Orsala Russo is part of one of Murano’s glassmaking families. This unique novel follows her story and that of her family over hundreds of years time hopping through different periods of history. Difficult to explain but definitely one to savour!

I loved this book and the tale is told of Murano and Venice. The timeline was a little confusing at first but enjoyed having the same characters over such a long time span and how their lives had changed with how the world did. I've been aware of Murano glass but not really thought about the history of it and how it interacted with Venice.

A wonderful tale interlaced with history and beautifully told.

I was utterly absorbed by this beautiful historical novel, which follows the Rosso glassblowing family through several centuries - from the 15th, right through to the present 21st century. How can that be you might well ask, well you need to put reality aside and accept that like a magical ‘skipping stone’, Chevalier has used a time slip device so we can see the Rosso family, along with Murano and Venice change throughout the many ages. We witness changing affluences - the effects of plague, poverty, war, Napoleon’s invasion, Austrian take over, to post world wars independence. I loved the changes seen through the Gondola’s importance and in the architecture too - it’s as if the rotting and ruined palazzos have a life of their own, history drawn on those facades. It’s an odd concept, but one that surprisingly works. I particularly enjoyed clever parallel that a shifted from the medieval Plague, right through to comparable 21st century Covid and the challenges of global warming on the islands of Venice.

The history of glass making is central to the novel, and one which helps bind it throughout. (Perhaps my personal interest in art history made this particularly attractive to me.)Through learning about the importance of Glass making to the economy and lives of the Murano people, and here specifically the Rosso family, we see the importance of women in its history and the changing position they had in society. Orsolo, our wonderful main character, is a beautiful strong woman whom we can only admire. Her central role in saving the family several times over through glass bead making is one which I found fascinating.

The writing is so incredibly rich with atmosphere, scent and a rich tapestry of vivid colours which paint the picture of Orsola’s world and the life of the Muranese and Venetians. There’s also a very insular sense created through the shifting sense of space and time on their floating city, completely isolated from the terraferma, which is imagined as completely alien to Muranese life with their horses, then trains and stable ground.

I’ve focused a lot on the historical depth of the novel, but that’s not to say the characters aren’t also beautifully drawn. I could go on for some time as I really loved this novel and I’m more than happy to give it 5 stars - it’s enchanting and one which I highly recommend. Big thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

4/5 stars.
I enjoyed this story of Orsolo Rosso and her family set on Murano, near Venice.
I’d read The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chavalier many years ago and remember the great details she wove the that book of artist in Ghent.
The Glassmaker demonstrated similar very thorough research by the author and really set the scene of life in Murano and Venice and the work of the glass-maker families which I knew nothing about before reading this.
It focuses on Orsolo as the main character and her family and descendants as time moves from the 1440s and experience works events such as the plague, Industrial Revolution, world wars and to present time. A different type of book to the crime thrillers I normally read but enjoyable and certainly a memorable story.
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an advance copy in return for my honest opinion. I have also published this review on Goodreads.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found the topic absolutely fascinating and the interesting take on narrative time, whilst at first a bit disorientating, was a great way to explore history of the Rosso family, glassmaking industry and of Venice and Murano. Having never visited Murano or Venice before, I was surprised by how vividly I was able to imagine the streets of Murano through time. Chevalier also has a real talent in crafting characters who are endearing but incredibly human - I will miss the cast of characters who have accompanied me through these pages. I will be recommending this to others and believe it is well worth a read.

First of all, can we take a moment to admire that stunning cover? Just as stunning is the story contained within its pages.

I was totally immersed in the story of Orsola Rosso and those dearest to her whilst I was reading. This is a story which spans more than 500 years and yet has the same characters as the focus of the story. Time moves differently in Venice and Murano, flows like molten glass, and you can say the same for time in this book. Tracy Chevalier has chosen a very clever way of keeping her characters at the centre of her book and while it’s perhaps not plausible in the real world, it works very effectively here.

