Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Delta (1995), Paperback, 384 pages
Description
Margot Harrington, an American volunteer in Florence, is an expert at book conservancy. While struggling to save a waterlogged convent library, she comes across a fabulous volume of sixteen erotic drawings by Giulio Romano, accompanying sixteen steamy sonnets by Pietro Aretino. When first published over four centuries ago, the Vatican ordered all copies destroyed. This one--now unique--volume has survived. The abbess prevails upon Margot to save the order's finances by selling the magnificently illustrated erotica discreetly--meaning without the bishop's knowledge. Margot's other clandestine project is a middle-aged Italian who is boldly attempting radical measures to save endangered frescoes. She is 29 and available; he, older and married. He shares her sense of mission and soon her bed in this daring story of spiritual longing and earthly desire. "From the Trade Paperback edition."… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member kaitlynmarie
I hated this book! I have never read a travel book that made me want to stay so far away from another country. But I thought the protagonist was a twit and her taste in men appalling, her adventures low-key, her friends boring. Even the author's descriptions of the sensuous Italian lifestyle left
Show More
me rolling my eyes. This book made illicit sex, great art, and the city of Florence sound like a total waste of time. One of my least favorite novels, ever. Show Less
LibraryThing member Eat_Read_Knit
A well-written and engaging novel about an American woman, Margot, who goes to Italy to restore books after a flood. While she is working in a convent, a priceless, erotic Renaissance manuscript is discovered there. The book tells the story of Margot's conservation work and what happens to the
What this book is, is an engaging exploration of Margot's personal growth, relationships and sexuality, and also of Italy, Roman Catholicism, literature and the importance of the preservation of literary heritage. Some of these themes are handled extremely well, while the resolution of others is a little less satisfying - but on whole these themes are tackled both deftly and sympathetically.
Show More
manuscript, and also of her relationships with another conservator, with her family, and above all with herself. The blurb and reviews variously describe it as a thriller (it isn't), a mystery (it isn't), a romance (nope, not that either) and as funny (not a word I'd use) and erotic (you guessed it - another no - 0 out of 5 there, then). Anyone reading the opening this book in expectation of any or all of these elements will be disappointed. There are a number of scenes which could be categorised as earthy, vaguely humorous or mildly suspenseful, but this is as far as it goes. What this book is, is an engaging exploration of Margot's personal growth, relationships and sexuality, and also of Italy, Roman Catholicism, literature and the importance of the preservation of literary heritage. Some of these themes are handled extremely well, while the resolution of others is a little less satisfying - but on whole these themes are tackled both deftly and sympathetically.
Show Less
LibraryThing member franoscar
This is a readable book & it was fun reading about Florence. I felt that the central romance wasn't well fleshed out, I didn't know why these people were together. I also thought the plot was unbelievable. My final point is that the copy I read was covered with blurbs and some talked about the
Show More
erotic content of the book & in my opinion it had almost none; i would not describe it as a shocking book. Show Less
LibraryThing member tututhefirst
I'm not sure yet how I feel about this book. I read it for a book discussion group that will meet later this week, and I'm curious to see how this group related to this fictional account of a young American book conservator who goes off to Florence in 1966 to help restore books damaged in the great
hmmmm....
Margot, the heroine discovers a volume of illustrated love poems showing what are generally regarded as pornographic sketches of the 16 pleasures referred to in the poetry. The book is bound within a prayerbook and is on the shelves of the convent where she is boarding. The Abbess asks her to restore it and then see if she can sell it without the bishop knowing since his Eminence would then take away the book and either destroy it, or sell it and keep the money.
Margot meets an urbane romantic Italian (natch!) although to me he is the typical bodice ripping Italian stud.. they embark on a romance while restoring the book, and trying out the 16 pleasures themselves. The blurb calls this an erotic book about an erotic book. Using my limited Italian, I'll wave my hand side to side up and down, and say mezzo, mezzo Not all that erotic, and I'm really not sure I care for the ending. It was worth reading for the memories of Florence and the info about how the books were saved.
Show More
flood. The parts having to do with the city and the techniques of restoration I found fascinating. But the parts about the romance....hmmmm....
Margot, the heroine discovers a volume of illustrated love poems showing what are generally regarded as pornographic sketches of the 16 pleasures referred to in the poetry. The book is bound within a prayerbook and is on the shelves of the convent where she is boarding. The Abbess asks her to restore it and then see if she can sell it without the bishop knowing since his Eminence would then take away the book and either destroy it, or sell it and keep the money.
Margot meets an urbane romantic Italian (natch!) although to me he is the typical bodice ripping Italian stud.. they embark on a romance while restoring the book, and trying out the 16 pleasures themselves. The blurb calls this an erotic book about an erotic book. Using my limited Italian, I'll wave my hand side to side up and down, and say mezzo, mezzo Not all that erotic, and I'm really not sure I care for the ending. It was worth reading for the memories of Florence and the info about how the books were saved.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Krumbs
Don't bother. Really just not worth even picking up.
