A deeply engaging, complex yet highly enjoyable mystery set over three different points in time around Venice. This book written in 1985 by the Booker prizewinner gives us Venice in the 13th century, the 17th century and late 20th century bringing each time to life in the exquisite detail I have come to expect from this author. Undeniably erotic in places, sometimes almost explicitly so, the novel has real vividness to its characters, genuine feeling for dialogue gives them a voice to match the beautiful scenery of Venice. Barry Unsworth has obviously spent much time in Venice to get the real character of the unique city away from the most well known tourist areas. Technical points in the book with its theme of fine art restoration are highly detailed yet always interesting and never tedious, in fact pointing me in the direction of further study on the themes covered - Venice with its flooding problems and the disintegration of sculpture outside in the 20th century smog.
The complex storyline surrounding the stone sculpture of the Virgin Mary at annunciation, involves in each time period sometimes bizarre love triangles involving sex, adultery and death. Complex yet highly thought out set pieces which link the love triangles together not just in their respective time periods but into the next are woven together with the history of the stone statue. Human emotions, sexual infidelity and murder reach crescendo point in each time period yet there is a vein of humour and pathos running through the dialogue the keep the reader engaged as the story twists and turns. Genuine tragedy begins the novel in the 13th century as the statue is made but the tone is set for the restoration of the sculpture in the 20th century with real intelligence and wit as the central character struggles with his inner thoughts and his colleagues as the strange effect of the sculpture takes a hold upon him. The 17th century is the setting for an old man writing his unusual yet amusingly graphic erotic memoirs that tell by strange chance how the statue came to be where it was when the 20th century restorer came upon it. Beautiful colourful images are drawn of 17th century Venice with the strange traditions of mask wearing in public to hide gambling and fornication indiscretions. Weird adulterous affairs that include the statue of the Virgin Mary set the stage for the 20th century characters to almost relive the experiences over again. Time and again the story intertwines until the whole narrative is so very complex that only the diligent reader will spot the twists and links that bind the three time periods together, but the very complexity is possibly the best part of the story.
The style Barry Unsworth uses in his novels, the uniqueness of his characters and the really believable narrative make him a most enjoyable author though I realise the basic story of self realisation, love and adultery that he uses harks back to earlier authors, the modern twist he puts on the story gives it a unique totally modern feel. The turmoil of love, sex and relationships is handled so well with such strange twists and turns that given the age old story of adultery the novel feels new and exciting. This is a thought provoking read that will reward the careful reader as did his other novel Morality Play in itself a complex mystery set in mediaeval times. Well worth a read and I thoroughly recommend it.
The complex storyline surrounding the stone sculpture of the Virgin Mary at annunciation, involves in each time period sometimes bizarre love triangles involving sex, adultery and death. Complex yet highly thought out set pieces which link the love triangles together not just in their respective time periods but into the next are woven together with the history of the stone statue. Human emotions, sexual infidelity and murder reach crescendo point in each time period yet there is a vein of humour and pathos running through the dialogue the keep the reader engaged as the story twists and turns. Genuine tragedy begins the novel in the 13th century as the statue is made but the tone is set for the restoration of the sculpture in the 20th century with real intelligence and wit as the central character struggles with his inner thoughts and his colleagues as the strange effect of the sculpture takes a hold upon him. The 17th century is the setting for an old man writing his unusual yet amusingly graphic erotic memoirs that tell by strange chance how the statue came to be where it was when the 20th century restorer came upon it. Beautiful colourful images are drawn of 17th century Venice with the strange traditions of mask wearing in public to hide gambling and fornication indiscretions. Weird adulterous affairs that include the statue of the Virgin Mary set the stage for the 20th century characters to almost relive the experiences over again. Time and again the story intertwines until the whole narrative is so very complex that only the diligent reader will spot the twists and links that bind the three time periods together, but the very complexity is possibly the best part of the story.
The style Barry Unsworth uses in his novels, the uniqueness of his characters and the really believable narrative make him a most enjoyable author though I realise the basic story of self realisation, love and adultery that he uses harks back to earlier authors, the modern twist he puts on the story gives it a unique totally modern feel. The turmoil of love, sex and relationships is handled so well with such strange twists and turns that given the age old story of adultery the novel feels new and exciting. This is a thought provoking read that will reward the careful reader as did his other novel Morality Play in itself a complex mystery set in mediaeval times. Well worth a read and I thoroughly recommend it.