Miss Garnet’s Angel

Miss Garnet’s Angel by Salley Vickers

Most of our group enjoyed this book, about a mature unmarried teacher who, after Harriet, her long term companion and friend dies, decides to move to Venice alone for six months. Several members of the group admired her spirit in going to live in a foreign city, where she knew no one and being open from her arrival to making new friendships. The vivid descriptions of the many and varied people she met and the wonderful buildings in the city were also much enjoyed. Her encounter with a young couple restoring a sculpture in a church, was felt by some people to be distracting, as the ancient story behind the sculpture was then interspersed with the main narrative. Just one reader felt unmoved by most of the book; otherwise it was felt to be well written and a very good choice.

Reviewed by Barbara Marsh