The Remedy: A Novel

by Michelle Lovric

Book Overview

In this darkly beautiful and hauntingly vivid novel, Michelle Lovric, acclaimed author of The Floating Book, embarks on an unforgettable journey through the winding alleys and shadowy streets of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060859865
• Release Date: November 2006
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

A slow build, but a great conclusion

This book was a surprise in that I started it, found it extremely slow going and put it aside, only to pick it up again months later and end up enjoying it immensely. As an author myself, I could see where the author of this book struggled with trying to be a bit too enigmatic about her characters (as well as her plot) in the beginning, and then tried to make up for it later, which led to a bit of overall "jerkiness" in the story. I found myself questioning character motivations that seemed contrived at times, but once I forced myself to suspend disbelief and just accept the story as it was written, it was worth it. Valentine's worship of Mimosina was both endearing and irritating, because Mimosina herself was such an unsympathetic, one-dimensional, doll-like character until the middle of the book. Despite an early tragedy that should've made her sympathetic to the reader, she came across as far too hard, selfish, manipulative and self-indulgent. Once the reader was allowed to get to know her, however, it was a different story (hence my earlier reference to "jerkiness" - there were times when I felt I actually WAS reading a different story than the one the author had begun with). While I had a very good idea of how it was going to end (and I was right) there were aspects to the ending I never saw coming. I love being able to close a book feeling that the read itself left me satisfied, and this one did.

Venice comes alive in elegant prose

Michelle Lovric has a certain haunting quality to her writing that grips the reader's attention. The story in itself is intense, if not breathtakingly innovative. It is the fresh storytelling style that makes this book an engrossing, significant read. For lovers of literary prose, this is a book that cannot be missed. The writer holds your hand and takes you through 18th Century Eurpoe, the walls of the continent coming alive in her brilliant, language, so full of life. Well worth an Orange Prize listing.

Wonderfully written

This book was an interesting and engaging read. Lovric knows how to do more than just tell a story- she brings her words to life. She uses details that other writers overlook, and it was nice to read a book that felt truly real. My only problem is that the story tends to drag a little at the beginning. I would not have minded if the start of Mimosina and Valentine's romance was told at a faster pace. Also, I didn't care for Valentine Greatrakes. The parts of the story told from his perspective are not nearly as interesting as those told from Mimosina's point of view. In the end, Mimosina's story was the one I found most interesting. Overall, it really is a wonderful book, and I strongly recommend reading it.

3 1/2 stars -- a well written and fairly absorbing read

While still reeling from the brutal murder of his business partner and friend, Valentine Greatrakes goes to the theatre one night, seeking a distraction from his anger and grief. The last thing he expected was to find himself totally consumed with desire for the stage's latest sensation, the Venetian actress, Mimosina Dolcezza. Valentine immediately begins the campaign to make her his mistress. But what Valentine doesn't know is that Mimosina has desires and secrets of her own. Desires that will force him to choose between his longing for her and his obligations to his ward, Pevenche; and secrets that have to do with his dead partner... Michelle Lovric is a talented writer -- there is no doubt about that. I found myself becoming completely enthralled with the vivid manner in which she described places -- like the cool and dark cells of the convent with it's tree lined gardens; the warm theatre, heavy with the smells of candles and greasepaint; the noisy and odorous slums of London; and the liquid and tantalising brilliance of Venice in the late eighteenth century. And then there were the brilliantly rendered scenes where a very young Mimosina describes the temper tantrum she throws when she realises that her parents mean to incarcerate her in the convent forever. However, in spite of all these wonderfully descriptive paragraphs, "The Remedy" did not completely engage. And that was because I found it difficult to take to any of the characters in this book. Perhaps it is because my usual reading staples are mystery novels where one rather quickly identifies with the sympathetic main character. I didn't find any of the characters -- Mimosina Dolcezza, Valentine Greatrakes or Pevenche very engaging. Mimosina was far too conniving and cold for my taste. I know that we're supposed to feel some sympathy for this woman who had been cruelly used and tricked, but because this character seemed so completely incapable of feeling anything for anyone except herself, and because she spent so much time justifying her actions, I felt quite repelled by her. As for the supposed "hero," Valentine Greatrakes (what a name!), I found him to be completely ineffectual and far too easily led for the supposedly dangerous King of the London underworld; while one actually only gets to "know" Pevenche through the eyes of Mimosina and Valentine -- neither of whom can be considered to be actual pillars of unbiased partiality. We do get brief glimpses of the "real" Pevenche -- the author uses Pevenche's shorter narrations to close each of the four segments of the book. However, while I found Pevenche's matter-of-fact accounting of events refreshingly different and a little more palatable, I still found it difficult to be totally engaged by this character. Perhaps because my opinions were corrupted by Mimosina's and Valentine's points-of-view. On the other hand, in spite of the fact that I didn't take to any of the characters, I still found myself reading "The Remedy" avidly, s