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27th out of 82 books
—
247 voters
The Glass Painter's Daughter
by
Rachel Hore
A wonderful novel set in a hidden part of Westminster, steeped in the Victorian past, full of gothic churches and secret garden squares...
Paperback, 450 pages
Published
2009
by Pocket Books
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I read the German edition called "Der Zauber des Engels":
Ein berührender Roman um die Lebensgeschichte der jungen Frances Morrison, die sich mit der einer anderen jungen Frau aus viktorianischer Zeit verwebt. Frances reist als Musikerin durch die Welt. Sie wurde mutterlos aufgezogen von ihrem Vater, mit dem sie sich nicht gerade blendend versteht. Dieser ist Inhaber von Minster Glass einer der bekanntesten Glasmanufakturen für Kirchenfenster in England. Durch seinen Schlaganfall ist Frances gezw...more
Ein berührender Roman um die Lebensgeschichte der jungen Frances Morrison, die sich mit der einer anderen jungen Frau aus viktorianischer Zeit verwebt. Frances reist als Musikerin durch die Welt. Sie wurde mutterlos aufgezogen von ihrem Vater, mit dem sie sich nicht gerade blendend versteht. Dieser ist Inhaber von Minster Glass einer der bekanntesten Glasmanufakturen für Kirchenfenster in England. Durch seinen Schlaganfall ist Frances gezw...more
I very much enjoyed Place of Secrets by the author and found this book even better. In fact once I started to read I found it difficult to put down. It's an easy read yet a compelling one. Set in both modern and Victorian times the present day story is about the restoration of a stained glass window, whilst the older story goes back to the past to discover the secrets behind the window's past. The book is narrated by Fran a musician who, as a result of her father's illness, has to take charge of...more
Jul 30, 2011
Elisabeth
added it
I read this novel after reading Rachel Hore's latest - A Place of Secrets. The Glass Painter's Daughter, is not as exciting or intriguing as Placeof Secrets. However the Glass Painter's Daughter is nonetheless a good read. I enjoyed the character of Fran, and the sad story of her childhood, being brought up by her almost reclusive father, knowing little or nothing about the death of her mother when Fran was young.
The story steps between Fran in 2003 and Laura Brownlow in the 1800's a distant re...more
The story steps between Fran in 2003 and Laura Brownlow in the 1800's a distant re...more
I really enjoyed this book despite it being very predictable from early on.
The story begins with Fran who is abroad having finished a tour playing as part of an orchestra. She has just found out that her fling is actually engaged and saw her as his final bit of fun before settling down with his wife-to-be. On top of this she receives a phone call from her Dad’s ‘assistant’ Zac to tell her that her dad has taken seriously ill with a stroke and she must return home immediately.
Once she gets home...more
The story begins with Fran who is abroad having finished a tour playing as part of an orchestra. She has just found out that her fling is actually engaged and saw her as his final bit of fun before settling down with his wife-to-be. On top of this she receives a phone call from her Dad’s ‘assistant’ Zac to tell her that her dad has taken seriously ill with a stroke and she must return home immediately.
Once she gets home...more
My longtime English penpal sent me this book saying that she thought I would like it. And of course after many years, she knows me well. I loved Rachel Hore's complicated characters and the portrayal of human emotion and love. This is a love story but it's about many kinds of love and many stages. Most clearly the message that just because we love doesn't mean that our actions always follow lovingly resonates throughout. I loved the quotes about angels but the avoidance of using them as a plot d...more
Whilst it was fairly obvious, to me at least, how the romantic element of this book would play out I was fascinated by the mystery aspect and the going from past to present through the main character; Fran reading journal entries of Laura. Fran and Laura are connected by a stain glass window; in Laura's time it has been commissioned to commemorate her sister and in Fran's she is helping to restore it through her work at her fathers shop Minster Glass.
One of my main issues was that were too many...more
One of my main issues was that were too many...more
The glass painters daughter is Rachel Hore's third book.
Fran Marrison's returns home after a phone call telling her that her father has suffered a stroke. Fran and her father have over the last decade have had an uneasy relationship. Her father owns Minster Glass in Westminster which Fran when younger worked. Fran takes her place in her fathers shop alongside Zac. They accept a commission to restore a shattered glass picture of an angel. Alongside this story Fran uncovers a diary written to Car...more
Fran Marrison's returns home after a phone call telling her that her father has suffered a stroke. Fran and her father have over the last decade have had an uneasy relationship. Her father owns Minster Glass in Westminster which Fran when younger worked. Fran takes her place in her fathers shop alongside Zac. They accept a commission to restore a shattered glass picture of an angel. Alongside this story Fran uncovers a diary written to Car...more
Fran is a musician, travelling around the world. She gets an SOS call from Zac who works for her father in his glass restoration business, letting her know that her father has had a stroke. So she rushes home, concerned that she had not been getting along with her father for some time, and still upset that there is secrecy - or at least silence - surrounding the circumstances of her mother's death when she was a small child.
