My Rating: 4 stars
This is the third book I’ve read so far this year that
takes place in Italy – this time around, the setting is in the mountains and
later in the countryside, during a tumultuous time period starting not long
after the end of the Great War and spanning through the Second World War. It is the story of Maria Vittoria, an
ordinary woman who grows up in a respectable, devoutly religious family in the
Italian mountains and follows her life through marriage, the birth of her
children, and later her struggle for her own survival as well as that of her
family during the war. Maria is a
fascinating character, but one that I had mixed feelings toward throughout the
story. I admired and respected Maria’s
strength of character and conviction, her fortitude and steadfast devotion to
her family, protecting them at all costs and through all means possible, and
also her ability to take charge during times of crisis -- yet at times, I could
not help feeling frustrated at her stubbornness and strict adherence to oppressive
rules and traditions during certain critical moments. I had to constantly remind myself that this
was a different time and place – a time of war in a heavily patriarchal society
where women had strictly defined roles and the ultimate goal was survival as
well as preservation of family and kin.
Given the circumstances and the time period in which she lived, Maria
fulfilled the expectations placed upon her and then some – first as daughter
and sister, later as wife and mother. Of
course she was by no means perfect -- she had to make so many tough decisions
and though my modern sensibilities made it difficult for me to agree with some of
the actions she took, I admired her strength and resolve as well as her unrelenting
devotion in making the best of what she had for her family.
At 300+ pages, I wouldn’t consider this a particularly
long book, yet it covered so much ground in terms of subject matter. The story itself I felt was at times quiet
and subtle, as we got to dive deep into Maria’s innermost thoughts, especially those
projected through the words of the Madonna (the statue she kept devotedly by her
side throughout her life). At the same
time though, the tumultuous time period against which this story was set – the
backdrop of war, political struggle, societal concerns, kinship and family
relationships, etc. – also made the story feel epic, a sweeping family saga as
the book’s summary states. The writing
was beautiful and incredibly atmospheric in its description of the mountains
and the Italian countryside as well as the various scenes of the family’s
everyday life (for instance, the section about Amelia’s silkworms and the entire
silk-making process).
In general, I like to read across different genres and have
made a personal goal for myself to read widely and diversely (which I am happy to
report has been going extremely well) – with that said though, historical
fiction has a special place in my heart and this book is definitely a worthwhile
read in that category. I don’t know much
about the author Elise Valmorbida nor have I read any of her previous works,
but after reading this book, I am inclined to change that soon. I definitely recommend picking this one up
and letting yourself be transported by this well-written family saga!
Received ARC from
Spiegel & Grau / Random House via NetGalley.
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