'Ingenious' THE TIMES, Book of the Month 'Sparkling'OBSERVER 'A triumph- beyond admiration' PHILIP PULLMAN 'Spellbinding-. Chevalier at her fabulous best' ELIF SHAFAK 'As finely wrought as a dazzling Murano bead- one of the reigning queens of historical fiction' INDEPENDENT -A spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game- SPECTATOR FROM THE GLOBALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING Venice, 1486. Across the lagoon lies Murano. Time flows differently here - like the glass the island-s maestros spend their lives learning to handle. Women are not meant to work with glass, but Orsola Rosso flouts convention to save her family from ruin. She works in secret, knowing her creations must be perfect to be accepted by men. But perfection may take a lifetime. Skipping like a stone through the centuries, we follow Orsola as she hones her craft through war and plague, tragedy and triumph, love and loss. The beads she creates will adorn the necks of empresses and courtes
