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The Curse of Pietro Houdini: A Novel
From the Dagger Award–winning author of Norwegian by Night comes a vivid, thrilling, and moving World War II art-heist-adventure tale where enemies become heroes, allies become villains, and a child learns what it means to become an adult—for fans of All the Light We Cannot See.
August, 1943. Fourteen-year-old Massimo is all alone. Newly orphaned and fleeing from Rome after surviving the American bombing raid that killed his parents, Massimo is attacked by thugs and finds himself bloodied at the base of the Montecassino. It is there in the Benedictine abbey’s shadow that a charismatic and cryptic man calling himself Pietro Houdini, the self-proclaimed “Master Artist and confidante of the Vatican,” rescues Massimo and brings him up the mountain to serve as his assistant in preserving the treasures that lay within the monastery walls.
But can Massimo believe what Pietro is saying, particularly when Massimo has secrets too? Who is this extraordinary man? When it becomes evident that Montecassino will soon become the front line in the war, Pietro Houdini and Massimo execute a plan to smuggle three priceless Titian paintings to safety down the mountain. They are joined by a nurse concealing a nefarious past, a café owner turned murderer, a wounded but chipper German soldier, and a pair of lovers along with their injured mule, Ferrari. Together they will lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin their way through battlefields to survive, all while smuggling the Renaissance masterpieces and the bag full of ancient Greek gold they have rescued from the “safe keeping” of the Germans.
Heartfelt, powerfully engaging, and in the tradition of City of Thieves by David Benioff, The Curse of Pietro Houdini is a work of storytelling bravado: a thrilling action-packed adventure heist, an imaginative chronicle of forgotten history, and a philosophical coming-of-age epic where a child navigates one of the most enigmatic and morally complex fronts of World War II and lives to tell the tale
August, 1943. Fourteen-year-old Massimo is all alone. Newly orphaned and fleeing from Rome after surviving the American bombing raid that killed his parents, Massimo is attacked by thugs and finds himself bloodied at the base of the Montecassino. It is there in the Benedictine abbey’s shadow that a charismatic and cryptic man calling himself Pietro Houdini, the self-proclaimed “Master Artist and confidante of the Vatican,” rescues Massimo and brings him up the mountain to serve as his assistant in preserving the treasures that lay within the monastery walls.
But can Massimo believe what Pietro is saying, particularly when Massimo has secrets too? Who is this extraordinary man? When it becomes evident that Montecassino will soon become the front line in the war, Pietro Houdini and Massimo execute a plan to smuggle three priceless Titian paintings to safety down the mountain. They are joined by a nurse concealing a nefarious past, a café owner turned murderer, a wounded but chipper German soldier, and a pair of lovers along with their injured mule, Ferrari. Together they will lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin their way through battlefields to survive, all while smuggling the Renaissance masterpieces and the bag full of ancient Greek gold they have rescued from the “safe keeping” of the Germans.
Heartfelt, powerfully engaging, and in the tradition of City of Thieves by David Benioff, The Curse of Pietro Houdini is a work of storytelling bravado: a thrilling action-packed adventure heist, an imaginative chronicle of forgotten history, and a philosophical coming-of-age epic where a child navigates one of the most enigmatic and morally complex fronts of World War II and lives to tell the tale
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2024
437 people are currently reading
11296 people want to read
About the author
Derek B. Miller
11 books736 followersDerek B. Miller is an American novelist, who worked in international affairs before turning to writing full-time. He is the author of six novels, all highly acclaimed: Norwegian by Night, The Girl in Green, American by Day, Radio Life, Quiet Time (an Audible Original) and How to Find Your Way in the Dark. His work has been shortlisted for many awards, with Norwegian by Night winning the CWA John Creasey Dagger award for best first crime novel, an eDunnit Award and the Goldsboro Last Laugh Award. How to Find Your Way in the Dark was a Finalist for the National Jewish Book Award and a New York Times Best Mystery of 2021.
