The Sixteen Pleasures

In 1966, twenty-nine-year-old Margot Harrington leaves her job as a book conservator in Boston to join the "Mud Angels" - international volunteers helping to save artwork and books after the catastrophic flooding of Florence, Italy. She finds work at a Carmelite convent library, where she discovers a forbidden 16th-century book of erotic poems and illustrations. The rare volume presents Margot with complex decisions about preservation, ownership, and value as she navigates both professional and personal crossroads. Her technical work conserving damaged books intertwines with her immersion in Florentine culture and a romance with a fellow book restorer. Through Margot's story, art conservation serves as a lens for examining authenticity, tradition, and desire. The novel connects the preservation of cultural artifacts to deeper questions about what we choose to save and let go in our own lives.

Readers highlight the detailed portrayal of book conservation and restoration work in 1960s Florence, with many noting the accuracy of technical descriptions. The romance elements and Italian setting receive frequent mention in reviews. Readers appreciated: - Rich descriptions of Florence's art and architecture - Educational aspects about book preservation - Historical details about the 1966 flood - Character development of protagonist Margot Common criticisms: - Slow pacing, especially in middle sections - Predictable romantic storylines - Uneven balance between technical details and plot - Abrupt ending that left questions unanswered One reader noted: "Too much time spent on minutiae of book restoration at the expense of story momentum." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (3,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (120+ reviews) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (900+ ratings) Most review platforms show similar rating distributions, with the majority of readers giving 3-4 stars and praising the setting while critiquing the pacing.

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🔹 Author Robert Hellenga was inspired to write this novel after his daughter spent time in Florence helping to restore flood-damaged books, just like the protagonist Margot Harrington. 🔹 The book's title refers to I Modi (The Ways), a famous Renaissance-era collection of erotic engravings accompanied by sonnets, which was banned by the Catholic Church. 🔹 The catastrophic Florence flood of 1966, which serves as the novel's backdrop, damaged or destroyed millions of books and artworks, leading to an international volunteer effort known as "Mud Angels." 🔹 Several plot elements revolve around real Renaissance artwork and manuscripts housed in Florence's libraries and monasteries, including the actual practice of book binding and restoration techniques. 🔹 While writing the novel, Hellenga conducted extensive research at the Newberry Library in Chicago, studying Renaissance book production and the history of erotic literature.