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32nd out of 107 books
—
36 voters
The Venetian's Wife: A Strangely Sensual Tale of a Renaissance Explorer, a Computer, and a Metamorphosis
by
Nick Bantock
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 d...more
Hardcover, 132 pages
Published
August 1st 1996
by Chronicle Books
(first published January 1st 1996)
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Aug 09, 2011
Jen
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Sara is a tightly closed bud; she prefers the safety of her solitude to the risk of opening herself to others. She slowly unfurls and blossoms while she tracks down the last missing pieces of the ghostly Dei Conti's sculpture collection.
This is a pleasant enough bedtime story for adults, but it isn't Bantock's best work. The lushly layered artwork is beautiful, the crash course in Indian mythology is very interesting and possibly my favorite part of the book, and Dei Conti's background is fascin...more
This is a pleasant enough bedtime story for adults, but it isn't Bantock's best work. The lushly layered artwork is beautiful, the crash course in Indian mythology is very interesting and possibly my favorite part of the book, and Dei Conti's background is fascin...more
This is the first book by Nick Bantock that I read. Perhaps because of when I read it, in the late 1990's, it seemed so innovative, clever. The idea of deities acting through the Internet, and mortal agents, was not a common theme. It still isn't common.
I read most of this book in the New York Public Library, during several rainy afternoons, and wished it was longer, or that there were a sequel. There wasn't though. I liked this much better than anything else written by Nick Bantock. Although ...more
I read most of this book in the New York Public Library, during several rainy afternoons, and wished it was longer, or that there were a sequel. There wasn't though. I liked this much better than anything else written by Nick Bantock. Although ...more
The subtitle of this oversized, lavishly illustrated volume confirms that we are once again in the kind of quasi-mythical kingdom that provided the setting for writer and illustrator Bantok's bestselling Griffin and Sabine series. I did like the epistolatory style of the book: all emails, journal entries, and letters.
San Francisco art conservator Sara Wolfe, who is fascinated by a drawing of the Indian god Shiva hanging on the walls of the museum where she works, receives an e-mail message from...more
San Francisco art conservator Sara Wolfe, who is fascinated by a drawing of the Indian god Shiva hanging on the walls of the museum where she works, receives an e-mail message from...more
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This book is ok. And just ok. I don't think that Nick Bantock is a particularly good writer, although he is an interesting artist. The format of the book, which has been written in the form of emails, diary entries, and various other pamphlets of sorts; I feel that this style of writing is just to cover up a poor writer's style and grammar. Don't get me wrong, it can be interesting and the story itself, though it had some silly reveals and predictable outcomes, it was an easy and moderately enjo...more
I received this book initially as a gift from a friend who had picked it up and read the flyleaf description of a story of Sara(h) Wolf, an art conservator. Written by the clever and charming Nick Bantock, artist and author, don't begin this book at night because you won't be able to put it down. This book caused me to write to the author to ask how he had come up with the name, and thus began a brief but wonderful correspondence. Bantock is also the author of the wonderful Griffin and Sabine se...more
Isn’t modern technology wonderful? Not only can we communicate with people from around the world (i.e. Goodreads), but in Bantock’s book, we can communicate with people who lived 500 years ago—all by electrical current. Here, using his exquisite artwork focusing on Hindu gods and goddesses, Bantock again enchants when he joins together Sara, a museum conservator, and the ghost of Niccoli Dei Conti, a 15th century merchant and world traveler, in a search to find the final five pieces of his famil...more
Read the full review, with photos of the art at:
http://guiltlessreading.blogspot.com/...
The book in one sentence: A bored young art conservator rekindles her passion for life starting with an unlikely encounter with a drawing of the Hindu God Shiva.
My thoughts: This is an unusual book. The title alone gives you an inkling that it's not a typical story. In fact, it may seem such an odd combination that it may put you off. After all, what on earth could these things have in common: a Renaissance E...more
http://guiltlessreading.blogspot.com/...
The book in one sentence: A bored young art conservator rekindles her passion for life starting with an unlikely encounter with a drawing of the Hindu God Shiva.
My thoughts: This is an unusual book. The title alone gives you an inkling that it's not a typical story. In fact, it may seem such an odd combination that it may put you off. After all, what on earth could these things have in common: a Renaissance E...more
This was supposed to be bedside reading. Bad idea. Couldn't put it down soon as I got about a third into the book. But then, I should have realized that Nick Bantock just doesn't offer you a visual feast but also regale you with an intriguing tale.
The first time I came across Nick Bantock's name was when a friend got a copy of Griffin and Sabine, the bestselling epistolary novel as reinvented by the author. This was way back in 1991. I was blown away by the artwork, with the story literally unfo...more
The first time I came across Nick Bantock's name was when a friend got a copy of Griffin and Sabine, the bestselling epistolary novel as reinvented by the author. This was way back in 1991. I was blown away by the artwork, with the story literally unfo...more
I love books like these...illustrated novels with an underlying mystery. It housed pretty much everything that I enjoy reading about: diary entries, letters, and e-mails, then an art mystery, and a love story (in this case two) that is timeless. Really fantastic.
