The group enjoyed this novel from the acclaimed author of Girl with a Pearl Earring.

Several of the group could relate to the setting of the novel as they had visited Murano and Venice.

We enjoyed the strong women characters and the way in which the author managed to cover key historical events, over many centuries, whilst limiting the ageing of the Rosso family.

We learned so much of the historical detail due to Chevalier's impeccable research.

Group's favourite quotes from the novel:

• "you never recover from losing someone; you just learn to accommodate the hole it makes in you"
• "A pearl needs grit to be beautiful; beauty comes from the scar on the lip, the gap in the teeth, the crooked eyebrow"

Group Review:  The average score for this novel was 8.3/10.