The Uskok by George Sand
The Uskok
by George Sand
translated by Lynne Forest
for sending me a copy of The Uskok to review and to
Random Things Resources for inviting me onto the tour.
In the elegant yet treacherous world of 17th century Venice, young nobleman Orio Soranzo has squandered his fortune and his reputation. Only by marrying the rich and beautiful heiress, Giovanna, can he regain both fortune and favour. Soranzo hurls himself into perilous ventures against the Turks — unaware that his quest for redemption will entangle him in a web of lies, shifting alliances, and dark deeds.
As pirates stalk the seas, Giovanna dares to join Orio at the forbidding island fortress he commands. But with the arrival of an old friend, fate unleashes a terrible reckoning none could foresee.
Lynne Forest’s vivid new translation invites readers to savour one of Sand’s most thrilling stories, in this newly rediscovered classic.
My Thoughts
I was intrigued to be offered The Uskok to review especially as my only previous knowledge of George Sand was as the lover of the composer of Frederick Chopin. However, she was also a very accomplished author and, for the time that they were together they both produced some of their best works . The Uskok is set in one of my favourite cities, Venice , in the 17th century and is full of romance, piracy and treachery.
Sand definitely paints a clear picture of what life was like in Venice at the time and if you read up on what Sand was like as a person you will recognise many elements of what she believed in within the book. Giovanna was a character who at first comes across as flighty and weak willed, however, my view on this changed as the story progresses and she goes to Sorenzo’s Island fortress which he has acquired in cold blood . He really is not a likeable character, both in his attitude to people, and belongings and it is a long time since I have hated a character with as much passion as I hated him. His treatment of Giovanna is appalling and when you consider the life she could have had with Count Ezzelino it makes it seem even more cruel.
Lynne Forest has done a superb job in translating this classic book , which is regarded by many as one of her best and it really does give you an insight into Venice at the height of its power when piracy and slavery were prevalent.
About George Sand
George
Sand (1804-1876) a French novelist, memoirist and journalist.
Being more renowned than either Victor Hugo or Honoré de Balzac in
Britain in the 1830s and 1840s, Sand is recognised as one of the most
notable writers of the European Romantic era. She has more than 50
volumes of various works to her credit, including stories, plays and
political texts, alongside her 70 novels.
Like her
great-grandmother, Louise Dupin, whom she admired, George Sand
advocated for women’s rights and passion, criticized the
institution of marriage, and fought against the prejudices of a
conservative society. She was considered scandalous because of her
turbulent love life, her adoption of masculine clothing, and her
masculine pseudonym.
About Lynne
Lynne
Forest studied French and German at Manchester University, before
obtaining a Master’s in English Literature from the Nouvelle
Sorbonne University, and later another in Translation Studies. She
has translated several academic articles, and a novel, Daniel
Rocher’s “Monsieur Raminet’s Long Voyage,” Éditions du Net,
2014.
She is a teacher of English, course coordinator and former
head of languages at the University of Technology of Compiègne
(Alliance Sorbonne Université group) in Northern France, where she
lives.
Comments
Post a Comment