Miller is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA), Georgetown (MA) and he earned his Ph.D., summa cum laude, in international relations from The Graduate Institute in Geneva. He is currently connected to numerous peace and security research and policy centres in North America, Europe and Africa, and previously worked with the United Nations for over a decade. He has lived abroad for over twenty-five years in Israel, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Switzerland, Norway and Spain.
Miller is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College (BA), Georgetown (MA) and he earned his Ph.D., summa cum laude, in international relations from The Graduate Institute in Geneva. He is currently connected to numerous peace and security research and policy centres in North America, Europe and Africa, and previously worked with the United Nations for over a decade. He has lived abroad for over twenty-five years in Israel, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Switzerland, Norway and Spain.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 578 reviews
November 5, 2023
The Curse of Pietro Houdini has been described as an art heist adventure. But that is too glib a description to describe this story. The plot is complex, the humor is dark and the logic is sometimes twisted. There’s a deep current of philosophical treatise. And it moved me more than most books I’ve read lately. In fact, while I’ve liked Derek Miller’s earlier books, I loved this one. It’s one of my favorite reads of 2023.
Massimo is only fourteen when the Allies bomb Rome, killing his parents. Taking off, he finds himself in Cassino, at the base of the Montecassino Abbey where he meets up with Pietro, a self described master artist. The Germans are there and it’s apparent this will be the new frontline of the war. The Germans are looking to “secure” the Abbey’s artwork. But Pietro has a plan to steal a few pieces before the Germans get their hands on them.
Everyone has secrets, especially Pietro.
The story moves at a strong clip. I was fully invested in the plot and what would come next. Both of the main characters quickly became favorites of mine. Actually, as more characters join in, I became entranced by them all. The writing here is lovely and I found myself highlighting numerous passages. This would make a wonderful book club selection, as it deals with war, sexual identity, community, art and God. Miller even does a neat trick with pronouns/narrative style. It touches on all aspects of human nature. I also applaud Miller for sneaking in all the necessary historical facts without slowing down the story line.
Warning - there is one very graphic scene towards the end. I literally had to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes.
I recommend this for fans of Robert Dugoni.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
Massimo is only fourteen when the Allies bomb Rome, killing his parents. Taking off, he finds himself in Cassino, at the base of the Montecassino Abbey where he meets up with Pietro, a self described master artist. The Germans are there and it’s apparent this will be the new frontline of the war. The Germans are looking to “secure” the Abbey’s artwork. But Pietro has a plan to steal a few pieces before the Germans get their hands on them.
Everyone has secrets, especially Pietro.
The story moves at a strong clip. I was fully invested in the plot and what would come next. Both of the main characters quickly became favorites of mine. Actually, as more characters join in, I became entranced by them all. The writing here is lovely and I found myself highlighting numerous passages. This would make a wonderful book club selection, as it deals with war, sexual identity, community, art and God. Miller even does a neat trick with pronouns/narrative style. It touches on all aspects of human nature. I also applaud Miller for sneaking in all the necessary historical facts without slowing down the story line.
Warning - there is one very graphic scene towards the end. I literally had to put the book down and walk away for a few minutes.
I recommend this for fans of Robert Dugoni.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
July 30, 2024
Rating: 5.99/Pulitzer material
Every now and again, we are blessed with stories whose plot, characters and engagement take us by surprise. Derek Miller's premise displays a rare coming of age story amidst the harsh realities of Nazi occupation of Italy. The story narrative begins with first person POV (Massimo) then toggles back and forth with third person.
It's August 1943 where we find Massimo, a 14 year old boy fleeing Rome having lost his parents during Allied bombing. Attacked by thugs, Pietro Houdini finds him in shambles at the base of Montecassino, a Benedictine monastery. A rare combination of artist, scientist and confidant to the Vatican, his artistic services were needed for fresco restoration. As the bond between them deepens, Massimo is witness to Pietro's experience of the tragedies of war, love, and spirituality. Teacher, friend, mentor and 'father', a destitute boy's life shifts from caterpillar to butterfly.
