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The Book of Human Skin
1784, Venice. Miniguillo Fasan claws his way out of his mother’s womb. The magnificent Palazzo Espagnol, built on New World drugs and silver, has an heir. Twelve years later Minguillo uncovers a threat to his inheritance: a sister. His jealousy will condemn her to a series of fates as a cripple, a madwoman and a nun. But she is not alone - aided by an irascible portrait-painter, a doctor obsessed with skin, and a cigar-smoking nun - Marcella pits her own fierce heart against Minguillo.
512 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2010
107 people are currently reading
4142 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Lovric
112 books169 followersMichelle Lovric is a novelist, writer and anthologist.
Her third novel, The Remedy, was long-listed for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Remedy is a literary murder-mystery set against the background of the quack medicine industry in the eighteenth century.
Her first novel, Carnevale, is the story of the painter Cecilia Cornaro, described by The Times as the possessor of ‘the most covetable life’ in fiction in 2001.
In Lovric’s second novel, The Floating Book, a chorus of characters relates the perilous beginning of the print industry in Venice. The book explores the translation of raw emotion into saleable merchandise from the points of view of poets, editors, publishers – and their lovers. The Floating Book, a London Arts award winner, was also selected as a WH Smith ‘Read of the Week’.
Her first novel for young adult readers, The Undrowned Child, is published by Orion. The sequel is due in summer 2010.
Her fourth adult novel, The Book of Human Skin, is published by Bloomsbury in Spring 2010.
Lovric reviews for publications including The Times and writes travel articles about Venice. She has featured in several BBC radio documentaries about Venice.
She combines her fiction work with editing, designing and producing literary anthologies including her own translations of Latin and Italian poetry. Her book Love Letters was a New York Times best-seller.
Lovric divides her time between London and Venice. She holds a workshop in her home in London with published writers of poetry and prose, fiction and memoir.
Her third novel, The Remedy, was long-listed for the 2005 Orange Prize for Fiction. The Remedy is a literary murder-mystery set against the background of the quack medicine industry in the eighteenth century.
Her first novel, Carnevale, is the story of the painter Cecilia Cornaro, described by The Times as the possessor of ‘the most covetable life’ in fiction in 2001.
In Lovric’s second novel, The Floating Book, a chorus of characters relates the perilous beginning of the print industry in Venice. The book explores the translation of raw emotion into saleable merchandise from the points of view of poets, editors, publishers – and their lovers. The Floating Book, a London Arts award winner, was also selected as a WH Smith ‘Read of the Week’.
Her first novel for young adult readers, The Undrowned Child, is published by Orion. The sequel is due in summer 2010.
Her fourth adult novel, The Book of Human Skin, is published by Bloomsbury in Spring 2010.
Lovric reviews for publications including The Times and writes travel articles about Venice. She has featured in several BBC radio documentaries about Venice.
She combines her fiction work with editing, designing and producing literary anthologies including her own translations of Latin and Italian poetry. Her book Love Letters was a New York Times best-seller.
Lovric divides her time between London and Venice. She holds a workshop in her home in London with published writers of poetry and prose, fiction and memoir.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
January 16, 2022
Adding AO3-style tags to help youse decide if this book is for you:
TAGS:
M/F, Historical, 18th Century, Venice, Peru, Nobility, Multiple POVs, Villain POVs, Multiple Villains & Protagonists, Mental Institutions, Nunnery, Murder, Madness, Napoleonic Wars, Plague, Disabled Protagonist, Fairytale-like, Good Ending.
TW TAGS:
Blood, Bodily Fluids, Crimes & Criminals, Death, Violence Against Children, Plague, Human Skin Books.
TAGS:
M/F, Historical, 18th Century, Venice, Peru, Nobility, Multiple POVs, Villain POVs, Multiple Villains & Protagonists, Mental Institutions, Nunnery, Murder, Madness, Napoleonic Wars, Plague, Disabled Protagonist, Fairytale-like, Good Ending.
TW TAGS:
Blood, Bodily Fluids, Crimes & Criminals, Death, Violence Against Children, Plague, Human Skin Books.
December 17, 2015
3.5/5
This is one of those books that I feel could have benefited had I been reading it by itself. Unfortunately for this particular work, I've had plenty of simultaneous reading experiences where each work held their own just fine in conjunction with their competition, so my penchant for multiple books is really not to blame.
Intriguing title, isn't it? Sensational, salacious, and easily backed up by the promise of the summary and the entirety of the book. The only problem, really, was the matter of the book buckling under its own weight of cast, plot, and historical trivia. I have to give credit for the incredible amount of research the writer put into the composition, but the fact remains that I paid increasingly more attention to the seams stitching this bulging form together as the story went on. A case of the construct posing more of an interest than the writing itself, unfortunately.
There was plenty of reason for interest. Five narrators, each with their carefully delineated traits and oftentimes cleverly put together vernacular, sailing along on a path spanning the revolts in Spanish controlled Peru to the Napoleonic invasion of Russia, strung together by reasons of love, atrocity, and skin. The setting was especially grand, ripe with cosmopolitan factual intrigue and an especial interest in conveying the more disgusting aspects of living in this age in as vividly visceral a manner as possible. However, not even this grand scale of things, or anything else for that matter, was enough to make up for the ultimate flatness of many of the characters, tugged as they were this way and that as an increasingly obvious excuse to display so much of the world that they lived in.
There was also the matter of the final thirty or so pages being devoted to historical notes, the sort of thing that usually guarantees my interest. Unfortunately, the author's choice in divulging her research resulted in less of a fascinated outlook and more of a disappointment with the man behind the curtain feeling, not at all helped by the several times the topics devolved into strains of commentary bordering on rants that did more to display the author's personal beliefs than keep me intrigued. Mind you, I adore digression, but not the sort that did more to highlight the weakness of the author's prose when not cloaked in vernacular pyrotechnics than anything else.
So, if you have an interest in late 18th to early 19th history spanning from Venice to Arequipa, the seedier side of convents, medical practices caked in blood and gore and pus, various explorations of poverty, the field of books bound in human skin, and don't mind if the people running through the plot are rather predictable, go for it. The fact that the end of the pages left me yawning over the lists of historical instances of literary pursuits intersecting with both dissectional and vivisectional practices may say more about me than the quality of the work.
This is one of those books that I feel could have benefited had I been reading it by itself. Unfortunately for this particular work, I've had plenty of simultaneous reading experiences where each work held their own just fine in conjunction with their competition, so my penchant for multiple books is really not to blame.
Intriguing title, isn't it? Sensational, salacious, and easily backed up by the promise of the summary and the entirety of the book. The only problem, really, was the matter of the book buckling under its own weight of cast, plot, and historical trivia. I have to give credit for the incredible amount of research the writer put into the composition, but the fact remains that I paid increasingly more attention to the seams stitching this bulging form together as the story went on. A case of the construct posing more of an interest than the writing itself, unfortunately.
There was plenty of reason for interest. Five narrators, each with their carefully delineated traits and oftentimes cleverly put together vernacular, sailing along on a path spanning the revolts in Spanish controlled Peru to the Napoleonic invasion of Russia, strung together by reasons of love, atrocity, and skin. The setting was especially grand, ripe with cosmopolitan factual intrigue and an especial interest in conveying the more disgusting aspects of living in this age in as vividly visceral a manner as possible. However, not even this grand scale of things, or anything else for that matter, was enough to make up for the ultimate flatness of many of the characters, tugged as they were this way and that as an increasingly obvious excuse to display so much of the world that they lived in.
There was also the matter of the final thirty or so pages being devoted to historical notes, the sort of thing that usually guarantees my interest. Unfortunately, the author's choice in divulging her research resulted in less of a fascinated outlook and more of a disappointment with the man behind the curtain feeling, not at all helped by the several times the topics devolved into strains of commentary bordering on rants that did more to display the author's personal beliefs than keep me intrigued. Mind you, I adore digression, but not the sort that did more to highlight the weakness of the author's prose when not cloaked in vernacular pyrotechnics than anything else.
So, if you have an interest in late 18th to early 19th history spanning from Venice to Arequipa, the seedier side of convents, medical practices caked in blood and gore and pus, various explorations of poverty, the field of books bound in human skin, and don't mind if the people running through the plot are rather predictable, go for it. The fact that the end of the pages left me yawning over the lists of historical instances of literary pursuits intersecting with both dissectional and vivisectional practices may say more about me than the quality of the work.
