Review: A charming and unusual novel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 2, 2013
Two fishermen find a mysterious vase in the sea and one of them gives it to a Greek doctor who has saved his son's life. By accident, the doctor discovers that the vase's ugly coating hides a work of astounding beauty. So begins a fascinating saga that spans the lives of many families from the Song dynasty of thirteenth century China to World War II. The way the story is told seems to echo the style of Greek myth - appropriately I thought as many of the characters and settings are Greek. The author anchors her story in history very effectively. There are some lovely descriptive passages, in particular the story of the making of the vase, as well as vivid character portraits. Relationships are explored with tender insightfulness. If I have a criticism, it is that very occasionally, what sound to me like modern Americanisms creep in ( possibly more noticeable to me as a Brit). However they were swiftly forgotten and didn't spoil the overall tone of the prose which is usually pitch perfect. I highly recommend giving Peace of Music a try.