Set in Florence after the Arno flood of 1966, this is the story of Margot Harrington, 29-year-old American book conservator, who travels to Italy to volunteer in the restoration of books damaged in the flood. Margot has experienced a number of disappointments, and she hopes Florence will help set a positive course for her future. She has trouble finding a place to stay and is directed to a Carmelite convent. The nuns discover a rare Renaissance manuscript of sixteen erotic poems and drawings. The abbess asks Margot to get involved in selling the manuscript to raise funds to save the convent’s beloved library. Margot meets and falls in love with the married cousin of the abbess, Dottor Alessandro Postiglione, an art restorer. The storyline revolves around Margot’s journey of self-discovery.

There are many interwoven threads in this novel, which are addressed in lengthy detailed passages, such as techniques of book and art restoration, reflections on convent life, and the methods by which a canonical court decides whether to grant an annulment. At the same time, we follow Margot’s initial thoughts of joining a convent, then veering into a sexual relationship with Alessandro. We learn about her family’s history.

I enjoyed very much the manner in which Margot (eventually) resists being controlled by men who want to take advantage of her and get their hands on the manuscript. My favorite parts were the descriptions of life in the convent. I was less enamored of the sexual relationship with a much older man. Hellenga’s writing is elegant and witty. It is a novel of devotion to craft, passion, and the fortitude to change one’s life for the better.
( )

Having lived in Florence I loved the setting. I also enjoyed learning about antique book and fresco restoration. I didn't always follow the story easily but some characters were very vivid and compelling so on the whole a pleasant read for me. ( )

Margot is a book conservator and has headed to Florence, Italy to help restore some books after a flood in 1966. She ends up in a convent, helping the nuns with their library, where she finds a rare 17th century book with erotic poems and pictures. The nuns would like to sell the book and be able to use the money, but the books and the library are owned by the bishop and they know he won’t allow it.

This was ok. I found the book conservation parts of it interesting, but I really didn’t like Margot, nor any of the other characters, except for the nuns. It was a bit difficult to figure out right at the start, as it flipped back and forth in time and was a bit hard to tell where we were (in time), but that didn’t last long. It was pretty slow-moving, but it was ok. An author's note would have been nice. ( )

The Sixteen Pleasures – Robert Hellenga

4 stars

“What is amazing is how intensely you care about this woman” – The New Yorker

That quote appears on the back cover of my battered paperback copy of The Sixteen Pleasures. It’s true. I did come to care a great deal about Margot Harrington and her 1966 sojourn of self-discovery in flood stricken Florence. However, the truly amazing thing is how accurately Robert Hellenga managed to capture the inner voice and personality of a young woman.

Margot is 29 and dissatisfied with her life. Her mother’s death interrupted the future she thought she would have and seems to have set her adrift. In the aftermath of the flood, she takes her skills as a book conservator to Florence to help with the clean-up. She ends up in a convent, helping the sisters rescue their library. In the convent library, they find a Renaissance masterpiece of erotic verse with pictures. Margot restores the book, and helps the convent realize the profits form its sale.

Margot finds a book of erotica, but her story, as told by Hellenga, is not erotic. Oh yes, she does fall in love and has an affair, but it is not overly graphic. Mostly this story is played out through Margot’s inner reflections about her life and her relationships. Hellenga also gives us a peek into the thoughts of her lover, the likable, deceitful, Dottor Sandro Postiglione. My favorite character was the Mother Superior of the convent. I would have enjoyed more of her pithy, insightful comments. I also enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the art and the details of the restorations. I would have liked a great deal more of that.

Margot may discover many things about her own sexuality in Florence, but she also spends much time reflecting on her relationships to other women. In the end, when she finally takes control of her own life, (and I wondered if she would ever get there) her loyalty to her sisters, both biological and metaphorical, is the overriding factor. It is so much a woman’s story. I’m looking forward to reading more of Hellenga’s writing to see what other amazing things he can do.


( )

Margot is lost. She is 29 years old, working as a book conservator in a local library, her mother is dead of cancer, and her father is a shell of his former self. So when the Arno floods Florence, she goes to Italy to help recover and restore whatever she can, including herself. While there, she comes into possession of a very rare Renaissance book of erotica, bound within a religious book of prayer. This book takes her on a journey she never expected.

While I really enjoyed the concept of this novel, I didn't feel it lived up to it's potential. I never really connected with Margot, and the other characters seemed to be very two-dimensional. The best part of the book for me was the descriptions of Florenece and the Italian countryside, with the explinations of the conservation of the books and art a close second. However I think these lengthy descriptions of the conservation techniques could get tedious for many readers. This book won't keep me from reading more of Robert Hellenga, but he's not going to be at the top of my list either. ( )