January 3, 2016
Difficult to put out of my mind
Michelle Lovric has obviously put a huge effort into the research that she weaves into a carpet upon which the story can walk and play. This story is shocking, yet, in places, amusing. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that any reader would agree that the conclusions are satisfying.
This story is so cleverly written, and the publishers have helped the author to present a unique style. There are five, very different narrators. The author gives them their individual voices, and the publisher has added to the effect by giving each of them a different font.
The narrators include Minguillo Fasan, who suffers from persecution mania and spends his vengeful life making the lives of all those around him as miserable as possible. He is also a collector of books bound in human skin. Yes, it is true that these repulsive objects actually existed, and may still. His sister, Marcella, the second narrator, is consequently much persecuted, and is forced to leave what should be a comfortable, aristocratic life in Venice to eventually arrive in a convent in the Andes of Peru.
The third narrator is a self-made doctor, who makes skin his speciality, and perhaps his obsession. Amongst others, he has the questionable privilege of treating Napoleon Bonaparte, even through the infamous Russian campaign.
The fourth is Minguillo’s valet, Gianni, who is almost, but not quite, illiterate. That assumption costs his master dear, as his loyalties lie elsewhere. Who could ever be loyal to such a despicable character, anyway?
The final narrator is the craziest nun you could ever imagine. I won’t say much more about her, but you will discover for yourself just how crazy she is, before you have waded more than ten pages into this book.
The pace seemed to slow down a bit in the middle, which almost had me awarding a mere three stars, but I am so glad I persevered as it soon picked up again. By the time I closed the book, I was feeling a little harsh when I awarded four stars. However, I think that this is a genuine rating.
Read it for yourself, and I will look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments.
Michelle Lovric has obviously put a huge effort into the research that she weaves into a carpet upon which the story can walk and play. This story is shocking, yet, in places, amusing. Without giving too much away, I can tell you that any reader would agree that the conclusions are satisfying.
This story is so cleverly written, and the publishers have helped the author to present a unique style. There are five, very different narrators. The author gives them their individual voices, and the publisher has added to the effect by giving each of them a different font.
The narrators include Minguillo Fasan, who suffers from persecution mania and spends his vengeful life making the lives of all those around him as miserable as possible. He is also a collector of books bound in human skin. Yes, it is true that these repulsive objects actually existed, and may still. His sister, Marcella, the second narrator, is consequently much persecuted, and is forced to leave what should be a comfortable, aristocratic life in Venice to eventually arrive in a convent in the Andes of Peru.
The third narrator is a self-made doctor, who makes skin his speciality, and perhaps his obsession. Amongst others, he has the questionable privilege of treating Napoleon Bonaparte, even through the infamous Russian campaign.
The fourth is Minguillo’s valet, Gianni, who is almost, but not quite, illiterate. That assumption costs his master dear, as his loyalties lie elsewhere. Who could ever be loyal to such a despicable character, anyway?
The final narrator is the craziest nun you could ever imagine. I won’t say much more about her, but you will discover for yourself just how crazy she is, before you have waded more than ten pages into this book.
The pace seemed to slow down a bit in the middle, which almost had me awarding a mere three stars, but I am so glad I persevered as it soon picked up again. By the time I closed the book, I was feeling a little harsh when I awarded four stars. However, I think that this is a genuine rating.
Read it for yourself, and I will look forward to hearing your thoughts and comments.
August 29, 2011
"This is going to get a little uncomfortable." Thanks for the warning.
The phrase morbid fascination really comes to mind after this book, I'm not going to do a synopsis as they're ten a penny here, but what I can say is this. The book is horrific, triumphant, at times slightly soul crushing,(poor poor Marcella!) humorous, and addictive.
The fabric of this book is beautifully woven, by pulling all the right strings Lovric gives an entwined and detailed pattern of characters, some of whom we love to love, others we love to hate, "for did the reader not enjoy my part in this tale?". Yes Mingullio I did.
It made my skin crawl and the narrative gives the reader a plethora of platforms to view each of the characters (often repulsive) outer skins, which satisfyingly mirrors their inner soul. The language is well used and research well placed, without boasting, ultimately I think it’s a story about an "Unconventional" family, because we all put up with a bit of crap. And sordid secrets are rife in most families, more so in the privileged! And of course there is love there, more than you may at first think, and yes there are predictabilities in the book, (the ending I’m still impartial over, Lovric seemed rushed and annoyingly unintelligent in parts.) but I think for a lesser author we would put up with it, and the predictions starkly outweigh the grotesque triumph of the villains for the large part. And, are these turns of their fate not pleasing to the reader? I thought so, what’s a story without a happy ending? Well for some.
It’s definitely worth a read, even if it is out of morbid fascination.
The phrase morbid fascination really comes to mind after this book, I'm not going to do a synopsis as they're ten a penny here, but what I can say is this. The book is horrific, triumphant, at times slightly soul crushing,(poor poor Marcella!) humorous, and addictive.
The fabric of this book is beautifully woven, by pulling all the right strings Lovric gives an entwined and detailed pattern of characters, some of whom we love to love, others we love to hate, "for did the reader not enjoy my part in this tale?". Yes Mingullio I did.
It made my skin crawl and the narrative gives the reader a plethora of platforms to view each of the characters (often repulsive) outer skins, which satisfyingly mirrors their inner soul. The language is well used and research well placed, without boasting, ultimately I think it’s a story about an "Unconventional" family, because we all put up with a bit of crap. And sordid secrets are rife in most families, more so in the privileged! And of course there is love there, more than you may at first think, and yes there are predictabilities in the book, (the ending I’m still impartial over, Lovric seemed rushed and annoyingly unintelligent in parts.) but I think for a lesser author we would put up with it, and the predictions starkly outweigh the grotesque triumph of the villains for the large part. And, are these turns of their fate not pleasing to the reader? I thought so, what’s a story without a happy ending? Well for some.
It’s definitely worth a read, even if it is out of morbid fascination.
December 27, 2015
Oh my goodness, I have been swept away by this glorious book. It really is a dark gem: a captivating story, rich with historical details, and packed full of full of characters, incidents, ideas and images.
The story is brought to life by an extraordinary cast of characters so vividly painted. There is a cruel villain, a resourceful heroine, a penniless lover, and a mad woman. There are servants who are loyal but powerless; and there are friends who cannot help as much as they might like but who will do whatever they can.
At the centre of the story are the trials of Marcella Fasan, daughter of an aristocratic Venetian family; whose jealous, brother, Minguillo, will do anything – anything – in his power to strip her of her rightful inheritance.
There are five voices, five different perspectives, all beautifully delineated; each one is both distinctive and engaging
Minguello Fasan, born in 1784 is ruthless, malevolent, sadistic, and downright amoral. He aware of the dislike that his whole household, even his parents, feels for him; but he doesn’t doubt for a moment that it is for him, and for him alone, to inherit all his family’s wealth and social position.
He is repellent, but he is also a charming and compelling storyteller
Minguello’s collection of books bound in human skin is his consuming passion.
Marcella Fasan, his only surviving sister, is loved by everyone; but she learns at a very early age that it is wise to stay out of her brother’s way, and that it is wise to keep her worries to herself, and to show no attachment to any of the people around her so that they do not incur the wrath of Minguillo.
At first I found her almost too good, too stoical, but I quickly came to understand and to love Marcella. She was intelligent, she was a talented artist; and she had sufficient faith, courage and resourcefulness to rise above everything her brother did to her.
He did her physical harm, but her luminous skin wold always be beautiful.
Doctor Santo Aldobrandini was a poor orphan, but his good heart, his burning desire to help the afflicted, and his willingness to work hard to achieve his ambitions led him to an apprenticeship with a surgeon. He found himself allied with Napoleon when he was called upon to treat those injured in the course of Bonaparte’s march across Europe; and in Venice he saw Marcella and he fell helplessly in love. At first he loved her from afar, knowing that his station in life was far below hers, but when he was made aware of her brother’s malevolent treatment of her he knew that he had to act.
I loved his story, and I came to love him.
Santo’s had a special medical interest: conditions of the skin.
Gianni delle Boccole, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, presented himself as a fool to gain the trust of his master, but he was devoted to Marcella and he would do whatever he could to help her.