Fran and Zac get involved in a difficult project, trying to restore a w...more
Fran and Zac get involved in a difficult project, trying to restore a w...more
I loved this book, it was heart warming and intriguing, the main characters made you care about them, and the juxtaposition of Fran's and Laura's stories worked very well. I also liked it for the stained glass, which I have done a little of, it was obvious the author had done her homework, which is always a plus. This is the last of the three Rachel Hore novels currently published, now I'll have to wait until later this year before the new one is out, but I'm sure it will be as good as these thr...more
Fran is forced to return from her nomadic life of playing in various orchestras around the world when her father is taken seriously ill. She goes back to the family business, Minster Glass and tries to maintain things with the help of her father's assistant, the taciturn, Zac. Fran has a fractured relationship with her father, which was further damaged by his refusal to talk about her mother, who died when she was very young. Her father's stroke means that she is unable to address their problems...more
Another great book...jumped between the mid-nineties and the 1880's in Westminster London, surrounding a stained-glass angel panel and the history behind its initial commission, its destruction during the Blitz and its reconstruction. This may seem like a weak story line, but the author's ability to weave a compelling tale, kept me engrossed in the story, from the first page to the very last one.
The story steps between Fran in 2003 and Laura Brownlow in the 1800's a distant relation of Fran. The novel is written around the mystery of an angel stained glass window, amongst other mysteries. It explores relationships and family tragedies. There is a theme of angels in the novel, however it is not fully evolved. I felt it was a bit slow going at times but worth plodding through the middle section.
This story wraps the theme of Angels through every page. Fran owner of Minister Glass comes back to her fathers shop when he falls ill. It explores her relationship with her father and Minister Glass and of the church which is in need of a window being repaired. She finds an old journal in the companys archives to help with the window and we learn how Fran can use the history in the journal to help her with the present.
I read The Memory Garden and absolutely loved it. It was a beautifully told story and I enjoyed The Dream House equally. It was with excitement that I started reading The Glass Painter's Daughter and I was not disappointed. The story is enchanting, the writing poetic and the characters engaging. The tale over two time periods is a wonderful format particularly when the characters lives are intertwined. I have a whole new admiration for stained glass windows which is an insight into a world I wou...more
A lovely thought provoking book. I must admit, neither being an artist or a musician I was a little dubious whether I would be able to have any empathy with the story. I loved it, in fact this book has left me more knowledgable about stained glass windows! I have given it four stars instead of five purely because the ending was a bit predictable. I have read all Rachel Hore's and non of them have been disappointing. A really enjoyable read.
Jul 29, 2011
Lara
added it
WriI normally like these type of books, but I found this one harder going - maybe I've read too many of them! Its a nice book, but not riveting.
I normally like these type of books, but I found this one harder going - maybe I've read too many of them! Its a nice book, but not riveting.
te a review...
I normally like these type of books, but I found this one harder going - maybe I've read too many of them! Its a nice book, but not riveting.
te a review...
I found this a very slow read with a flat and dull tempo. All the characters carried a sadness and melacholy without much spark and the narrative lacked the necessary tension that slowly built towards a climax and happy resolution. No surprises at the end. Disappointing.
I enjoyed the book but it was a little disappointing to have worked out how the romance would work out within seconds of meeting each character! I think the characters could have had more development. I did enjoy the historical aspect and how it linked to the present. A good holiday read but it did have potential to be more than it was.
Absolutely dire writing. I stuck with this book to page 224 but got so frustrated with the bad writing that I just had to give up. I didn't find the story interesting in the slightest. There was no sense of pacing and the I was never transported to the sense of time or place. Wretched.
Het duurde eventjes vooraleer ik helemaal meegezogen werd door het verhaal, maar toen vond ik zowel het verhaal als de personages fantastisch en dat vooral door het feit dat het zo alledaags en menselijk leek.
Weder inhaltlich noch sprachlich erwähnenswert. Die Charaktere bleiben blass und schemenhaft, die Story uninteressant, der Schreibstil langweilt. Ich war froh, als ich es endlich durch hatte.
A good heartwarming read. I downloaded this as it was Book of the Week in Starbucks - not necessarily my usual reading material and I wouldn't read it again but it was pleasant.
A really nice book, I liked the two parralel storylines and it had a nice mix of characters. I felt it was a bit slow going at times but worth plodding through the middle section.
I did enjoy reading this book the parts relating to the stain glass windows was interesting as well as the journey through a snippet of her life as she comes home.
A light read that leads you beautifully through two intertwining stories that are both wonderfully written. There was so many paths to go down beyond the actuals words on the page that I found myself never sure if I wanted to read the actual pages or just allow my mind to wonder for a bit, but the actual story was always better. A really lovely read, thank you Rachel.
I really enjoyed this book. Well written, loved the interweaving of the modern and Victorian stories, very clever. The best of Rachel Hore's books, I think?
I liked this book but comparing it with the rest that I have read by this author this one is my least favourite, still I liked it very much!
Loved this book - perfect mix of past & present even if the love story element is a little predictable. Great, atmospheric read though.
Not as good as The Memory Garden but I did enjoy learning more about stained glass making. The characters drew me into the story. I got a bit tired of the angel theme after a while though.
I enjoyed reading this book. It was intriguing and I really liked how some of the characters developed. I enjoy reading Rachel Hore's work and will be looking out for more from her in the future!
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Rachel Hore worked in London publishing for many years before moving with her family to Norwich, Norfolk. She is married to writer D.J. Taylor and they have three sons. Her first novel was The Dream House. Her second, The Memory Garden, was published in August 2007 and was an Amazon Top Ten bestseller. Her third, The Glass Painter's Daughter, is to be published in 2009. She teaches Publishing at t...more
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Mar 11, 2010 01:08pm