and i cried a lot. It answered so many unknowns from my experience. The reader was a perfect fit.

The clever flitting through history

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