His spelling and grammar was idiosyncratic, but I came to love it, but I came to love his warmth and wit. It was such a lovely contrast to the darker side if the story.
Gianni, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, plays the fool in order to gain the trust of his wary master and eventually plays a crucial role in rescuing Marcella, the damsel in distress.
Meanwhile, in Peru, Sor Loreta, dreamed of becoming a martyr, a saint, and the prioress of Santa Catalina. She was so sure that she was right, and that her way was right, that she dismissed any disagreement as the work of the devil. She believed that she was on the road to God; her mother superior, and everyone else around her, believed that she was deranged and delusional.
Her story was compelling; her psychology was fascinating.
Sor Loretta’s first step towards god was the mortification of the flesh.
A wonderfully wide-ranging plot, rich with details, taking in European and Latin American history, art and culture, religion and convent life, and a wonderful cast of supporting characters, each with their own story, twists and turns so cleverly until every one of those five narrators has told their story.
That story was theatrical; it was utterly believable – on its own terms – but it was just a little bit larger than life. The shifts between characters who stood for the light and characters who stood for the dark were very effective, and it was only when the narrative stayed with one side or the other for too long that it lost its hold, just a little.
Michelle Lovric’s writing is rich and lovely, and she paints a wonderfully detailed picture of her characters and everything in their worlds. I can’t mention everything, but I must mention that I was delighted to meet Cecilia Cornaro, whose own story was told in ‘Carnevale’ again, and I was so pleased that she had a significant part to play in Marcella’s life.
There’s a wealth of history underpinning this story; it’s very cleverly done, and I couldn’t doubt for a moment that Michelle Lovric knew and loved that history.
At the centre of it all was a wonderful story, a story that I could hardly predict at all, and that story – and its five wonderful narrators held me from start to finish.
The story is brought to life by an extraordinary cast of characters so vividly painted. There is a cruel villain, a resourceful heroine, a penniless lover, and a mad woman. There are servants who are loyal but powerless; and there are friends who cannot help as much as they might like but who will do whatever they can.
At the centre of the story are the trials of Marcella Fasan, daughter of an aristocratic Venetian family; whose jealous, brother, Minguillo, will do anything – anything – in his power to strip her of her rightful inheritance.
There are five voices, five different perspectives, all beautifully delineated; each one is both distinctive and engaging
Minguello Fasan, born in 1784 is ruthless, malevolent, sadistic, and downright amoral. He aware of the dislike that his whole household, even his parents, feels for him; but he doesn’t doubt for a moment that it is for him, and for him alone, to inherit all his family’s wealth and social position.
He is repellent, but he is also a charming and compelling storyteller
Minguello’s collection of books bound in human skin is his consuming passion.
Marcella Fasan, his only surviving sister, is loved by everyone; but she learns at a very early age that it is wise to stay out of her brother’s way, and that it is wise to keep her worries to herself, and to show no attachment to any of the people around her so that they do not incur the wrath of Minguillo.
At first I found her almost too good, too stoical, but I quickly came to understand and to love Marcella. She was intelligent, she was a talented artist; and she had sufficient faith, courage and resourcefulness to rise above everything her brother did to her.
He did her physical harm, but her luminous skin wold always be beautiful.
Doctor Santo Aldobrandini was a poor orphan, but his good heart, his burning desire to help the afflicted, and his willingness to work hard to achieve his ambitions led him to an apprenticeship with a surgeon. He found himself allied with Napoleon when he was called upon to treat those injured in the course of Bonaparte’s march across Europe; and in Venice he saw Marcella and he fell helplessly in love. At first he loved her from afar, knowing that his station in life was far below hers, but when he was made aware of her brother’s malevolent treatment of her he knew that he had to act.
I loved his story, and I came to love him.
Santo’s had a special medical interest: conditions of the skin.
Gianni delle Boccole, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, presented himself as a fool to gain the trust of his master, but he was devoted to Marcella and he would do whatever he could to help her.
His spelling and grammar was idiosyncratic, but I came to love it, but I came to love his warmth and wit. It was such a lovely contrast to the darker side if the story.
Gianni, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, plays the fool in order to gain the trust of his wary master and eventually plays a crucial role in rescuing Marcella, the damsel in distress.
Meanwhile, in Peru, Sor Loreta, dreamed of becoming a martyr, a saint, and the prioress of Santa Catalina. She was so sure that she was right, and that her way was right, that she dismissed any disagreement as the work of the devil. She believed that she was on the road to God; her mother superior, and everyone else around her, believed that she was deranged and delusional.
Her story was compelling; her psychology was fascinating.
Sor Loretta’s first step towards god was the mortification of the flesh.
A wonderfully wide-ranging plot, rich with details, taking in European and Latin American history, art and culture, religion and convent life, and a wonderful cast of supporting characters, each with their own story, twists and turns so cleverly until every one of those five narrators has told their story.
That story was theatrical; it was utterly believable – on its own terms – but it was just a little bit larger than life. The shifts between characters who stood for the light and characters who stood for the dark were very effective, and it was only when the narrative stayed with one side or the other for too long that it lost its hold, just a little.
Michelle Lovric’s writing is rich and lovely, and she paints a wonderfully detailed picture of her characters and everything in their worlds. I can’t mention everything, but I must mention that I was delighted to meet Cecilia Cornaro, whose own story was told in ‘Carnevale’ again, and I was so pleased that she had a significant part to play in Marcella’s life.
There’s a wealth of history underpinning this story; it’s very cleverly done, and I couldn’t doubt for a moment that Michelle Lovric knew and loved that history.
At the centre of it all was a wonderful story, a story that I could hardly predict at all, and that story – and its five wonderful narrators held me from start to finish.
May 12, 2012
The Book of Human Skin is a funny one. I find it hard to make up my mind as to whether I've just read something quite brilliant or another run of the mill romance novel that tries to be something it's not. I'm leaning towards the latter.
Telling the tale of a young girl's persecution by her evil brother through five narratives, this novel is not short of exciting plot twists and lurid detail that appeals to the voyeuristic nature inside us all; Lovric has an appealing and delectiable writing style which paints a considerably detailed picture of Venetian and Peruvian landscapes. Continuing with the positive, it is clear that Lovric is admriably well researched: her knowledge of these places is extensive, as well as that of the professions of her characters. However as descriptive as this imagery may be, The Book of Human Skin is opposingly dissapointing when it comes to the half way point. Whilst the beginning of the novel is rather gripping, what with the mysterious character of Doctor Santo Aldobrandini flitting in and out of the story line implying he may have some gruesome truth to hide, the reader will be dissapointedto discover he is a limp weed who somehow manages to fall devoutly in love with the female protagonist, who isn't herself the most interesting character.
As Lovric continues with this unexplained romance of gratuitous proportions it becomes apparent that the dark, seedy immediate layer of the book melts away to reveal a love story soggier than a digestive dunked in a mug of tea for a tad too long. Marcella Fasan, the supposed heroine of the novel, is the most drab and unoriginal character one could conjure up: she remains saintly and without blame throughout her painful ordeal of a life, never once having a naughty thought about doing something to finally put a stop to her brothers torturous tirade. Instead she gives a cracking example of how to be a pathetic female protagonist who does nothing for herself and is rescued by a different man in every chapter. Just what literature needs; another personality-less woman who teaches young girls to wait for their prince charmings.
The only female character who makes the reader care even a tiny amount about finsihing the novel is Sor Loreta, a psychotic nun who scourges herself from her first entry and kills off half the convent. Engagingly written, I relished the pages where Sor Loreta appeared to detail her pious beliefs and delusionary state of mind. She remained consistent to her faith all the way through the book, which thankfully prevented the novel from ending in a shower of rainbows and butterflies; Sor Loreta remained an evil undefeated. As did Marcella's brother Minguillo, who finally gets his comeuppance in the form of small pox, but is not quite dead at the end of the novel, questioning the reader directly about their following his grim tale and liking it- a thought provoking end to the tale.