Aligned with Abbot Tobias, Pietro learns of a Nazi plot to 'store' the monastery's countless works of art, rare books and sacramental gold to 'protect it' from the allies. Knowing of Hitler's greed, Pietro devises a plan to carefully smuggle several priceless Titian canvases and coin collection from beneath the nose of the Nazi thieves. Pietro and Massimo are joined by a Bella, a cafe owner turned Nazi murderer, Ada, a nurse concealing her past, Dino and Lucia a pair of lovers and Harald, a German turned against the Nazis. Throughout each chapter, the reader and boy witness Pietro's life stories while he conceals his actual name. Originally from Naples, he speaks of love for his wife, Oriana and family while playing his cards close to the chest.
As the Nazis begin emptying the monastery of its art, books and documents, Bella and Pietro execute a plan to do away with a couple of German soldiers and rid them of their weapons. Simultaneously Pietro uses his artistic skill to 'paint over' the priceless artworks, hide them in tubes with Nazi labels and bury them until they feel its time to escape. When the time finally arrives, Bella, Massimo and Pietro steal away on foot and during the journey encounter Ada who'd been caring for the wounded German, Harald. Soon after they meet the young lovers Dino and Lucia who also seek to escape Nazi tyranny. While holed up in a broken down house praying they won't be discovered, they're alerted of the Nazis approach and knowing they murder men, Lucia dresses Massimo like a girl and names him Eva with hopes his 'feminine' features will fool them.
Its here the author shifts the gender of Massimo referring to him as a 'her' and remains this way until the end, a technique I'd yet to encounter in any book. Regardless, as the group slowly make their way toward Naples, they are gifted a mule named Ferrari. Along the way we learn Pietro's real identity and his reasons for keeping it hidden.
A blend of both fact, fiction and mystery including the severity of Nazi murder, this is the most unique coming of age story written. I found the immersive quality and evocative nature unique, its Odyssey-like journey, captivating.
A quote from the final page reads, "...Pietro Houdini said that life clung to him like a curse because he loved living and his cures was that his own enthusiasm - despite it all -attracted life to him; each of us was a universe bending in his direction. And because he was a flawed man but a good one, he saw the harm he caused more than the good he did. He loved me like a son. He loved me like a daughter. He helped me become who I am. Since then I have also come to know what I am. I am the life that clung to him. I am the curse of Pietro Houdini..."
Put in plain terms, its stories like this that remind us of the value of books and how they enlighten, brighten and immerse us into worlds we've never experienced. While unknown by most, Derek Miller's talent rivals that of Pulitzer winners and this one should be added to EVERY list!
Every now and again, we are blessed with stories whose plot, characters and engagement take us by surprise. Derek Miller's premise displays a rare coming of age story amidst the harsh realities of Nazi occupation of Italy. The story narrative begins with first person POV (Massimo) then toggles back and forth with third person.
It's August 1943 where we find Massimo, a 14 year old boy fleeing Rome having lost his parents during Allied bombing. Attacked by thugs, Pietro Houdini finds him in shambles at the base of Montecassino, a Benedictine monastery. A rare combination of artist, scientist and confidant to the Vatican, his artistic services were needed for fresco restoration. As the bond between them deepens, Massimo is witness to Pietro's experience of the tragedies of war, love, and spirituality. Teacher, friend, mentor and 'father', a destitute boy's life shifts from caterpillar to butterfly.
Aligned with Abbot Tobias, Pietro learns of a Nazi plot to 'store' the monastery's countless works of art, rare books and sacramental gold to 'protect it' from the allies. Knowing of Hitler's greed, Pietro devises a plan to carefully smuggle several priceless Titian canvases and coin collection from beneath the nose of the Nazi thieves. Pietro and Massimo are joined by a Bella, a cafe owner turned Nazi murderer, Ada, a nurse concealing her past, Dino and Lucia a pair of lovers and Harald, a German turned against the Nazis. Throughout each chapter, the reader and boy witness Pietro's life stories while he conceals his actual name. Originally from Naples, he speaks of love for his wife, Oriana and family while playing his cards close to the chest.
