Miss Garnet's Angel
by Salley Vickers
When her only real friend dies, Julia Garnet goes to stay in Venice, where a lifetime of caution is challenged. This is a beautiful and elegant account, which makes you feel as if you too are wandering through the lanes and squares of Venice. A wonderful read.
Extract
'Look', said the young man, and then as if by introduction, 'the Angel Raphael'.
Surrounded by scaffolding a serene face cut into stone smiled out at her. Whatever did one do when faced with the smile of an angel?
Parallels
Fludd by Hilary Mantel