Sisters of Glass
Author: Stephanie Hemphill
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 27, 2012
Pages: 160
Source: ARC from NCTE/ALAN
About the Book: Maria is the younger daughter of an esteemed family on the island of Murano, the traditional home for Venetian glassmakers. Though she longs to be a glassblower herself, glassblowing is not for daughters—that is her brother’s work. Maria has only one duty to perform for her family: before her father died, he insisted that she be married into the nobility, even though her older sister, Giovanna, should rightfully have that role. Not only is Giovanna older, she’s prettier, more graceful, and everyone loves her.
Maria would like nothing more than to allow her beautiful sister, who is far more able and willing to attract a noble husband, to take over this role for her. But they cannot circumvent their father’s wishes. And when a new young glassblower arrives to help the family business and Maria finds herself drawn to him, the web of conflicting emotions grows even more tangled.
My Thoughts: I love the way Stephanie Hemphill takes historical facts and turns them in to verse novels. This is the third book she has done that with. In Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath she explored the poet’s life. Wicked Girls takes the reader in to the minds of the teen girls who started the accusations that led to the Salem Witch Trials. With Sisters of Glass Hemphill turned to fifteenth century Venice. We meet Maria and her sister Giovanna, residents of the island of Murano. The book is told from Maria’s point of view and as the tagline says, features ” sisters, true love, and Venice.”
I cannot decide which part of this book I enjoyed more… the fact that it was about sisters, the setting, the history, or the romance! It combined so many of my favorite things. I really loved watching the way the sisters’ relationship changed and grew. My older sister is one of my closest friends and I am so lucky to have her in my life. We were not close when I was younger. At all!! I think most sisters go through a phase like this. It’s true for Maria and Giovanna as well. It just seemed so authentic to me.
Maria comes from a family of glassblowers. I was fascinated to learn about the process of glass blowing as well as the history of it in Venice. In 1291 the ruling body of Venice ordered all glassmakers to move their foundries to the island of Murano. The did this because Venice was made of mostly wood and they feared fire. I found that so interesting! I spent a good hour after reading the book researching more about Murano and Murano glass. I don’t often research after reading!
Sisters of Glass kept me interested all the way through. It wasn’t the best example of verse I’ve ever read (Hemphill’s previous novels seemed to contain more effective use) but I still really enjoyed it. It’s a great quick read for lovers of romance and historical fiction. You might even learn a thing or two!
Leave a Reply