As the Nazis begin emptying the monastery of its art, books and documents, Bella and Pietro execute a plan to do away with a couple of German soldiers and rid them of their weapons. Simultaneously Pietro uses his artistic skill to 'paint over' the priceless artworks, hide them in tubes with Nazi labels and bury them until they feel its time to escape. When the time finally arrives, Bella, Massimo and Pietro steal away on foot and during the journey encounter Ada who'd been caring for the wounded German, Harald. Soon after they meet the young lovers Dino and Lucia who also seek to escape Nazi tyranny. While holed up in a broken down house praying they won't be discovered, they're alerted of the Nazis approach and knowing they murder men, Lucia dresses Massimo like a girl and names him Eva with hopes his 'feminine' features will fool them.
Its here the author shifts the gender of Massimo referring to him as a 'her' and remains this way until the end, a technique I'd yet to encounter in any book. Regardless, as the group slowly make their way toward Naples, they are gifted a mule named Ferrari. Along the way we learn Pietro's real identity and his reasons for keeping it hidden.
A blend of both fact, fiction and mystery including the severity of Nazi murder, this is the most unique coming of age story written. I found the immersive quality and evocative nature unique, its Odyssey-like journey, captivating.
A quote from the final page reads, "...Pietro Houdini said that life clung to him like a curse because he loved living and his cures was that his own enthusiasm - despite it all -attracted life to him; each of us was a universe bending in his direction. And because he was a flawed man but a good one, he saw the harm he caused more than the good he did. He loved me like a son. He loved me like a daughter. He helped me become who I am. Since then I have also come to know what I am. I am the life that clung to him. I am the curse of Pietro Houdini..."
Put in plain terms, its stories like this that remind us of the value of books and how they enlighten, brighten and immerse us into worlds we've never experienced. While unknown by most, Derek Miller's talent rivals that of Pulitzer winners and this one should be added to EVERY list!
January 8, 2024
I really enjoyed Miller’s 2021 release How to Find Your Way in the Dark so I've been looking forward to this one.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini Is set in 1943 during World War II and centers around 14-year-old Massimo. Massimo is fleeing Rome after his parents were just killed by an American bombing raid where he meets Pietro Houdini. Pietro who claims to be a master artist and a confidant of the Vatican brings Massimo up to the Montecassino to be his assistant in preserving treasures that lay within the monastery’s walls.
As the frontline of the war comes closer the duo along with an eclectic group including a nurse, a cafeowner, a German soldier, a pair of lovers, and an injured mule set out. Together the group does what they can to survive the battlefields all while smuggling Renaissance masterpieces and a bag of ancient Greek gold to safety.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is such a dynamic, imaginative, and complex historical fiction story. It's a fast-paced, coming-of-age, and found family tale that's both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply poignant. I like the fact that it was inspired by actual events and I could tell that the author did his research. From the first page to the last I hung on every word and I highly recommend this compelling tale to all historical fiction fans.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller Will be available on January 16. A massive thanks to Avid Reader Press for the gifted copy!
The Curse of Pietro Houdini Is set in 1943 during World War II and centers around 14-year-old Massimo. Massimo is fleeing Rome after his parents were just killed by an American bombing raid where he meets Pietro Houdini. Pietro who claims to be a master artist and a confidant of the Vatican brings Massimo up to the Montecassino to be his assistant in preserving treasures that lay within the monastery’s walls.
