The Hourglass

The subtitle of this novel – “A Story of Love &Transience, Opera & Venice.” says it all, and this book was all of those, and more. Paul, a researcher into a little-known opera star of the fin-de-siecle arrives in Venice to meet the widow of a collector who could have documents to help him in his endeavours. Eva brings him the first batch of papers, but they relate to an opera singer in the 1680s - what's going on? We then start to alternate between the past and the present, in a story of immortality and reinvention, the immortality aspect is made perfectly clear as we follow Elena through the ages. Back in the present, Paul and Eva are tiptoeing around each other, gradually falling in love, although Paul knows Eva is holding something back.

The dual time-line works pretty well, and on this occasion the modern one just edged the historical for me, due to its slight claustrophobia. Heron's style has an intensity, amplified by the lack of he said/she saids in the dialogue which is simply signposted with a dash, this keeps you on your toes. This tale of reinvention and love will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a twist, or reading about Venice, the city which, arguably, is the real star of this novel be it in 2000, 1680, or anywhere in between.