The Glassblower of Murano - Marina Fiorato [107]
A portion of the essay originally appeared in Italian magazine (© 2008). Reprinted with permission from the author.
Recommended Reading
The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas
A wonderful epic tale of a man who comes back from the "dead:' A direct influence on my historical plotline.
The Comfort of Strangers
by Ian McEwan
An extremely dark take of Venice, in contrast to the way in which the city is usually portrayed in literature. McEwan creates a wonderful sense of unease throughout. Here, the city is dangerous; it can kill, and it does.
Brideshead Revisited
by Evelyn Waugh
One of my favorite novels. Tucked in the central section is one of the most golden, languid portraits of Venice ever written. Entirely seductive, the city here is the polar opposite of the one in The Comfort of Strangers.
Hannibal
by Thomas Harris
Another one of my favorites. Not a Venetian setting but half of the novel is set in Florence and it's a wonderful portrait of a city which has never left the beautiful, brutal Renaissance. Everything is here; the art, the corruption of those in power, and, of course, the bloodletting.
Through a Glass, Darkly
by Donna Leon
Donna Leon knows Venice so well that every detail places you in the city. I'm a big fan of her Guido Brunetti detective novels, but this is my favorite; a great tale of murder set in the glass factories of Murano.
Death in Venice
by Thomas Mann
Another wonderful portrait of Venice, this time seen from the Lido (where I used to live). In this novella the city is sick; death stalks Venice in the shape of a mysterious disease, in a marked contrast to the youthful perfection of the Adonis of the Hotel des Bains.
The Merchant of Venice
by William Shakespeare
Not a novel, I know, but a wonderful play and a direct influence on my book. The Merchant of Venice, as the name suggests, is proof positive that trade was the lifeblood of the city in Shakespeare's day. Interesting too, that every section of society engaged in trade, even the nobility; in other Renaissance kingdoms, nobles thought trade was a dirty word.
Reading Group Questions
1. Glass and Venice are both metaphors for change in the novel. How do they mirror the changing reflections of the characters? In particular, discuss this facet of the novel in relation to the roles of Leonora and Corradino.
2. Marina Fiorato uses imagery of glass: its beauty yet changeability; its strength yet fragility, throughout her novel. How does this portray an unfamiliar, dark, and sinister side to the most romantic European city?
3. Do you think Corradino Manin did the right thing by his "betrayal"?
4. Discuss the narrative structure of The Glassblower of Murano. In what ways do the two intertwined strands of the novel, the story set in the Renaissance and Leonora's modern-day narrative, shape the story?
5. Marina Fiorato says in her acknowledgments that having a child is like letting your heart walk around outside your body. Discuss the various relationships between parent and child in the story. How do they vary, and in what ways are they similar? What do you think is signified by Leonora's gift of the glass heart pendant to her child?
6. How important was it for Leonora to leave everything behind and move to Venice, and what do her discoveries teach her about family?
7. Think about the male-dominated fornace on Murano. Leonora has an uncertain relationship with the maestros in the factory because she is a woman in what remains a man's world. How do you think this relationship affects her view of her own femininity?
8. Is it acceptable-because of the importance of glassblowing to Venetian heritage-for Leonora to be treated as an outsider by the maestros?
9. The story of The Glassblower of Murano is centered around Corradino's secret and Leonora's search for the truth. Discuss the various elements of mystery in these pages. What types of narrative devices does Marina Fiorato use to keep the reader guessing?
10. Few places are as romanticized, celebrated, and praised as