As the frontline of the war comes closer the duo along with an eclectic group including a nurse, a cafeowner, a German soldier, a pair of lovers, and an injured mule set out. Together the group does what they can to survive the battlefields all while smuggling Renaissance masterpieces and a bag of ancient Greek gold to safety.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is such a dynamic, imaginative, and complex historical fiction story. It's a fast-paced, coming-of-age, and found family tale that's both laugh-out-loud funny and deeply poignant. I like the fact that it was inspired by actual events and I could tell that the author did his research. From the first page to the last I hung on every word and I highly recommend this compelling tale to all historical fiction fans.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller Will be available on January 16. A massive thanks to Avid Reader Press for the gifted copy!
December 5, 2023
There’s magic underway in the Curse of Pietro Houdini. Derek Miller earnestly weaves together a tale inspired by a true-life historical event (preserving Renaissance art treasures held within Italian monastery walls), a World War II saga, a high stakes adventure heist, and a unique coming-of-age story.
Whether this book is for you or not will depend upon your enjoyment of these disparate genres, particularly your tolerance for an adventure tale with a philosophical undercurrent.
If so , then prepare to become engulfed in this narrative, which is filled with moral ambiguity, laden with hidden secrets, packed with fascinating insights into fine art and history, and fraught with lessons on survival.
Narrated by an orphaned young Italian teen (dubbed Massimo), who was saved from an Allied bombing by the charismatic artist Pietro Houdini, the story gathers steam as the characters reveal themselves. After taking refuge at the Abbey of Montecasino, our intrepid narrator shares the unmasked Pietro: a man who develops a false rapport with the Nazis while hiding three Titian paintings from their grasp.
As Derek Miller writes (in the voice of Massimo) at the start, “We are part of something larger: something mystical and beyond the realm of human understanding that impinges on our stories and our lives.” All of us, he suggests, carry stories that may not be part of something good, just, fair, or virtuous, but these stories still demand to be told.
I owe thanks to Avid Reader Press for enabling me to be an early reader in exchange for an honest review.
Whether this book is for you or not will depend upon your enjoyment of these disparate genres, particularly your tolerance for an adventure tale with a philosophical undercurrent.
If so , then prepare to become engulfed in this narrative, which is filled with moral ambiguity, laden with hidden secrets, packed with fascinating insights into fine art and history, and fraught with lessons on survival.
Narrated by an orphaned young Italian teen (dubbed Massimo), who was saved from an Allied bombing by the charismatic artist Pietro Houdini, the story gathers steam as the characters reveal themselves. After taking refuge at the Abbey of Montecasino, our intrepid narrator shares the unmasked Pietro: a man who develops a false rapport with the Nazis while hiding three Titian paintings from their grasp.
As Derek Miller writes (in the voice of Massimo) at the start, “We are part of something larger: something mystical and beyond the realm of human understanding that impinges on our stories and our lives.” All of us, he suggests, carry stories that may not be part of something good, just, fair, or virtuous, but these stories still demand to be told.
I owe thanks to Avid Reader Press for enabling me to be an early reader in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2024
Given that I nearly DNF’d this book, I’m amazed that I wound up liking it as much as I did. For me, it only got interesting after about 23%; up until then, it was all talk, talk, talk, mainly by the title character. I’m glad I decided to give it a little more time instead of walking away at 20%.
If you make it past the beginning of this book, you’ll find yourself in an engrossing tale of survival in Italy in World War II. Most of the action takes place in and around the ancient Benedictine abbey of Montecassino and the nearby village of Cassino in 1943-1944. For those of us without detailed knowledge of every part of World War II, this was when the Allies were trying to make their way north through southern Italy to Rome. Which meant that any people and towns (and abbeys) that were in the way, were in the line of fire. The local Italians were caught between the occupying Germans (Italy had surrendered by then) and the Allies. Cassino, being between Rome and Naples, was one of those places caught in the crosshairs.
