Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Hodder and Staunton
Description
Nick Bantock's illustrated novel, The Venetian's Wife, is part love story, part mystery, and part ghostly tale--and an altogether bewitching brew of sensuality and lost treasures. Thoroughly bored with her job at the local museum, Sarah heads to the gallery to take another look at that new drawing, the one she can't stop thinking about, the one of the Hindu god Shiva, who dances...That's when it all begins. The next day, an e-mail message brings her a job offer: to find the few remaining pieces of a 15th-century adventurer's renowned collection of Indian sculptures. Her employer, curiously, wishes to communicate only by computer. She has no idea who he is or why he wants her. But other mysteries soon preoccupy her, such as the meaning of an enigmatic illuminated manuscript--and the sensual transformation that seems to be overtaking her. Through her quirkily decorated diary and the artful e-mail exchanges between Sara and her mentor, Nick Bantock has conjured up a richly illustrated tale of a relentless quest, an amorous legacy, and the resonating power of art--a lush, romantic adventure of the soul that tantalizes the reader to the last line.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member kaelirenee
Hundreds of years after the death of an art collecting Venetian merchant dies, a young art restorer is given the opportunity to find the remnants of his Indian art collection. Though the mystery surrounding the story and emailed encounters is very minor, it is still intreging enough to keep the
Though the art and story aren't as good as Museum at Purgatory or the Forgetting Room, they are still entertaining, moving, and stirring. It seems like Bantock is almost trying to retell Kate Chopin's "The Awakening."
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story going. Really, though, the strength of any of Bantock's books is the way he weaves his artwork into the tales. I have no idea what the style of art is, but it reminds me of a combination of stamping, scrapbooking, sketchign, and decoupage. The art that the character Sara uses to punctuate her computer diary enteries and to communicate the statues she is trying to find are perhaps more imporant to the plot than most of the text.Though the art and story aren't as good as Museum at Purgatory or the Forgetting Room, they are still entertaining, moving, and stirring. It seems like Bantock is almost trying to retell Kate Chopin's "The Awakening."
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LibraryThing member tracyfox
The Venetian's Wife revisits classic Nick Bantock territory--a creative loner facing an intellectual and emotional challenge with elements of mystery and magic. Perhaps because the story revolves around computer correspondence, there are fewer of the rich illustrations found in the Griffin & Sabine
I loved Sara's computer diary which seemed to reflect the relative ease of quickly typing in an unedited conversation with oneself--something I am more inclined to do at a computer than when journaling with a pen. I also appreciated how the email correspondence between the main character, Sara, and her mysterious employer Nicholas Conti, became less formal and more revealing as the story developed. The deeper character development was an unexpected bonus, adding to an intriguing storyline and entrancing illustrations.
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books. However, in compensation, the story involves forty-two antique Indian sculptures, an ancient illustrated memoir, a New Orleans artist, and various postcards and maps and is peppered with the usual array of wonderful Bantock stampings and collages. I loved Sara's computer diary which seemed to reflect the relative ease of quickly typing in an unedited conversation with oneself--something I am more inclined to do at a computer than when journaling with a pen. I also appreciated how the email correspondence between the main character, Sara, and her mysterious employer Nicholas Conti, became less formal and more revealing as the story developed. The deeper character development was an unexpected bonus, adding to an intriguing storyline and entrancing illustrations.
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LibraryThing member edwartica
My friend Sarah gave me this book (along with one other Bantock). I started reading, and was just amazed! This book blends art history, technology, and even mythology, all in an easy to read, imagination stimulating but also thought provoking package.
Some could consider this a picture book for
The bottom line is that this is a different type of book, but considering I read through it in about an hour, I would say it was well worth the time spent reading.
Some could consider this a picture book for
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adults, but this by no means suggests a lack of intellectual content. In fact, while it is an easy read, it is not necessarily an easy "look." The art in this book may be beautiful, but it is also very complex. The bottom line is that this is a different type of book, but considering I read through it in about an hour, I would say it was well worth the time spent reading.
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LibraryThing member nevacampbell
One of my favorite books of all time. I fall into the story each time I read it. It inspires me.
LibraryThing member ladyerin
A sexy tale with lush, complex illustrations. This is a book to really sink into and take your time with.
