The Glassblower
I have NO IDEA who recommended this at our Reader Rec party at RT, but they said “19th century German glassblowers” and I said, “What’s that author’s last name again? Yeah, that’ll be waiting for me when I get home.” And all three books were.
In the fall of 1890, a glassblower living in the village of Lauscha, Germany, with his three daughters dies, leaving them in dire straits. The eldest, Johanna, feels responsible for providing for her family, and discovers a talent for running a business. Ruth, the middle sister, is determined to marry (but doesn’t think much beyond that). And Marie, the youngest, has a talent for blowing glass and art, but women don’t blow glass. They help the men, until Marie goes, “Hm, I think I can do that.”
There are romances in the cards for all three sisters, although Johanna’s is based around this neighbor kid who just hangs around until she’s finally like “FINE I GUESS YOU’RE ACCEPTABLE” which is a trope I am TIRED OF. The romantic relationships aren’t the focal point of this book. The focal point is this family of sisters.
I loved the complex relationships between the three of them, and how their different personalities were needed to make their glassblowing business work. And how each of them needed to learn and develop their skills (and learn some tough lessons). I thought the translation was pretty good (there weren’t any awkward wordings or syntax errors that can happen in a bad translation) and the story was very compelling.
There are a lot of details of how glassblowing works, and how the village of Lauscha is set up. It’s right on the cusp of a new age for Germany (so, if you’re a nerd like me, you know that the ghosts of World War One are over the horizon), and the role women are playing in society. I think the best stories come from eras of change because of the tension created by that societal change, and this is a good one.
In the village of Lauscha in Germany, things have been done the same way for centuries. The men blow the glass, and the women decorate and pack it. But when Joost Steinmann passes away unexpectedly one September night, his three daughters must learn to fend for themselves. While feisty Johanna takes a practical approach to looking for work, Ruth follows her heart, aiming to catch the eye of a handsome young villager. But it is dreamy, quiet Marie who has always been the most captivated by the magic—and sparkling possibilities—of the craft of glassblowing. As the spirited sisters work together to forge a brighter future for themselves on their own terms, they learn not only how to thrive in a man’s world, but how to remain true to themselves—and their hearts—in the process.
Historical: European, Romance
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