The Glassmaker

A Novel

By: Tracy Chevalier

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Named a Best Historical Novel of 2024 by The Sunday Times, The Independent, and BookPage

A Parade and Christian Science Monitor Best Book of June

“This charming fable is at once a love story that skips through six centuries, and also a love song to the timeless craft of glassmaking. Chevalier probes the fierce rivalries and enduring loyalties of Murano's glass dynasties, capturing the roar of the furnace, the sweat on the skin, and the glittering beauty of Venetian glass.”–Geraldine Brooks, author of Horse

From the bestselling historical novelist, a rich, transporting story that follows a family of glassmakers from the height of Renaissance-era Italy to the present day.

It is 1486 and Venice is a wealthy, opulent center for trade. Orsola Rosso is the eldest daughter in a family of glassblowers on Murano, the island revered for the craft. As a woman, she is not meant to work with glass—but she has the hands for it, the heart, and a vision. When her father dies, she teaches herself to make glass beads in secret, and her work supports the Rosso family fortunes.

Skipping like a stone through the centuries, in a Venice where time moves as slowly as molten glass, we follow Orsola and her family as they live through creative triumph and heartbreaking loss, from a plague devastating Venice to Continental soldiers stripping its palazzos bare, from the domination of Murano and its maestros to the transformation of the city of trade into a city of tourists. In every era, the Rosso women ensure that their work, and their bonds, endure.

Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is as inventive as it is spellbinding: a mesmerizing portrait of a woman, a family, and a city as everlasting as their glass.

©2024 Tracy Chevalier (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

A Parade Best New Book and Christian Science Monitor Best New Book

“Travel across seven centuries with novelist Tracy Chevalier and a remarkable Glassmaker ... The Glassmaker conveys a vivid history lesson about a fascinating place and industry, animated through the lives and emotions of compelling characters.”–Star Tribune

“[An] exceptional novel ... Chevalier’s descriptive prose on glassmaking artistry, together with her delightful characters, creates an entrancing tale.”–Christian Science Monitor

“The Glassmaker is a spectacular feat, crafted by a maestra at the top of her game.”—The Spectator

Wonderfully done history of glassmaking and Venetian culture through the eyes of one woman

Only thing a little hard to follow was the timeline, how it jumped ahead by a stone thrown across the canal…yet the family didn’t age the same amount.

A great story with an unneccesary side of time travel.

The Murano and Venetian history of glass and the characters were great. i loved most of the story line except for the time travel It was confusing and felt like an afterthought.

glass making family

Generational family story life. liked the magical realism and ties to actual history. Characters elastic and believable.

Great story that draws one into the history of Murano

This book so cleverly shows someone why Murano is the wonderful place it is today through what has happened to create it throughout history. The book makes the reader very aware of the importance of the true beauty on and in the glass of Murano. Rather than what most of the world now sees in the glass objects we use every day. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves learning history or is thinking of ever traveling to Venice.

The love of glass & family

As a lampworker myself of 24 years, I really enjoyed the story. Having been to Murano & Venice a couple of times I felt as though I was there again looking at the entire lagoon differently. Just a lovely well told story with the correct history woven in. Time is truly slower on Murano than anywhere else I have been to.

The history. And I once visited a Murano glass maker on the Island.

Very authentic. Brought my visit to Venice back. Loved the read. Had to listen to the ending again.

Engrossing magical tale

An enveloping tale of love, artistry, history and family, brilliantly intertwined over the centuries and beautifully narrated. Purchase this book, listen and revel in it.

Glass Makers and family

I visited Venice and Murano many years ago to see the glass blown there. I have a lovely paperweight I bought there. This book brought back many memories. The story of a typical family enhanced the book as well.

The writing, the storytelling, and the authentic history!

This was a beautiful story painted rather than written. And the narrator did an amazing job, switching between English and an occasional Italian phrase. It was enthralling, and I absolutely loved it!

Losing steam over time

Very interesting and relevant beginning as we’re traveling to Venice in August. Historical aspects were initially good but the concept of moving key characters forward in time did not work, as those characters really just became soap opera-like as the book progressed. My wife and I finished but had to speed book up to press on as things got boring, even as the world events were accelerating.