An iconic novel of VENICE

• Book: Miss Garnet’s Angel
• Location: Venice
• Author: Salley Vickers

Review Author: tripfiction

I read this novel when it was first published. That was in the year 2000! This is a novel that has really withstood the test of time and it is a book I often suggest to people who are off to Venice. Reading it offers an even greater cinematic experience of the city (is that even possible?). It is a gentle story, told with charm and detail, that carries the reader along at a thoughtful pace. This is the story of Julia, now in retirement, in many ways an unremarkable woman – and yet. She chooses to spend 6 months in Venice, exploring the city and its treasures, gaining a variety of friendships and experiences. As the time passes, she learns to re-evaluate some of her core beliefs and to trawl her deeper soul in quiet contemplation.

Running alongside Julia’s story is the biblical story of Tobias and the Angel. A story of journeying, both physical and personal, as Tobias sets off at his father’s behest, in the company of the Archangel Gabriel. The Chiesa di S Raffaele Arcangel in Venice features in the story (it is off the beaten track, and is best known for the doors depicting The Story of Tobias, attributed to Gianantonio Guardi).

A story that has many levels and now – 20 years down the line – deserves a new generation of readers. It is an iconic novel for #literarywanderlust that will warm your heart.

Enjoy your virtual trip to Venice.

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