In addition to Pietro, who has taken the name Houdini to hide his true name, the main character is a young teen whose name we never learn. She/he presents as male or female, depending on the assessed level of danger - which was pretty smart in a wartime situation. Massimo/Eva has fled Rome on her own after her parents were killed in a bombing by Americans. So right from the start, we know that the Americans/Allies are not 100% the good guys. It is a nuanced look at a wartime situation, filled with evil Germans, nice Germans, evil Moroccans, and so forth. Pietro rescues her from a beating and she takes the name Massimo.
Art and saving art as Italy’s cultural heritage is at the heart of this war story. I loved it. I just wish we could have had a bit more information of what became of some of the wonderful characters like Lucia and Dino.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster) for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Gabra Zackman, did a great job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.
If you make it past the beginning of this book, you’ll find yourself in an engrossing tale of survival in Italy in World War II. Most of the action takes place in and around the ancient Benedictine abbey of Montecassino and the nearby village of Cassino in 1943-1944. For those of us without detailed knowledge of every part of World War II, this was when the Allies were trying to make their way north through southern Italy to Rome. Which meant that any people and towns (and abbeys) that were in the way, were in the line of fire. The local Italians were caught between the occupying Germans (Italy had surrendered by then) and the Allies. Cassino, being between Rome and Naples, was one of those places caught in the crosshairs.
In addition to Pietro, who has taken the name Houdini to hide his true name, the main character is a young teen whose name we never learn. She/he presents as male or female, depending on the assessed level of danger - which was pretty smart in a wartime situation. Massimo/Eva has fled Rome on her own after her parents were killed in a bombing by Americans. So right from the start, we know that the Americans/Allies are not 100% the good guys. It is a nuanced look at a wartime situation, filled with evil Germans, nice Germans, evil Moroccans, and so forth. Pietro rescues her from a beating and she takes the name Massimo.
Art and saving art as Italy’s cultural heritage is at the heart of this war story. I loved it. I just wish we could have had a bit more information of what became of some of the wonderful characters like Lucia and Dino.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press (Simon & Schuster) for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. I bounced between the ARC and the published audiobook, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Gabra Zackman, did a great job with the various voices and accents. All opinions are my own.
January 28, 2024
I am so disappointed 😭 I was SO looking forward to this one but it was extremely boring, convoluted and implausible.
The author randomly switches from first-person to third-person narrative about 40% into the book.
Pietro literally never stops ranting and monologuing the entire book. From start to finish, it’s as if the way the author wanted to give us historical details surrounding the setting was by just having Pietro rant it all to us in incoherent stream of consciousness.
It doesn’t matter what dire and time-sensitive situation Pietro finds himself in, he always has time for a 3-5 page monologue about something irrelevant.
Pietro: “We must hurry, not a moment to lose! The bombs will fall on us in less than an hour and we must run far, far away.”
Pietro, 0.5 seconds later: “BUT WAIT, first actually, let me tell you a little story about the history of the Spanish Civil War, and a painting that existed in one of the churches there...”
The. Entire. Book.
The author randomly switches from first-person to third-person narrative about 40% into the book.
Pietro literally never stops ranting and monologuing the entire book. From start to finish, it’s as if the way the author wanted to give us historical details surrounding the setting was by just having Pietro rant it all to us in incoherent stream of consciousness.
It doesn’t matter what dire and time-sensitive situation Pietro finds himself in, he always has time for a 3-5 page monologue about something irrelevant.
Pietro: “We must hurry, not a moment to lose! The bombs will fall on us in less than an hour and we must run far, far away.”
Pietro, 0.5 seconds later: “BUT WAIT, first actually, let me tell you a little story about the history of the Spanish Civil War, and a painting that existed in one of the churches there...”
The. Entire. Book.
September 7, 2024
First off, I would very much like to thank my GR friend Jonathan K (Max Outlier) for recommending this book.
Secondly, I would like to say that I almost wish I'd NOT taken his suggestion, as this book pretty much devastated me. I finished it in bed last night and then I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I lay awake for a long time, thinking about the brutality of war. Of what the characters were subjected to. My dreams, once I fell asleep, were not, as you may have guessed, sweet ones.
