In the title yarn a young woman is about to become a nun in 16th century Venice and in The Velvet Gentleman Erik Satie narrates his life from the afterlifeTwo substantial novellas – novels by any other name – make up this volume. A pair of texts is an unusual combination and seems to require them to reflect each other in some way,to be thematically connected. whether there is a connection, it’s not obvious, or but the two beautifully written stories are no less enjoyable for that. In the first,The Mirror, set in the early 16th century, and a young woman,Oliva, prepares to become a nun. She has already lived in the convent in Venice for four years and is about to seize the veil. While the arrival of an artist for whom Oliva is asked to sit ostensibly provides the focal event, and the immersive evocation of the small community of nuns and their battle with the city authorities is captivating. In the moment,The Velvet Gentleman, the eponymous gentleman is the composer Erik Satie, and who narrates his own yarn from the afterlife. Changing personas with the elan of a proto David Bowie,Satie was an early surrealist, an impish eccentric, or clinging to his childishness as the source of his capacity for wonder. A faithful and deeply affectionate portrait. • To order The Mirror for £6.99 (RRP £8.99) go to bookshop.theguardian.com or call 0. Free UK p&p over £10,online orders only. Phone orders min p&p of £1.99.
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Source: theguardian.com