However, the fates of Marcella, the Doctor and the other minor 'goodies' remains a moral example of why one should remain a sickly sweet human being. Everyone ends up married, engaged or at the least shacked up with the nearest character Lovric can remember so as to tie everything neatly together at the end. The most sickening example of this came when Gianni the illiterate servant questions the happy family on how they survive with no money, to which they reply 'love!' - yes, 'love': high in fibre, minerals and all your daily sustinence. Lovric seems to portray an infantile depiction of love in this novel, which gives the over all tone an insincerity and immaturity. Furthermore, an irritating convention began to emerge during the novel as Lovric posed poignant ideas without them having any relevance to the story. Don't get me wrong, often conventions such as these would interest me, and their mystery would be exciting, but they occurred far too frequently. An idea involving Marcella keeping a blade of grass between her ring and her skin at the convent is just one example of an idea which leads nowhere but has potential. From this I got the impression Lovric was trying desperately to cram any and every sliver of information she could muster into the last moments of her novel; a technique which ended in a poor and rushed conclusion.
Ultimately, The Book of Human Skin is just plain odd. Without giving the reader any real empathy with the characters, it presents a partially well written story that is hard to put down- but maybe not for the right reasons. Although I enjoyed it to varied extents, I can't help but wonder at the ambiguity of the novel's tagline: 'This is going to be a little uncomfortable for you'- did the morbid and fascinating descriptions of books bound in human skin with a nipple for the clasp make this novel deliciously uncomfortable? Or was the book too poor to be anything other than an uncomfortable read?
May 14, 2012
While I didn't hate this book I wasn't particularly enamoured of it either. The reviews on the front of the book made it out to be some sort of scandalous tale that pushes the boundaries of acceptable narrative with a dark humour. Was this book dark, yes ... ironically humorous ... not at all. I think the largest problem I had with this book is that I really couldn't find a character with whom to place my sympathies. Many of the characters (Minguillo and Sor Loreta) were downright deplorable and were not intended to be sympathetic. The characters who were supposed to garner my sympathy, however, also fell short for me. While I did feel sorry for Marcella and what happened to her at the hand of her brother, the passiveness with which she accepted everything made it hard for me to sympathize with her. As for Gianni, the way his character was written kept making me hear his voice as having a cockney accent, which kept annoying me that I apparently had a Italian servant speaking cockney on my hands. I get why Lovric chose to write his voice differently as we was supposed to be lower class, but the distinct English flair to the way she wrote his voice was not really effective. I also find I can only stomach books where everything goes wrong for so long. Don't get me wrong, I love a good tragedy, but a skilled tragedy will give the readers points of rest before dragging us down further. In this book everything went wrong, all the time to the point that I found myself reading the end before finishing the book just so I had some hope going forward. All in all it was an interesting look into the historical time period and I really liked the description of the Chilean nunneries as I do not know a lot about the history of Chile. This history, however, was not enough to lift the drudgery I felt trying to read this book.
September 1, 2016
My adventures with books in Italy are unending. Wandering on the streets of Bologna I found this awesome bookstore which happened to have an English-books section, so I couldn’t help myself and I browsed its pretty shelves in search of a book with the action in Venice (a city I already visited and based on my experience with reading a book in which he action revolves in a place you’re visiting or you’ve visited it seemed like a pretty good idea) and that’s how I came across this interesting and magnificent book. I have to admit it, I was really drawn to the cover and when I saw the description I was hooked.
The story revolves around a family of Venetian nobles, the year is 1784 and many things are happening from a historical point of view in Europe. The well-respected Fasan family welcomes into the world its second child and heir, Minguillo Fasan. Unfortunately, even as a little child Minguillo doesn’t quite rise up to the expectations of his parents and he is soon despised by them and also by the staff of the family. He is quirky and often cruel to every creature around him and slowly through the book we discover that the only thing he seems to love is Palazzo Espagnol, the place he lives in and hopes to inherit some day. The struggle and the growth of the characters I will let you discover for yourself as you will find it an exciting and rewarding journey.
I have to say that it is interesting how the book is not structured in chapters, but rather by character, meaning that each character has a few paragraphs and gives us a certain perspective regarding the situation and then another character shares his/her story and so on. At first it is kind of hard to follow because all the characters have rather short pieces of story and they keep intertwining, but once you get the hang of it… it becomes rather addictive and you keep turning the pages in order to see what a certain character will do or say next.
For a full review: http://chapter26.net/2016/06/16/the-b...
The story revolves around a family of Venetian nobles, the year is 1784 and many things are happening from a historical point of view in Europe. The well-respected Fasan family welcomes into the world its second child and heir, Minguillo Fasan. Unfortunately, even as a little child Minguillo doesn’t quite rise up to the expectations of his parents and he is soon despised by them and also by the staff of the family. He is quirky and often cruel to every creature around him and slowly through the book we discover that the only thing he seems to love is Palazzo Espagnol, the place he lives in and hopes to inherit some day. The struggle and the growth of the characters I will let you discover for yourself as you will find it an exciting and rewarding journey.
I have to say that it is interesting how the book is not structured in chapters, but rather by character, meaning that each character has a few paragraphs and gives us a certain perspective regarding the situation and then another character shares his/her story and so on. At first it is kind of hard to follow because all the characters have rather short pieces of story and they keep intertwining, but once you get the hang of it… it becomes rather addictive and you keep turning the pages in order to see what a certain character will do or say next.
For a full review: http://chapter26.net/2016/06/16/the-b...
November 11, 2010
Everyone, put this one on your wishlist straight away - it's wonderful! The story ranges from Venice to Peru, and what a story it is. Minguillo is pure undiluted evil, and his detailed cruelties can be difficult to read - but his wry humour as he tells his side of the story is absolutely magic. The story is told in turn by a range of the main characters - the accounts are fairly short, and it keeps the action moving wonderfully from different perspectives, and there's no chance of getting confused with the author using different typefaces and styles. You'll love Gianni, the faithful servant, who does everything possible to protect Marcella from Minguillo's cruelty - he writes phonetically, which I usually hate but here it absolutely works and reading it in your head (if you see what I mean!) gives him a strong and endearing voice. And Sor Loreta, the pious nun, is a magnificent creation, evil, delusional, and a source of exquisite dark comedy. It's also a rollicking good story with heart in the mouth moments, and one of the most wonderful cast of characters where even the minor ones live in all their glory (or otherwise). If you loved the likes of The Good Thief, The Book of Unholy Mischief, A Time of Angels, City of Thieves... you will really love this one too.
February 16, 2011
This is my first encounter with Michelle Lovric’s writing and it certainly whetted my appetite for more of her books. Set in late 18th century Venice and Peru, the story is narrated by five main characters whose different “voices” are highlighted by the use of different fonts. It’s a rollercoaster, romp of a novel in which the focus is on the fate of the young Venetian aristocrat, Marcella Fasan and her quest for survival faced with an extremely jealous, older brother Minguillo who will will leave no stone unturned in his efforts to rob Marcella of her rightful inheritance.
I do have a penchant for novels set in Italy and those with a wealth of quirky characters so I had an inkling I would love this novel. Our five narrators come from varying backgrounds – Minguillo who is a would-be Marquis de Sade has many evil plots on the boil, aided and abetted by his over-indulgent parents who turn a blind eye to his downright malevolent streak. He quickly advances from torturing small animals to turning his vindictive eye on his siblings. His younger sister, Marcella, quickly learns to avoid his wrath and adopts an almost saintly, stoical approach, learning at an early age not to share her worries as her confidants would only incur the wrath of Minguillo as a consequence. Doctor Santo Albobrandini’s fate seems allied with that of Napoleon as he tends to those injured in the course of Bonaparte’s march across Europe. He loves Marcella from afar, unaware at first of Minguillo’s dastardly deeds. Gianni, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, plays the fool in order to gain the trust of his wary master and eventually plays a crucial role in rescuing Marcella, the damsel in distress. Meanwhile, in Arequipa, Peru, Sor Loreta inches closer to her ambition to die for the love of Christ, irking the other nuns with her daily sado-masochistic practices. Eventually we will see the connection between this religious fanatic and Marcella but first there is a story to be told!
I loved so much about this novel, its epic range, the vivid characters, the sights and sounds of both Venetian and convent life. Yes, the characters are larger than life and a bit pantomime-like but that is part of this book’s charm. Some scenes are reminiscent of Boccaccio’s Decameron, some of Dangerous Liaisons – indeed, everytime Minguillo uttered his tag line “This is going to be a little uncomfortable”, I was reminded of the Vicomte de Valmont (played by John Malcovich) drawling “It’s beyond my control”. The convent scenes high in the mountains of Peru are redolent of the film Black Narcissus where Sister Ruth becomes uncontrollably jealous of Deborah Kerr’s whiter than white character. Indeed, think of all the best examples of melodrama, mix them with a pinch of court intrigue, add in a soupcon of terror with books bound with human skin and voila, you have a show to beat all shows!
