BLOG TOUR | 'Titian's Boatman' by Victoria Blake (****)

Hello readers, and happy Friday! Today I am super excited to be on blog tour, to celebrate the publication of a wonderful new novel, Titian's Boatman by Victoria Blake. I was kindly sent Titian's Boatman in exchange for review by Black & White Publishing, and as soon as I saw the blurb I knew it was a book I would love!

Intrigued? Check out the blurb here...

It is 1576 and Venice is in chaos, ravaged by disease and overrun by crime.In the midst of the anarchy we find those brave souls who have chosen not to flee the city. Titian, most celebrated of Venetian painters, his health failing badly; Sabastiano a gondolier who is the eyes and ears of the corrupted and crumbling city and Tullia, the most famous courtesan of the age who must fight to retain her status as well as her worldly possessions. And in the present day the echoes of what happened centuries earlier still ripple as the lives of ordinary people as far distant as London and New York are touched by the legacy of old Venice...

I loved this book, and it was unlike any story I had read before. Titian's Boatman is a wonderfully eclectic mix of art, history and romance, with a focus on the necessity of savouring life and making the most of every second. This is a story that is gritty and brutally dark, but also warm and uplifting. 

The huge array of characters in Titian's Boatman were vivid, colourfully creative and came to life right before my eyes on the page. My favourite character was undoubtedly Tullia and I loved her chapters the most. I adored the overlapping narratives and how the different stories fitted together, united in association with one artist and one painting, revealing how art can transcend ages and generations, and force relations and connections with members of the living and members of the dead.

Titian's Boatman is a superbly clever book; not one which provided me with all the answers but encouraged me to join the dots and figure out the answers for myself. It was great how everything fitted together at the end and the ending brought everything together for me - a sign of a fantastic book!

Overall, I loved Titian's Boatman and if you like history, intrigue and a story you can lose yourself in, pick up yourself a copy!

Make sure to check out the rest of the posts on the blog tour <3

Buy Titian's Boatman here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Titians-Boatman-Victoria-Blake/dp/1785300814

Check out Victoria Blake here: https://victoriablakewriter.wordpress.com/category/titians-boatman/

 

Until next time :)