Review: The Gilder

The Gilder by Kathryn Kay

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Light, Underdeveloped,Contemporary

I would place this novella well into the light fiction category.

Marina is a Gilder; she learned her trade of gilding gold in Italy as an apprentice. The gilding process is interesting and young Marina is lucky to have attained an apprentice position. All is well and fine in Italy until Marina starts hanging out with Thomas and Sarah. Two is company and three’s a crowd, Sarah and Thomas are married. Marina loves Sarah, loves her friendship, and perhaps even has a bit of a crush on her. Sarah’s art career is on hold as her husband and his photography career must come first, there is only room for one artist in the marriage.

Soon Marina is assisting Thomas with his photography setups and this is of course where she gets into trouble. Thomas makes his move on night in the studio and Marina does not resist. But in the morning, the callous Thomas tells her that she should keep this from his wife. Feeling that she has betrayed her best friend, she quickly and quietly leaves the country.
Fifteen years later she has a teenage daughter who wants to know who her father was and this now means that Marina must confront her past and return to Italy.

I loved the Gilding aspect of the story, but had issues with the one dimensional Sarah and Thomas. We never get to know them or their motivations. There are great ideas here, but I do wish they all had been more deeply developed. I found this book listed on Indiebound.org and will be disappointed if it is marked as a book club selection.




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