I wouldn’t be completely honest if I didn’t mention one little fly in the ointment, for me anyway… I found Gianni, the semi-literate valet the most irritating charcter I’ve encountered in a long time and it was all due to his extremely peculiar turn of speech…
Until he had eleven year, if ye dint know him intimid, twere jist possible, with yer head on one side n yer fingers crosst, to think on Minguillo as a tearing-away kind ovva lad, with a morbid maginashon n a bad temper.
Some readers have found Gianni to be a most endearing, cute character – I thought he was an irritating cross between a chav and one of Chaucer’s pilgrims. I don’t mind dialect but Gianni was on a par with nails screeching on a blackboard for me and everytime he “turned up” I found myself skim reading until he was out of sight. Thankfully he doesn’t appear too often nor for too long – or did I only imagine that as I psychologically blocked out most of his appearances…
Anyway, putting Gianni aside (I wish!), this is an extremely well-researched, entertaining story full of colour and character. It has been likened to Perfume and yes, I would agree that the element of the grotesque feature in both but Michelle Lovric’s novel has a lighter, less headier fragrance. Highly recommended for all who enjoy theatricality and a great story well told.
4.5/5 for me, had to drop half a mark because of Gianni!
I do have a penchant for novels set in Italy and those with a wealth of quirky characters so I had an inkling I would love this novel. Our five narrators come from varying backgrounds – Minguillo who is a would-be Marquis de Sade has many evil plots on the boil, aided and abetted by his over-indulgent parents who turn a blind eye to his downright malevolent streak. He quickly advances from torturing small animals to turning his vindictive eye on his siblings. His younger sister, Marcella, quickly learns to avoid his wrath and adopts an almost saintly, stoical approach, learning at an early age not to share her worries as her confidants would only incur the wrath of Minguillo as a consequence. Doctor Santo Albobrandini’s fate seems allied with that of Napoleon as he tends to those injured in the course of Bonaparte’s march across Europe. He loves Marcella from afar, unaware at first of Minguillo’s dastardly deeds. Gianni, Minguillo’s semi-literate valet, plays the fool in order to gain the trust of his wary master and eventually plays a crucial role in rescuing Marcella, the damsel in distress. Meanwhile, in Arequipa, Peru, Sor Loreta inches closer to her ambition to die for the love of Christ, irking the other nuns with her daily sado-masochistic practices. Eventually we will see the connection between this religious fanatic and Marcella but first there is a story to be told!
I loved so much about this novel, its epic range, the vivid characters, the sights and sounds of both Venetian and convent life. Yes, the characters are larger than life and a bit pantomime-like but that is part of this book’s charm. Some scenes are reminiscent of Boccaccio’s Decameron, some of Dangerous Liaisons – indeed, everytime Minguillo uttered his tag line “This is going to be a little uncomfortable”, I was reminded of the Vicomte de Valmont (played by John Malcovich) drawling “It’s beyond my control”. The convent scenes high in the mountains of Peru are redolent of the film Black Narcissus where Sister Ruth becomes uncontrollably jealous of Deborah Kerr’s whiter than white character. Indeed, think of all the best examples of melodrama, mix them with a pinch of court intrigue, add in a soupcon of terror with books bound with human skin and voila, you have a show to beat all shows!
I wouldn’t be completely honest if I didn’t mention one little fly in the ointment, for me anyway… I found Gianni, the semi-literate valet the most irritating charcter I’ve encountered in a long time and it was all due to his extremely peculiar turn of speech…
Until he had eleven year, if ye dint know him intimid, twere jist possible, with yer head on one side n yer fingers crosst, to think on Minguillo as a tearing-away kind ovva lad, with a morbid maginashon n a bad temper.
Some readers have found Gianni to be a most endearing, cute character – I thought he was an irritating cross between a chav and one of Chaucer’s pilgrims. I don’t mind dialect but Gianni was on a par with nails screeching on a blackboard for me and everytime he “turned up” I found myself skim reading until he was out of sight. Thankfully he doesn’t appear too often nor for too long – or did I only imagine that as I psychologically blocked out most of his appearances…
Anyway, putting Gianni aside (I wish!), this is an extremely well-researched, entertaining story full of colour and character. It has been likened to Perfume and yes, I would agree that the element of the grotesque feature in both but Michelle Lovric’s novel has a lighter, less headier fragrance. Highly recommended for all who enjoy theatricality and a great story well told.
4.5/5 for me, had to drop half a mark because of Gianni!
October 20, 2011
Excellent. I really got into her books when I happened to pickup The Remedy. If youve ever wanted to travel in time read a Michelle Lovric book. You can see the grand canal and smell the streets of Venice and the corruption on the backstreets of London. True escapism. I emerged from the Remedy in a daze and thought "oh yeah im a wife and mother living in england!" I quickly longed to wander through venice again and picked up this book from my library. I loved it from the first page its the kind of book where you hear from all the different characters in their own words from the stark raving bonkers, cruel and tyrannical brother (who i loved to hate) to the kindly servant through to the poor tortured sister (an unlikely likeable heroine who you're behind all the way)and her struggle to overcome her debauched life with the brother from hell. Along the way she meets the love of her life becomes an inmate in a lunatic asylum and a nun! I was soon back at the library to demand "Carnavale" which really you should read first as the main character Cecelia is through all the books and its your introduction to venice in the late 18th century.
April 8, 2020
A pair of psychopaths at the opposite ends of the world, each bent on destroying the innocent in their own way. Their only connections are a certain nun and an obsession with human skin.
The book that feels most similar to this is Perfume by Patrick Suskind, although this tale isn't quite the same transcendant gem of a book. It's a solid read, well-researched, a bit disturbing. But it didn't quite stick the ending, and left me going, "Wait, it's over....?" The character voices were a great strength; everything else was solid but not quite brilliant. The bad guys never quite tempt one into becoming bad oneself, if that makes sense, and it's the sort of book where they really should.
Do read this if you're a fan of Perfume or writers like Anne Rice or Tanith Lee. Solid books of this sort aren't common enough to turn up one's nose at. But expect reasonable things from this book, not transcendant ones.
The book that feels most similar to this is Perfume by Patrick Suskind, although this tale isn't quite the same transcendant gem of a book. It's a solid read, well-researched, a bit disturbing. But it didn't quite stick the ending, and left me going, "Wait, it's over....?" The character voices were a great strength; everything else was solid but not quite brilliant. The bad guys never quite tempt one into becoming bad oneself, if that makes sense, and it's the sort of book where they really should.
Do read this if you're a fan of Perfume or writers like Anne Rice or Tanith Lee. Solid books of this sort aren't common enough to turn up one's nose at. But expect reasonable things from this book, not transcendant ones.
April 4, 2013
It's a brilliantly written and conceived book - a story told by the various protagonists, from their points of view, in their voices. And the story is a wonderful yarn of old-fashioned evil pitted against old-fashioned good, but in such a way that it never deteriorates into bombastics or sentimentalities. Evil is truly evil and good isn't too squeaky clean either.
From 18th century Venice to Arequipa in Peru the narrative takes us back to a time we can't quite imagine, and on the way we learn quite a bit. 'The Book of Human Skin', with dark humor, covers many 'sins'--from saintly anorexia to dangerous quack medicines of the time.
The baddie, of course, collects very special books covered in a very special material.
If you loved the 'Three Musketeers' et al, I recommend this book highly.
From 18th century Venice to Arequipa in Peru the narrative takes us back to a time we can't quite imagine, and on the way we learn quite a bit. 'The Book of Human Skin', with dark humor, covers many 'sins'--from saintly anorexia to dangerous quack medicines of the time.
The baddie, of course, collects very special books covered in a very special material.
If you loved the 'Three Musketeers' et al, I recommend this book highly.
September 14, 2016
This was a difficult read. The narrator starts, "This is going to be a little uncomfortable." I beg to differ. It was a lot uncomfortable.
It was a bit confusing at the beginning. There were 5 character points of view that kept switching rather quickly. There were two locations - Peru & Venice. Like the narrators, the location switched back and forth. It was half way, or better, before the one character's connection to the story became clear. I kept wondering when Sol Loretta's story line was going to become a cohesive part of the story, and fearing that perhaps it wouldn't.