I heard the author talk about The Glassmaker at the Edinburgh Book Festival recently and she spoke of how she was inspired to write about glassmaking when she learned of the few women glassmakers in an industry heavily dominated by men. Rather than be constrained by facts if she was writing about the women she researched, she chose instead to create the character of Orsola while including a real historical figure, Marietta Barovier the creator of the Rosetta Bead, as a mentor to her protagonist. This gave her freedom to use her imagination blending facts and fiction, and she has used her storytelling skills so creatively throughout the book.

The author clearly has a love of Venice and personal knowledge of ‘La Serenissima‘ and the nearby islands which she uses to great effect in the book. The way she has depicted Venice brings the sights, sounds and smells of the city vividly onto the page. Whatever the time period being written about, I felt I could imagine the heat of the workshops, the smell of the molten glass, the beauty of the city, the bustle of the markets and the songs and cries of the gondoliers. It was fascinating to read about the glassmaking industry and how crucial it was to Murano. I also learned a lot about Venetian history through the centuries which I didn’t know. The time period covered meant that Venice saw huge changes and yet some things remained the same: how much the people relied on trade (now tourism) for survival, the constant threat of rising waters, the way women have to prove themselves time and again.

The Glassmaker is a beautifully written book with memorable characters whether from Orsola’s extensive family or from those they meet including some rather famous names in history such as Casanova and Empress Josephine. It’s a story of enduring love in many forms. I so enjoyed reading about Orosola as she faced challenges and change and each time proved her resourcefulness. I loved this book just as much as I had anticipated. A wonderful read from one of my favourite historical fiction writers.

An exquisitely penned story set in stunning Murano Italy in the 1400s. The story follows Orsola, the daughter of a Murano glassmaker, as she attempts to undertake breadmaking in the world of glass dominated by men. The narrative follows ordinary time for much of Orsola's youth, taking her through the time of Plague, then we see her age only a few years, but time has jumped on by decades. chevalier plays with time using the analogy of a skimming stone jumping across the surface of water. It allows us the opportunity to watch the women of the family adapt to the changing outside world, with visits from the infamous Casanova, the introduction of the novel, world war, travel and the influx of tourism, the Covid pandemic, and much more all impacting the family. Written in such beautiful language, this book is a joy to read. #theglassmaker #tracychevalier #netgalley

Having loved The Girl with the Pearl Earring, I was thrilled to get a digital ARC of The Glassmaker. Chevalier has put a considerable effort into the glass making industry in Murano over the years with amazing attention to detail. Similarly the descriptions of Venice and Murano had me searching on the internet for images and maps (and searching for a possible visit!)
I struggled with the time shifts, it felt a little like it was trying too hard for me and I couldn’t quite buy into the fact that Orsola and her siblings only aged a few years over 5 decades. I did like Orsola’s character and her determination to master her craft and keep her family afloat.
I think I was hoping for a bit more action or for Orsola to experience a little more of life, but I guess being born at the time she was, her options were limited.
I did enjoy the ending of the book and thought it brouht things full circle.
Overall a pleasant read with some interesting history that I had not read about before.

This book had so many good reviews and I enjoyed the story.
I did not know anything about the history of glass in Venice and this book gave quite comprehensive descriptions about Murano glass and the importance of it to the area and its people.
I loved the main character, as we witness her travels through life , the value of family and the glass business was integral to her character.
There are time jumps in this book which I was not sure what the point of them was, but I did like the short summary of events in the period.s between the time jumps.
This is a well-written book, I loved the ending and how the book wrapped up but I felt it was a slow moving book which I thought could have been shorter in length,
I know lots of readers have loved this one, I enjoyed it and maybe I set very high expectations of it and I have come away a bit disappointed possibly because of that.
Its well worth a read if you enjoy historical fiction.