LibraryThing member thioviolight
I quite enjoyed this lovely tale of art, love and an unusual ghost. It was a quick and refreshing read for me, something I needed after finishing some horror fiction.
LibraryThing member patruska
lovely & charming like a good cup of hot spiced tea.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
The Venetian’s Wife grabbed me from the beginning. A young woman working at a boring museum job is contacted via email one day by a complete stranger, though a very wealthy one, who asks her if she’ll work for him. Her mission: to find four missing sculptures out of a collection of 42
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depictions of Hindu gods. I found myself feeling envious of all the luxury travel coupled with the thrill of the chase which just seemed too perfect. The design of the book is appealing, with beautiful drawings and collages throughout. The kind of book to inspire new generations of artists and creative minds. Show Less
LibraryThing member jphamilton
Nick Bantock created a new book format with his Griffin and Sabine trilogy—a fictional work of correspondence wed to original artwork. Those three titles had the reader following a story by reading other people's mail. Keep in mind that Bantock lives on an island, in a small community with a
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cramped post office. With The Ventian's Wife Nick goes into the world of computers for his correspondence. This is a story that must be played out at an electronic distance—for an intriguing gift of a plot twist. While the art isn't as plentiful as in the trilogy, the story and the writing are both stronger. A world-wide art search is a major story element, but there is another important quest that leads to a strangely satisfying conclusion. Show Less
LibraryThing member pussreboots
Easy read and beautiful illustrations but there were times that I found myself too distracted by the artistry of the book to actually want to read the page I was on. The story seems secondary to the illustrations.
LibraryThing member overthemoon
In the same vein as the Griffin and Sabine books, this is a beautifully illustrated epistolary novel involving a young American woman and a Venetian ghost. I enjoyed it very much but my belief will only suspend itself so far - if a ghost has no substance, granted it can communicate through emails
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and other modern technology but how can it see? And the story and ease of Sara's mission are far too glib; I would have liked more struggle and villainous enemies to be overcome. All the same, it is well written and produced and my fingers are itching to make some of those sumptuously rich collages. Show Less
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
An odd book. I liked the pictures and illustrations. The ending was disappointing. I expected more.
LibraryThing member TheWasp
An entertaining short story. Sarah is enlisted by a 500 year old ghost to find the remaining pieces in an art collection. Her quest enboldens her to make known her romantic interest in a work colleague.
LibraryThing member LibraryCin
3.5 stars
Sara works at a museum and isn’t looking for a new job when she is contacted by email, out of the blue, but someone she doesn’t know. This man is offering her a mysterious well-paid job, and their contact is to only be via email. It turns out he would like her to help him find and
This is something very different, with illustrations peppered on most (if not all) pages; it was part in diary form and part email. This surprised me. I was a bit doubtful about it and could not remember why I added it to my tbr. I’m not that much into art, and it has an odd subtitle. It was good, though. It moved quickly, so was not very long and did not take long to read.
Sara works at a museum and isn’t looking for a new job when she is contacted by email, out of the blue, but someone she doesn’t know. This man is offering her a mysterious well-paid job, and their contact is to only be via email. It turns out he would like her to help him find and
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acquire 4 original sculptures from the 15th century. Meanwhile, she does miss seeing the man at work she has a crush on.This is something very different, with illustrations peppered on most (if not all) pages; it was part in diary form and part email. This surprised me. I was a bit doubtful about it and could not remember why I added it to my tbr. I’m not that much into art, and it has an odd subtitle. It was good, though. It moved quickly, so was not very long and did not take long to read.
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Awards
BC and Yukon Book Prizes (Shortlist — Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize — 1997)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1996
ISBN
0733603785 / 9780733603785
Local notes
A young woman's obsession with a drawing of Shiva, the Hindu god, leads to a curious job offer: to find the few remaining pieces of a 15-th century adventurer's renowed collection of Indian sculptures. 90+ color illustrations.
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Morning Star, Book 1: The Gryphon, in which the extraordinary correspondence of Griffin & Sabine is rediscovered by Nick Bantock
Morning Star, Book 2: Alexandria, in which the extraordinary correspondence of Griffin & Sabine unfolds by Nick Bantock
Griffin & Sabine, Book 2: Sabine's notebook, in which the extraordinary correspondence of Griffin & Sabine continues by Nick Bantock