I didn't become invested in the story until the last third. I'd almost be tempted to re-read the book based on the final third if it wasn't so long. However, the content is quite disturbing, and I don't think I could subject myself to the discomfort again.
It was a bit confusing at the beginning. There were 5 character points of view that kept switching rather quickly. There were two locations - Peru & Venice. Like the narrators, the location switched back and forth. It was half way, or better, before the one character's connection to the story became clear. I kept wondering when Sol Loretta's story line was going to become a cohesive part of the story, and fearing that perhaps it wouldn't.
I didn't become invested in the story until the last third. I'd almost be tempted to re-read the book based on the final third if it wasn't so long. However, the content is quite disturbing, and I don't think I could subject myself to the discomfort again.
July 1, 2023
I won't lie it did feel weird to pick this book up every time despite knowing it was not made of skin
May 19, 2012
It was ok. I really liked it in the beginning, to the point I didn't want to put it down. I go to about the halfway mark when it started to get a bit tedious, maybe a little bit boring. In the end I was genuinely relieved to have finally finished it.
Marcella was too perfect. I was supposed to be on her side but she was completely devoid of pretty much everything that makes a character interesting, so I didn't care too much. She's too innocent, so vulnerable and everyone loves her and thanks she's wonderful, obviously she is going to be 100% safe, regardless of Mingiullo and his attempts to maim her. The morality/characterization of the characters is completely black and white, the good are completely good (a long with being physically beautiful and charming) and the bad are totally deplorable and insane (along with being hideously ugly, scarred or full of lifelong acne (in Mingiullos case)).
I have forever disliked villains who are born bad. To me that kind of thing is nothing more than lazy writing, an author who can't quite be bothered to think up some sort of back story and decides to wing it with no explanation. He nails cats to doors, chops the head off chickens and maims his sister for life, apparently 'just because' the author needs him to be a bad guy, with zero explanation as to why he is like that. No one even likes the guy when he's a baby.
There was also no humour. Judging from the quotes on the cover, I
was expecting a dark book full of black humour, of which there was none. It's dark and bleak, yes, funny? Not at all. Unless the joke went over my head, I didn't crack a smile. I even reread passages thinking something was wrong with me because I wasn't seeing the humour at all.
The beginning was great, the first half was good, it's been a while since I was so let down by a book I was looking forward to reading.
Marcella was too perfect. I was supposed to be on her side but she was completely devoid of pretty much everything that makes a character interesting, so I didn't care too much. She's too innocent, so vulnerable and everyone loves her and thanks she's wonderful, obviously she is going to be 100% safe, regardless of Mingiullo and his attempts to maim her. The morality/characterization of the characters is completely black and white, the good are completely good (a long with being physically beautiful and charming) and the bad are totally deplorable and insane (along with being hideously ugly, scarred or full of lifelong acne (in Mingiullos case)).
I have forever disliked villains who are born bad. To me that kind of thing is nothing more than lazy writing, an author who can't quite be bothered to think up some sort of back story and decides to wing it with no explanation. He nails cats to doors, chops the head off chickens and maims his sister for life, apparently 'just because' the author needs him to be a bad guy, with zero explanation as to why he is like that. No one even likes the guy when he's a baby.
There was also no humour. Judging from the quotes on the cover, I
was expecting a dark book full of black humour, of which there was none. It's dark and bleak, yes, funny? Not at all. Unless the joke went over my head, I didn't crack a smile. I even reread passages thinking something was wrong with me because I wasn't seeing the humour at all.
The beginning was great, the first half was good, it's been a while since I was so let down by a book I was looking forward to reading.
July 25, 2011
I love books that are told from a number of different perspectives, particularly where the voices are so distinct, as they are here. Some are more compelling than others, and I looked forward to hearing from the evil characters most. The demented nun (no other way to describe her) Sor Loretta was my favourite - totally over the top and totally compelling because of it.
There is quite a lot of historical detail in this book, and some extensive notes at the end to explain it all. I didn't know much about Venice or Peru in the early nineteenth century before I read this book, but I do now.
In short, this is a "dense" book - full of ideas, great language, twisty plot developments and fantastic images. I've seen books by the same author many times but have never picked them up to have a look. On the strength of this one, I certainly will now.
There is quite a lot of historical detail in this book, and some extensive notes at the end to explain it all. I didn't know much about Venice or Peru in the early nineteenth century before I read this book, but I do now.
In short, this is a "dense" book - full of ideas, great language, twisty plot developments and fantastic images. I've seen books by the same author many times but have never picked them up to have a look. On the strength of this one, I certainly will now.
August 25, 2011
Well researched (to this amateur, at least) and well-written novel about the rivalry between two siblings in early nineteenth century Venice and Peru. My main issues were with how someone's looks dictated their character - the evil ones are hideous, and great big passages describe how revolting they look, while the good ones are beautiful. I suppose some of that can be forgiven in a book with a main theme being human skin, but I was disappointed in the shallow characterization nonetheless.
August 7, 2023
This was so twisted and morbid and frustrating to read. I loved it.
January 7, 2024
I’m not generally a historical fiction or a romance reader - so when this novel had me clutching my chest about the love between a young venetian nun and a doctor, I was a little surprised at myself.
There are two immensely evil characters in this book and three lovely wonderful characters who get to tell us the story in separate narratives. Lovric’s ability to switch voices between those narrative characters, as well as her choice to change fonts depending on who was penning the story at the time, made for a fast-paced and compelling read for a story that had a fairly slow plot.
Would definitely recommend if you’re wondering how my review matches up at ALL with a book with this title, because finding out the whole story is a wild ride.
There are two immensely evil characters in this book and three lovely wonderful characters who get to tell us the story in separate narratives. Lovric’s ability to switch voices between those narrative characters, as well as her choice to change fonts depending on who was penning the story at the time, made for a fast-paced and compelling read for a story that had a fairly slow plot.
Would definitely recommend if you’re wondering how my review matches up at ALL with a book with this title, because finding out the whole story is a wild ride.
May 28, 2018
I really struggled with this first part of this book - it changed character and perspective so quickly it was hard to get into, and the prose felt quite heavy and sluggish. If it hadn't been for all the good reviews I'm not sure I would have continued past the first hundred or so pages. However, the pace did pick up and I finally found myself drawn into the story. I enjoyed the plotting and the action towards the end, but overall I was a little disappointed as the cover and blurb sounded so promising.
November 24, 2017
An excellent book, well written interesting! 5 Stars!
November 4, 2012
When I first saw a book of human skin I trembled with glee.
The librarian had fetched the book and held it in delicate wrappings in front of me. ‘What is this book made of?’ she asked, a smile and a glint in her eye.
I couldn’t guess.
‘It is made of human skin.’
I don’t think she gleaned from me the desired effect. Instead of acting repulsed, shying away from the thing, I shared her smile and peered closer, reaching out a hand.
‘Please don’t touch.’ She said, pulling the book away into its embrace of wrappings.
So now it may be obvious to you why the title shone out among others at the Oxfam bookshop that day. I had seen a book of human skin and was morbidly fascinated by it.
The Book of Human Skin didn’t fail to disappoint me.
Two of the characters were so dripping of evil that they made me shudder more than the notion of a book bound in human skin does. I didn’t think I could hate anyone as much as I hated the stepmother from Of Bees and Mist but I hated the male antagonist, Minguillo, with a passion, as well as the deranged Sor Loretta, who seemed to represent to me every that was wrong with religion.
Saying that, Minguillo was my favourite of the five narrators. It was just the way he saw things, the way he spoke to the reader:
'Did I not take you, as promised, on a long walk in the dark, and did you not choose me as your guide, by reading on? Is not the act of reading a congress as intimate as any carried on between lovers: with only those two parties, the Reader and the Writer, behind the closed doors of the binding, alone and raptly conjoined? You must own how deeply I burrowed my way into your affections with my picturesque atrocities, because you were first entertained by them, and then embraced them.' p. 466
Yes, Minguillo’s narration was indeed the most captivating, reminding me of old books that would have been around the time that this novel is set.