I love the setting and reading all about Venice, Murano, and glassmaking business. It felt like not just reading about one family but so many of them and so many generations. And each character go through all the emotions from love and loss to heartbreak, marriage, growth and survival. This is a work of historical fiction and bildungsroman. Many thanks to the author for providing the Italian and Venetian glossary.

The book is poignant, touching and well researched. I love how the author has portrayed the emotions each characters felt. Author has taken us back to the Renaissance-era in 1486. Author has not only shared about each characters emotions but also about war and changes that has taken place. There is a Rosso Family and they are glassmakers residing in Murano. Orsola is the eldest daughter in the family and the author has walked us through her life. I felt deeply for her. I liked Antonio’s character. Marco’s character was okay. I liked conversation between Monica and Orsola. The book has deeply shown how lives changes after decades and what it was in the renaissance period.

Thanks to the Publisher

Fascinating walk through the history of Murano Glass through fictional characters but incorporating real people too. The strange thing is that the same family is followed - but through from the 15th to the 20th century. They live through all the main events of those centuries. The family and their relationships are well described; the explanations of the bead and glass making very interesting. Tracy Chevalier has yet again brought a subject I knew little about to life.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Tracy Chevalier/Harper Collins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

I was very excited to journey to Tracy Chevalier's Murano and Venice in this, her most recent novel. It did not disappoint, a rich reminder that Venice was once the center for trade and commerce hundreds of years ago. It was as vivid and touching a tale as one might expect. Sumptuous reading that brought this unique place to life along with more than a few historical characters, to give context of the times.

The story is constructed around the Rosso family who are glass blowers living and working on the island of Murano. Orsola Rosso, the eldest daughter, must realise her talent for working with glass when the family falls on diffiuclt times. We travel through time from 1486 to modern day, which spans a lifetime on Murano, where time moves at its own, glacial pace. A great narrative device catapulting this generation of the family through much turbulent history and family dramas.

Having vacationed in Venice, and visited Murano for the day, I was transported back to this magical place and shared in its historical ups and downs through the last 500+ years. I clearly recall the beauty of this region and am keen to go back and be one of the millions of tourists who go to see the sights, eat the food and buy handmade glass. Bellissima, Tracy. Another extraordinary novel, thank you.

A beautifully written and well researched account of the history of glass making in Murano through the lives of a typical, but fictional, family of glass makers on the island. Travelling through about 500 years of history, the novel presents the personal impact of social and political events on the family and their struggles throughout this time period until the present day. One of my favourite authors of all time.

Plot led or research led a balancing dilemma for some novelists normally something Tracey Chevalier does very well. However this novel reads like a history of the glass making community in the Venetian island of Murano with a generic family saga, female empowerment, love story attached. Chevalier was so fascinated by this history and modern parallels that she wanted to highlight and share it with her readers but clearly has struggled to write a novel to incorporate it seamlessly.

I love Tracy Chevalier’s work and there’s much to thoroughly enjoy about this story which follows a family of glassmakers from the height of Renaissance Italy to the present day. There are beautiful and vivid descriptions of the art of glass making, the setting of Venice is of course glorious, and her wonderful cast of characters is excellently brought to life. However, I really struggled with the selective time jumping – while it’s a creative and clever way of writing historical fiction, I lost the emotional connection. It's an original concept with none of the characters acknowledging that anything unusual was taking place, but it didn't work for me. That said, there’s still lots in this book to enjoy hence my 4 stars. With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC.