The story: A women working at an art museum gets an e-mail from a Mr. N. Conti asking her if she would like to be employed gathering pieces of his lost art collection (40 pieces total). This job gives her the opportunity to travel the wo...more
The story: A women working at an art museum gets an e-mail from a Mr. N. Conti asking her if she would like to be employed gathering pieces of his lost art collection (40 pieces total). This job gives her the opportunity to travel the wo...more
THE VENETIAN'S WIFE came out in 1996, when former children's book illustrator Nick Bantock was riding the wave of popularity following his tale of a curious correspondence, the Griffin and Sabine trilogy. That trilogy was tolerable, because its exotic format with real envelopes to be opened and an abundance of beautiful paintings made up for the derivative and hackneyed storyline. In THE VENETIAN'S WIFE, Bantock continues to adorn the book with art, but it's very limited compared to the G&S...more
Sara, an art restorationist in San Francisco, has an oddly moving and sensual experience when viewing a drawing of Shiva at the museum. She receives an email message offering her a position based on her passion for the art. As she is bored and lonely, she takes a chance and begins work for her mysterious employer who wants her to help in recollect the art collection of a 15th century explorer, Conti, presumbably his ancestor. Sara pursues both the art and the history of the explorer as she trave...more
Even after 13 years, this book is still a lovely, lovely story and wonderful art work. Even the technology is not too out dated. We use private journal site now but the term computer diary is still pretty generic to still fit in now.
I loved it when I first read it and again with this reread. It's one book I usually recommend to people with different tastes in literature. People that have read the latest Goncourt or pretend they have, people who love discovering something different. It's not high...more
I loved it when I first read it and again with this reread. It's one book I usually recommend to people with different tastes in literature. People that have read the latest Goncourt or pretend they have, people who love discovering something different. It's not high...more
Cute quick read. I loved the Griffin & Sabine series and this fell short of that as far as the graphics, I didn't find them as interesting. But I liked the story and the text is similar to Griffin & Sabine in that it is presented in the form of correspondence (this time emails) and diary entries, etc.
This is a nice book, not one that has a great deal of content--plot/character development/etc. What it lacks in traditional narrative form it makes up for in visual seduction. For more thoughts:
http://satia.blogspot.com/2010/08/ven...
http://satia.blogspot.com/2010/08/ven...
Sappy, new agey, lame. The premise of a Venetian ghost communicating with the living and controlling his material wealth by infiltrating electric lines and digital technology was way too far-out for me.
A great book, with fabulous artwork. Written by the author of the bestselling "Griffin & Sabine" trilogy (celebrating the art of letter writing), if you've loved those books, you'll love The Venetian's Wife.
Not nearly as good as Griffin and Sabine. Not that I didn't like it--I did. But I wanted at least another 200 pages to explore the subject. It was plot-deficient, even for its length.
And I thought the Griffin and Sabine correspondence was good...This tale is even better! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Maybe Bantock has more books like this one that I've missed.
Short yet unique. I really didn't know what to expect when I first started the book. It's very descriptive and really brings you into the plot quickly. The ending is fantastic.
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.
I had this book for a long time but never got around to reading it. Loved the format of graphics mixed with text. I also was sucked right into the story. It was hard to put down and I am so glad I read it!
I've been a Nick Bantock fan for years, and managed to snag a used copy of this at Wonder Book back in 2004. I think I've read it at least once a year ever since.
The artwork is what made me buy the book, and if I were rating it on that alone, I'd give it another star. The book is entertaining, but there's not much to the story.
One of the most beautiful books ever. I enjoyed seeing Nick Bantock work within a 2D form, seeing what he did with a "simple" page. His art is amazing.
I couldn't put this down! It's the kind of book you could read (and enjoy the pictures) several times and find new things each time. Loved it!!!
"When we parted at sundown I had lost my heart to her" (98).
"From the moment of our garden encounter, I never loved anyone else and never desired to... my companion, my lover, and my teacher... taught me about loving, the physical and spiritual act of love that was so innocent"
"When she taught me to touch, she schooled my soul."
"Once Yasoda had chosen me,
I was, and will be forever,
under her spell."
"I want you to understand that the virtue in your experiences will not be based on self-denial, but...more
"From the moment of our garden encounter, I never loved anyone else and never desired to... my companion, my lover, and my teacher... taught me about loving, the physical and spiritual act of love that was so innocent"
"When she taught me to touch, she schooled my soul."
"Once Yasoda had chosen me,
I was, and will be forever,
under her spell."
"I want you to understand that the virtue in your experiences will not be based on self-denial, but...more
This book's set up is captivating, but there is no pay off. A redeeming quality is the amazing artwork and epistolary style in which it is written.
This was a strangely sensual tale of a Renaissance explorer, a computer, and a metamorphosis.
Beautiful art work and interesting storyline.
Beautiful art work and interesting storyline.
Every thing by Nick Bantock is fabulous. I read all of his stuff again once I get a new one of his books. I own all of his stuff.
Totally unrealistic, but I loved it. How fun would it be to research/work for a lot of money AND learn about ancient art? I would only recommend this for art nerds like me.
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Oct 19, 2012 02:41am