Not that the other narrator’s were bad at all. Marcella, the poor sister, of course is a little femme fatale at some points, and the doctor, her lover, is beautifully knowledgeable about skin, his obsession. Sor Loretta is delightfully grotesque. The author had developed a different speech for the nearly illiterate Gianni. It works tremendously, really making obvious the social standing of the characters.
Lovric has done an immense amount of research for this novel and it is intertwined with the plot naturally, and does not seemed force: it gives quite a brilliant and genuine reading experience.
I can imagine people not liking this book for its content: the writing style is not to be criticised at all, really.
Maybe I’m strange, but I find anthroprdermic bibliopegy fascinating. SO much so that when, at university, my class was shown this delectable volume, and I knew exactly what it was going to be, that I grinned with satisfaction at the disgust on their faces.
'This is going to be a little uncomfortable...'
The librarian had fetched the book and held it in delicate wrappings in front of me. ‘What is this book made of?’ she asked, a smile and a glint in her eye.
I couldn’t guess.
‘It is made of human skin.’
I don’t think she gleaned from me the desired effect. Instead of acting repulsed, shying away from the thing, I shared her smile and peered closer, reaching out a hand.
‘Please don’t touch.’ She said, pulling the book away into its embrace of wrappings.
So now it may be obvious to you why the title shone out among others at the Oxfam bookshop that day. I had seen a book of human skin and was morbidly fascinated by it.
The Book of Human Skin didn’t fail to disappoint me.
Two of the characters were so dripping of evil that they made me shudder more than the notion of a book bound in human skin does. I didn’t think I could hate anyone as much as I hated the stepmother from Of Bees and Mist but I hated the male antagonist, Minguillo, with a passion, as well as the deranged Sor Loretta, who seemed to represent to me every that was wrong with religion.
Saying that, Minguillo was my favourite of the five narrators. It was just the way he saw things, the way he spoke to the reader:
'Did I not take you, as promised, on a long walk in the dark, and did you not choose me as your guide, by reading on? Is not the act of reading a congress as intimate as any carried on between lovers: with only those two parties, the Reader and the Writer, behind the closed doors of the binding, alone and raptly conjoined? You must own how deeply I burrowed my way into your affections with my picturesque atrocities, because you were first entertained by them, and then embraced them.' p. 466
Yes, Minguillo’s narration was indeed the most captivating, reminding me of old books that would have been around the time that this novel is set.
Not that the other narrator’s were bad at all. Marcella, the poor sister, of course is a little femme fatale at some points, and the doctor, her lover, is beautifully knowledgeable about skin, his obsession. Sor Loretta is delightfully grotesque. The author had developed a different speech for the nearly illiterate Gianni. It works tremendously, really making obvious the social standing of the characters.
Lovric has done an immense amount of research for this novel and it is intertwined with the plot naturally, and does not seemed force: it gives quite a brilliant and genuine reading experience.
I can imagine people not liking this book for its content: the writing style is not to be criticised at all, really.
Maybe I’m strange, but I find anthroprdermic bibliopegy fascinating. SO much so that when, at university, my class was shown this delectable volume, and I knew exactly what it was going to be, that I grinned with satisfaction at the disgust on their faces.
'This is going to be a little uncomfortable...'
August 15, 2024
This was the second time I tried to read the book, and hadn't it been for the audiobook I would have DNFed it again. There is just something about it that didn't work for me.
The book follows four (and later more) narrators across Venice and and old venetian settlement in Chile between the late XVIII and the early XIX century, and from the sound of things it's right up my alley: the characters have extremely distinct voices and personalities, and some of them have incredibly macabre interests - one of them is a nobleman devoted to evil, hated by his entire family for being most unsettling; then there is a semi literate servant, whose semi literacy made me abandon the book the first time around (his chapters are written phonetically and it was impossible for me to read without getting a headache); then there is a doctor specialised in skin diseases, and a nun obsessed with the idea of being chosen by God to the point of insanity. To top it all off and round the story out, we also have the nobleman's younger sister, who is an angel descended on earth.
Let's start with the positives. Despite the exaggerations, due to the genre of the book and the storytelling style, the historical research seems sound and rooted in reality, it clearly seemed something that the author really cared about. In the appendix to the book you can find all the information that didn't make it into the text in case the novel sparks an interest and you want to do further research - the italian used by the characters is also correct most of the times, but I didn't appreciate how often it was sprinkled in and I speak the language, I can't imagine how annoying it would be to someone that doesn't understand it.
Now the worst of it is that the book drrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggssssssssssss oooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnn. For so long. By the time the plot started to take shape I was already thinking about all the free time I would have had by the time I'd have finished the book. That is not a good reaction to have while reading, in my humble opinion. The fact that the POV chapters are usually very short also make it seem longer, due to all the times you stop going from a perspective to another.
I'm very disappointed because I saw someone whose opinion I thought I could trust recommend it and I was waiting to get the spark and enjoy it as much as them, but alas.
Once I got to the end I got even more disappointed because in true storybook fashion the good guys win because they're good, and the little glimpses into the developing of their morality get swept under the carpet. I expected a story that was much more complex than this, unfortunately this book ends up being a simple fairytale with lots of embellishments.
The book follows four (and later more) narrators across Venice and and old venetian settlement in Chile between the late XVIII and the early XIX century, and from the sound of things it's right up my alley: the characters have extremely distinct voices and personalities, and some of them have incredibly macabre interests - one of them is a nobleman devoted to evil, hated by his entire family for being most unsettling; then there is a semi literate servant, whose semi literacy made me abandon the book the first time around (his chapters are written phonetically and it was impossible for me to read without getting a headache); then there is a doctor specialised in skin diseases, and a nun obsessed with the idea of being chosen by God to the point of insanity. To top it all off and round the story out, we also have the nobleman's younger sister, who is an angel descended on earth.
Let's start with the positives. Despite the exaggerations, due to the genre of the book and the storytelling style, the historical research seems sound and rooted in reality, it clearly seemed something that the author really cared about. In the appendix to the book you can find all the information that didn't make it into the text in case the novel sparks an interest and you want to do further research - the italian used by the characters is also correct most of the times, but I didn't appreciate how often it was sprinkled in and I speak the language, I can't imagine how annoying it would be to someone that doesn't understand it.
Now the worst of it is that the book drrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggssssssssssss oooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnn. For so long. By the time the plot started to take shape I was already thinking about all the free time I would have had by the time I'd have finished the book. That is not a good reaction to have while reading, in my humble opinion. The fact that the POV chapters are usually very short also make it seem longer, due to all the times you stop going from a perspective to another.
I'm very disappointed because I saw someone whose opinion I thought I could trust recommend it and I was waiting to get the spark and enjoy it as much as them, but alas.
Once I got to the end I got even more disappointed because in true storybook fashion the good guys win because they're good, and the little glimpses into the developing of their morality get swept under the carpet. I expected a story that was much more complex than this, unfortunately this book ends up being a simple fairytale with lots of embellishments.
October 25, 2011
1784, Venice. Minguillo Fasan claws his way out of his mother’s womb. The magnifi cent Palazzo Espagnol, built on New World
drugs and silver, has an heir. Twelve years later Minguillo uncovers a threat to his inheritance: a sister. His jealousy will condemn
her to a series of fates as a cripple, a madwoman and a nun. But she is not alone, aided by an irascible portrait-painter, a doctor
obsessed with skin and a cigar-smoking nun, Marcella pits her own fi erce heart against Minguillo.
"I invite the Reader to place His face within the glimpse of a mirror, I challenge Him now: Tell me that you did not love what I wrote."
And so says Minguillo Fasan at the end of his fascinating and repulsive tale and never a truer word said.....told in the words of not just Minguillo but his sister Marcella, the mad nun Sor Loreta, devoted servant Gianni and Doctor Santo, their stories come together in a fascinating, sometimes gruesome but always entertaining depiction of the pursuit of Marcella by her strange brother Minguillo; with Napoleon's advances on Europe in the background and the fascinating descriptions of convents and the lives of ancient nuns, this story entices and teases, draws you into its foulness and sweetness, the ultimate in good versus bad, with Marcella as the ever surviving mouse to Minguillo's forever pursuing cat, I defy anyone to not be drawn into the fetid charm of this book....