LibraryThing member sushitori
Engaging story complete with historical detail about the floods of Florence, an ancient text of erotic poems and drawings, and romantic relationships. The descriptions of the background behind the forbidden book and the techniques used in manuscript restoration and preservation were really
Show More
interesting. It also takes a close look at some of the more ridiculous tenets of Catholicism. It was worth reading for the memories of time spent in Florence. Show Less
LibraryThing member ChristineEllei
Needing a change and some adventure in her life, Margot Harrington felt a calling to travel to Florence in 1966 to aid in the restoration of art and books after the famous flood. Many foreigners arrived in the city, but Margot was a little removed from the other “Mud Angels” because she was an
Margot first lovingly restores the book and then entrusted by the, surprisingly worldly, Abbess attempts to sell the volume to help the abbey. Her lover tries to undermine her sale to make a profit for himself. The Abbot, to whom the Abbess reports, forbids her to sell the banned book and life itself seems to be throwing out roadblocks every step of Margot’s way. Never one to be daunted, Margot persists with her quest leading to some interesting adventures.
From the title of the book and the “blurb” I read describing it I expected this book to be an “erotic” adventure. And, in a small way it was, but it was mostly about Margot finding herself. I enjoyed the story but as so often happens in works of historical fiction, I enjoyed the descriptions of Florence, the flood and the restorations even more, particularly the book restorations and the “peeling” of the water damaged frescoes.
Show More
experienced antique book restorer and she was very familiar with Florence, having lived there for several years as a child. Circumstance leads her to end up living at and working in the library of an impoverished abbey. The nuns entrusted to help her rescue the waterlogged books come across an old prayer book, but this was no ordinary prayer book. This book is bound together with another small book – the banned (thought lost) erotic poems of Aretino.Margot first lovingly restores the book and then entrusted by the, surprisingly worldly, Abbess attempts to sell the volume to help the abbey. Her lover tries to undermine her sale to make a profit for himself. The Abbot, to whom the Abbess reports, forbids her to sell the banned book and life itself seems to be throwing out roadblocks every step of Margot’s way. Never one to be daunted, Margot persists with her quest leading to some interesting adventures.
From the title of the book and the “blurb” I read describing it I expected this book to be an “erotic” adventure. And, in a small way it was, but it was mostly about Margot finding herself. I enjoyed the story but as so often happens in works of historical fiction, I enjoyed the descriptions of Florence, the flood and the restorations even more, particularly the book restorations and the “peeling” of the water damaged frescoes.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
Margot is a book conservator and has headed to Florence, Italy to help restore some books after a flood in 1966. She ends up in a convent, helping the nuns with their library, where she finds a rare 17th century book with erotic poems and pictures. The nuns would like to sell the book and be able
This was ok. I found the book conservation parts of it interesting, but I really didn’t like Margot, nor any of the other characters, except for the nuns. It was a bit difficult to figure out right at the start, as it flipped back and forth in time and was a bit hard to tell where we were (in time), but that didn’t last long. It was pretty slow-moving, but it was ok. An author's note would have been nice.
Show More
to use the money, but the books and the library are owned by the bishop and they know he won’t allow it. This was ok. I found the book conservation parts of it interesting, but I really didn’t like Margot, nor any of the other characters, except for the nuns. It was a bit difficult to figure out right at the start, as it flipped back and forth in time and was a bit hard to tell where we were (in time), but that didn’t last long. It was pretty slow-moving, but it was ok. An author's note would have been nice.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Melorak
Having lived in Florence I loved the setting. I also enjoyed learning about antique book and fresco restoration. I didn't always follow the story easily but some characters were very vivid and compelling so on the whole a pleasant read for me.
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Set in Florence after the Arno flood of 1966, this is the story of Margot Harrington, 29-year-old American book conservator, who travels to Italy to volunteer in the restoration of books damaged in the flood. Margot has experienced a number of disappointments, and she hopes Florence will help set a
There are many interwoven threads in this novel, which are addressed in lengthy detailed passages, such as techniques of book and art restoration, reflections on convent life, and the methods by which a canonical court decides whether to grant an annulment. At the same time, we follow Margot’s initial thoughts of joining a convent, then veering into a sexual relationship with Alessandro. We learn about her family’s history.
I enjoyed very much the manner in which Margot (eventually) resists being controlled by men who want to take advantage of her and get their hands on the manuscript. My favorite parts were the descriptions of life in the convent. I was less enamored of the sexual relationship with a much older man. Hellenga’s writing is elegant and witty. It is a novel of devotion to craft, passion, and the fortitude to change one’s life for the better.
Show More
positive course for her future. She has trouble finding a place to stay and is directed to a Carmelite convent. The nuns discover a rare Renaissance manuscript of sixteen erotic poems and drawings. The abbess asks Margot to get involved in selling the manuscript to raise funds to save the convent’s beloved library. Margot meets and falls in love with the married cousin of the abbess, Dottor Alessandro Postiglione, an art restorer. The storyline revolves around Margot’s journey of self-discovery. There are many interwoven threads in this novel, which are addressed in lengthy detailed passages, such as techniques of book and art restoration, reflections on convent life, and the methods by which a canonical court decides whether to grant an annulment. At the same time, we follow Margot’s initial thoughts of joining a convent, then veering into a sexual relationship with Alessandro. We learn about her family’s history.
I enjoyed very much the manner in which Margot (eventually) resists being controlled by men who want to take advantage of her and get their hands on the manuscript. My favorite parts were the descriptions of life in the convent. I was less enamored of the sexual relationship with a much older man. Hellenga’s writing is elegant and witty. It is a novel of devotion to craft, passion, and the fortitude to change one’s life for the better.
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Society of Midland Authors Award (Winner — Adult Fiction — 1995)
Language
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
384 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
0385314698 / 9780385314695
Local notes
OCLC = 1020
Google Books
Google Books