This book tells the story of Lottie, newly married and newly arrived in Rome to begin her job as an archivist. She finds a journal belonging to Nina Lawrence, who lived in the city during the political turmoil of post-War Italy. Nobody attended her funeral, and Lottie wants to find out why.
Don’t be fooled by the gorgeous sunny cover, this is not a book of dreamy Italian escapism, and is darker than it looks from the outside. It is a book full of intrigue, love and danger, and as the story unfolds readers learn more of who Nina was and the secrets that she kept. Lottie never met Nina, but she shows incredible loyalty to her, she fights for Nina when people tell her that her death was unimportant.
I always enjoy a novel with dual timelines, and this was no exception. Though I would argue that the sections in the present with focus on Lottie were stronger, and allowed for more emotion and connection to the character. Lottie is a great character, she is smart, determined and inquisitive, and I really felt for her, particularly in regards to her relationship with her husband and his ex-partner.
Italy in the 1970s is not a period I know anything about, so that was interesting to read about. This book includes the divide between the rising Communists and the remaining Fascists of a post-War Rome, the politics of Italy and the influence of the Church and Vatican. Nina is dangerously right in the middle of all of this.
I did find it a slow book to get into at first, but it picks up pace as Lottie finds out more about Nina. Some of the passages on Italian politics don’t flow as well as others, but it is a book full of imagery of Rome, it’s landscape and food, art and people, and helps bring the city to life.
Thanks to Corvus Books and Readers First for this copy.
Don’t be fooled by the gorgeous sunny cover, this is not a book of dreamy Italian escapism, and is darker than it looks from the outside. It is a book full of intrigue, love and danger, and as the story unfolds readers learn more of who Nina was and the secrets that she kept. Lottie never met Nina, but she shows incredible loyalty to her, she fights for Nina when people tell her that her death was unimportant.
I always enjoy a novel with dual timelines, and this was no exception. Though I would argue that the sections in the present with focus on Lottie were stronger, and allowed for more emotion and connection to the character. Lottie is a great character, she is smart, determined and inquisitive, and I really felt for her, particularly in regards to her relationship with her husband and his ex-partner.
Italy in the 1970s is not a period I know anything about, so that was interesting to read about. This book includes the divide between the rising Communists and the remaining Fascists of a post-War Rome, the politics of Italy and the influence of the Church and Vatican. Nina is dangerously right in the middle of all of this.
I did find it a slow book to get into at first, but it picks up pace as Lottie finds out more about Nina. Some of the passages on Italian politics don’t flow as well as others, but it is a book full of imagery of Rome, it’s landscape and food, art and people, and helps bring the city to life.
Thanks to Corvus Books and Readers First for this copy.