The different tongues just add to the build up of the horrors of the story and to the tension within. Minguillo and Sor Loreta are, without doubt, two of the nastiest charcters ever seen on paper, but we relish them and certainly there is plenty of humour in this tale, right to the end when Minguillo has his last accusing word with us, the Attentive, Beloved Reader...didn't we just love to hate him? In a word - yes!
drugs and silver, has an heir. Twelve years later Minguillo uncovers a threat to his inheritance: a sister. His jealousy will condemn
her to a series of fates as a cripple, a madwoman and a nun. But she is not alone, aided by an irascible portrait-painter, a doctor
obsessed with skin and a cigar-smoking nun, Marcella pits her own fi erce heart against Minguillo.
"I invite the Reader to place His face within the glimpse of a mirror, I challenge Him now: Tell me that you did not love what I wrote."
And so says Minguillo Fasan at the end of his fascinating and repulsive tale and never a truer word said.....told in the words of not just Minguillo but his sister Marcella, the mad nun Sor Loreta, devoted servant Gianni and Doctor Santo, their stories come together in a fascinating, sometimes gruesome but always entertaining depiction of the pursuit of Marcella by her strange brother Minguillo; with Napoleon's advances on Europe in the background and the fascinating descriptions of convents and the lives of ancient nuns, this story entices and teases, draws you into its foulness and sweetness, the ultimate in good versus bad, with Marcella as the ever surviving mouse to Minguillo's forever pursuing cat, I defy anyone to not be drawn into the fetid charm of this book....
The different tongues just add to the build up of the horrors of the story and to the tension within. Minguillo and Sor Loreta are, without doubt, two of the nastiest charcters ever seen on paper, but we relish them and certainly there is plenty of humour in this tale, right to the end when Minguillo has his last accusing word with us, the Attentive, Beloved Reader...didn't we just love to hate him? In a word - yes!
could-not-finish
December 9, 2012It's very rare that I can articulate the specific reasons why I dislike/ refuse to put up with, a book. Usually it's down to some vague comment, such as 'I didn't like the author's writing style', but in this case I had genuine reasons! (Most of which seem to revolve around style and so could be expressed succinctly with 'I didn't like the style, but where's the fun in that?). Firstly, the main character, Minguillo, when speaking, employs a style which I can remember trying when younger, a technique which most people give up on and move on, i.e. directly addressing the author. I found this irritating as it made the reading style almost staccato, immediately making me lose interest, as well as slowing down the whole tale. I found that Lovric changed between characters too quickly, giving me little time to digest what a certain character had said or identify the key characteristics of the character, beyond the obvious ones i.e. Minguillo's cruelty, which was made immediately apparent to the reader from the blurb. I suppose another reason for my giving up on this book regards personal taste. It wasn't so much that I was put off by Minguillo and his actions, it's obvious that these are key to the book, but I personally prefer a "villain" which I can relate to in some degree, and so I'd have liked to see, subtly, more development of the cause of Minguillo's actions (admittedly his sister's inheritance and the fear of his parents are explained, but I didn't feel in enough depth). Hence, I regrettably (I hate giving up on a book if I can help it), put this book aside.
July 26, 2016
Ultimately this is more of a 2.5 -- quite ridiculous in parts, particularly in the absurd character rendering (pure evil and pure good, with very little in between) and the multi-narrative structure. It wasn't really a story that needed to be told from so many perspectives, and the style (if not voice) was virtually identical for the four non-servant characters (and the servant's Cockney Italian (???? lol) was pointlessly illegible). Our heroine Marcella herself, poor sweet darling little angelface, drove me up a fucking wall. It takes a skilled writer to build sympathy for perfect Mary Sues (and crazy villains like Minguillo, for that matter), and Lovric is definitely...not that. To write what appears to be a moral exploration, but so broadly paint in black and white without any grey ----- it often felt like reading bad historical fanfiction.
That said, there was something engaging about the story, particularly when it came to Sor Loreta's batshit life, and the convent narrative more generally. Clearly Lovric put a ton of research into this book, and it pays off best in these sections -- which are rich with something the rest just doesn't have. Is it enough to outweigh the inexpert platitudes running around everywhere else? Kinda. But don't expect anything of real interest -- this is diversion at best.
That said, there was something engaging about the story, particularly when it came to Sor Loreta's batshit life, and the convent narrative more generally. Clearly Lovric put a ton of research into this book, and it pays off best in these sections -- which are rich with something the rest just doesn't have. Is it enough to outweigh the inexpert platitudes running around everywhere else? Kinda. But don't expect anything of real interest -- this is diversion at best.
December 5, 2011
The main reason I loved this was that it had a fantastic anti-hero as one of the main characters. I really enjoyed hoping he would get his come-uppance at the end and thinking about how it might be achieved (I'll leave to you read the book to find out whether those hopes were realised). Actually I thought all of the main characters were well described, but it was the anti-hero who really stood out for me. He was awful but compelling. I think it takes some skill to bring that off.
The story was told by a series of narrators who gave overlapping accounts of the events of the plot, so you got different views of what was happening. Normally this would irritate me to the point I'd probably abandon the book, but Michelle Lovric brought this off too and far from annoying me, it became one of the strengths of the book as far as I was concerned.
I can't really say much about the plot because for me, the strength of this book was in the characters and their interactions. That doesn't mean that it was a plotless book because it wasn't, but I was so wrapped up in the different characters and their viewpoints that the plot was secondary on this read through. I will definitely read this again and I'll be reading Michelle Lovric's other books too.
The story was told by a series of narrators who gave overlapping accounts of the events of the plot, so you got different views of what was happening. Normally this would irritate me to the point I'd probably abandon the book, but Michelle Lovric brought this off too and far from annoying me, it became one of the strengths of the book as far as I was concerned.
I can't really say much about the plot because for me, the strength of this book was in the characters and their interactions. That doesn't mean that it was a plotless book because it wasn't, but I was so wrapped up in the different characters and their viewpoints that the plot was secondary on this read through. I will definitely read this again and I'll be reading Michelle Lovric's other books too.
July 26, 2011
This book is one of the "Summer Reads" of the TV Book Club.
I thought it was a very good book, though at first it was a little difficult to get into. There are five narators and each have thier own font and very special way of writing/speaking. At first this takes a little extra effort to understand but it's well worth that effort. The story is set in Napoleonic Times and mostly in Venice though other sections are played out in Peru. It is the story of a very nasty son of a noble family and his sister who are two of the narators, the other narators are the man servant of the son though he is more dedicated to the sister than the brother, a completely mad nun in a convent in Peru, and a doctor that is smitten the first time he sees the sister and then tries to save her from her horrible brother.
The story twists and turns and switches often between the narators. It is a page turner and I can highly recommend this book to all readers of historical fiction.
I thought it was a very good book, though at first it was a little difficult to get into. There are five narators and each have thier own font and very special way of writing/speaking. At first this takes a little extra effort to understand but it's well worth that effort. The story is set in Napoleonic Times and mostly in Venice though other sections are played out in Peru. It is the story of a very nasty son of a noble family and his sister who are two of the narators, the other narators are the man servant of the son though he is more dedicated to the sister than the brother, a completely mad nun in a convent in Peru, and a doctor that is smitten the first time he sees the sister and then tries to save her from her horrible brother.
The story twists and turns and switches often between the narators. It is a page turner and I can highly recommend this book to all readers of historical fiction.
September 4, 2011
Minguillo Fasan, the evil son of a Venetian nobleman, sets out to destroy his family, especially his sister Marcella, and other perceived enemies, in this accomplished novel, set in the 18th century and narrated by several different characters, each telling the same story from their own perspectives. The naarators include Gianni, one of the Venetian servants, who is a witty and wonderful character, and Santo, an inspirational young doctor.
This book is a brilliant achievement by a gifted writer, but be warned that some of the violence arising from Minguillo's twisted mind is hard to stomach. I wanted to give this novel 4.75 stars (deducting 0.25 stars for Minguillo's cruelty) but can only award 4 or 5 stars.
It is difficult to say much about the plot without giving too much away, so the summary above does not really do it justice suffice to say that it is a great read. Don't miss it.
This book is a brilliant achievement by a gifted writer, but be warned that some of the violence arising from Minguillo's twisted mind is hard to stomach. I wanted to give this novel 4.75 stars (deducting 0.25 stars for Minguillo's cruelty) but can only award 4 or 5 stars.
It is difficult to say much about the plot without giving too much away, so the summary above does not really do it justice suffice to say that it is a great read. Don't miss it.
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