Enthralling from the first page to the last, ‘The Glassmaker’ by Tracy Chevalier is by far the best novel I’ve read so far this year. It’s a heady mixture of beautiful glass, Venice in rich times and poor, passion, jealousy and intense competition, focusing on Orsola Rosso and her glass-making family on Murano island within the Venice lagoon through the centuries to the present day.
Chevalier introduces us to the idea of time-skipping in her brief introduction. ‘The City of Water runs by its own clock. Venice and its neighbouring islands have always felt frozen in time – and perhaps they are.’ And so we follow the same family across six hundred years. In the first chapter in 1494 we meet nine-year old Orsola; this is her story, told in leaps and skips across the centuries. The second instalment of Orsola’s life is in 1574 when she is eighteen years old. Those close to her have aged similarly, only Venice is at once the same and different. Its an ingenious way to tell the story of the Rosso family, the ups and downs of the glassmaking business, their loves and losses, the wars and disease, all set within the framework of Venice and of Murano glass.
When Maestro Lorenzo Rosso dies, Orsola’s eldest brother Marco must take charge of the family business but he is impulsive and designs flamboyant impractical pieces. When contracts are lost and Marco is in his cups, Orsola learns the art of glass bead making. The business of glassmaking is always kept within the immediate family, different families have different specialities, and so matches are made for the sons and daughters of maestros according to the skill or wealth of the incomer. Orsola knows she must marry one day. Her mother and brother’s selection of the man to be her husband is pragmatic, it turns the direction of the story and influences everything that follows.
Life is lived in a bubble on Murano island; loyalties are intense but so is hatred and rivalry. While most women are mutually supportive, others are jealous and ambitious. Murano families rarely go to Venice, Venetians don’t go to Murano. None of them go to the mainland, terraferma. Above all for these families who live close to the bread line, security of employment and supply of food for the family is the primary concern. We follow the Rossos through feast and famine, war, plague, flood and Covid.
So many of Chevalier’s novels are based upon a specific craft or skill – art in ‘The Girl with a Pearl Earring,’ embroidery in ‘A Single Thread,’ tapestry weaving in ‘The Lady and the Unicorn,’ fossil-hunting in ‘Remarkable Creatures.’ ‘The Glassmaker’ is another homage to skilled craftsmen who create beautiful objects that last across time.
A magical story, beautifully written. And what a gorgeous cover!
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

I really enjoyed this book! I would highly recommend it to non-historical fiction readers, especially for its depiction of the glassmaker's family. It's clear that the writer has done extensive research, and the book is well-thought-out and thought-provoking. Thank you for the opportunity to read this!

An utterly absorbing read!
Venice and Murano glassmaking history brought to life through the Rossi family and their near friends. Time has a different setting for Venice and Murano, it moves slowly allowing Orsina Rossio to live for 500 years and tell the story of her family and the evolving glassmaking business.
This is a fascinating story and one I did not want to end. I learnt a lot about the trade in beads and glass and the role of women in the business. How th3 glassmakers survived the competition from Europe and latterly from China and how it adapted in order to expand, just like the Rossi family itself.
The characters became friends, Domingo the slave, Stefano the husband, Marco the brother and Antonio the one who went away.
A fascinating glimpse into history and family, not to be missed.

This is a book which pays homage to Venice and the craft of glass-making on the island of Murano. Chevalier writes beautifully and her research is impeccable. I really enjoyed the way this book gives a great swathe-like overview of time and history. However, I felt somewhat removed from the characters as we didn't spend enough time with their emotions. The plot didn't do much to draw me in either. But this is accomplished historical fiction all the same.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

A heady blend of history and family love

Chevalier returns with a barnstorming historical novel with a tiny bit of magic, but based in the already magical environs of Venice and Murano, you know that you're in for a magical journey. And so it proves, with the minutiae of glassmaking from its 15th century heyday to the present, as we timeslip across the centuries to follow the life of Orsola Rosso, headstrong but dismissed daughter of a glassmaking maestro, who steps in when tragedy strikes, and with it, a way to keep her family alive through pestilence, war, tourism, alta acqua, and another plague.

The magic bit isn't the important part, but instead the determination that Orsola presents in every era that besets Murano and its richer twin throughout the centuries. Her own thwarted romance and the centre son longing, the steady relationships she builds up instead, the rivalries with other glassmakers and within her own family add a flavour to this blessed book, that also doesn't take Venice and the Veneto for granted, full of detail and heat and firsthand experience.

A joyful and thoughtful four and a half stars.