Book Synopsis:
Spring 2000. Paul Geddes visits Venice to research the fin-de-siècle opera singer, Esme Maguire, seeking out a cache of papers held by Eva Forrest, the widow of a collector. What he reads begins in the 1680s, moving through the city s later history of Enlightenment and Revolution, describing a life stretched beyond human possibilities.
She travels across Europe to sing in Regency London and Edinburgh, then Belle Epoque Paris, always returning to Venice, its shadows and its luminosity, its changes and its permanence.
What would it be like to live for nearly 300 years, as an exceptional being who must renew herself time after time, as those she has loved age and die? Could this story be grounded in reality or be merely the product of an ageing woman s delusion, as Paul suspects.
Warily, Eva and Paul fall in love, their tentative emotions bringing them closer until, on a trip to the Dolomites, Eva s past catches up with her.
The Hourglass is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase a copy of both using the link below.
My Review:
The Hourglass is an original and intriguing book which tells the story of one women’s life and loves over three centuries.
I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Italy and in particularly Venice so the setting of the story was perfect for me. The descriptions were wonderfully vivid and I felt completely absorbed into the Italian culture which the author cleverly includes into the story. It was interesting to see how the city changed and evolved over the years.
The love stories were beautifully written and I enjoyed watching them develop. They were an interesting mixed bag of emotions with some being quite poignant to read about.
It did take me a little while to get into the book and the writing style which reads quite like a classic book at times. However once I’d got into the book I found it to be a very absorbing and gripping read which was very enjoyable.
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’d be interested to see what she comes up with next.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Unbound publishers for my copy of this book.
About The Author:
Liz Heron grew up in Scotland and studied at Glasgow University. After spells in Paris, Madrid and Venice, she embarked on freelance writing life in London, contributing arts and literary journalism to a range of publications, as well as editing for book publishers and magazines. Her books include Truth, Dare or Promise, a compilation of essays on childhood, and Streets of Desire, an anthology of women’s 20th-century writing on the world’s great cities. Her work has appeared in various anthologies and her short-story collection, A Red River, was published in 1996. Since then she’s spent three more years in Venice and done a lot of translation: from literary novels to opera libretti for CDs. She writes a blog, mainly on film, as well as art, books and politics.
http://www.lizheron.wordpress.com
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Seems like a different read. Good review
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