This was a masterpiece.
When I first began reading, I messaged Jonathan to say I was enjoying the book and, even in the context of such heinousness, I appreciated the manner in which Miller was able to weave humor into the story. He wrote back, incredulous--saying "You think it's funny?"
This book is not funny, no. BUT: many of the early conversations between Massimo and Pietro in the Montecassino Abbey oft times included wry observations that caused me to grin. Silly me: I had no idea what was yet to come.
Alas, those pinpricks of levity soon petered out and I was swept into unadulterated darkness and violence. As much as I wanted to turn away, I could not stop reading. Miller is a sublime writer.
I have no inclination to reiterate the particulars of the plot--you should go read Jonathan's review: it's beautifully-written, comprehensive, and exceedingly spot on.
Thank you, Jonathan K., for introducing me to this new author. I am already a devoted fan and will now read Norwegian by Night.
Secondly, I would like to say that I almost wish I'd NOT taken his suggestion, as this book pretty much devastated me. I finished it in bed last night and then I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. I lay awake for a long time, thinking about the brutality of war. Of what the characters were subjected to. My dreams, once I fell asleep, were not, as you may have guessed, sweet ones.
This was a masterpiece.
When I first began reading, I messaged Jonathan to say I was enjoying the book and, even in the context of such heinousness, I appreciated the manner in which Miller was able to weave humor into the story. He wrote back, incredulous--saying "You think it's funny?"
This book is not funny, no. BUT: many of the early conversations between Massimo and Pietro in the Montecassino Abbey oft times included wry observations that caused me to grin. Silly me: I had no idea what was yet to come.
Alas, those pinpricks of levity soon petered out and I was swept into unadulterated darkness and violence. As much as I wanted to turn away, I could not stop reading. Miller is a sublime writer.
I have no inclination to reiterate the particulars of the plot--you should go read Jonathan's review: it's beautifully-written, comprehensive, and exceedingly spot on.
Thank you, Jonathan K., for introducing me to this new author. I am already a devoted fan and will now read Norwegian by Night.
November 13, 2023
Derek B. Miller’s brilliant new novel, “The Curse of Pietro Houdini”, is a captivating story of friendship, courage, moral ambiguity, art, and identity set in Italy during WWII. It’s thrilling historical fiction at it’s best, based on the true history of the Montecassino Abbey, which housed countless art and historical treasures, and was destroyed in 1944 by the Allies.
Pietro, and art historian on his way to the Abbey, finds newly orphaned, fourteen-year-old, Massimo beaten in a gutter. Pietro makes him his assistant and takes him to the Abbey. They both have reasons to travel south to Naples, but that is not possible as the Germans have occupied Naples and are now headed north toward the Abbey.
What follows is the story of a suspenseful art heist, grisly murders, shifting identities, heartbreaking alliances, and ultimately of survival.
As always, Miller’s characters will stay with you long after his story is done.
Speaking of characters, Miller does something quite unique in this novel; he credibly shifts from a first-person narrative by Massimo, to a third-person narration also from Massimo’s point of view, and then…well, I don’t want to spoil it because it’s so beautifully done that the reader should experience it from the page not from a reviewer!
Many thanks to Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this sure-to-be-bestseller! Readers, look for it in January 2024 for the first great read of the year!
Pietro, and art historian on his way to the Abbey, finds newly orphaned, fourteen-year-old, Massimo beaten in a gutter. Pietro makes him his assistant and takes him to the Abbey. They both have reasons to travel south to Naples, but that is not possible as the Germans have occupied Naples and are now headed north toward the Abbey.
What follows is the story of a suspenseful art heist, grisly murders, shifting identities, heartbreaking alliances, and ultimately of survival.
As always, Miller’s characters will stay with you long after his story is done.
Speaking of characters, Miller does something quite unique in this novel; he credibly shifts from a first-person narrative by Massimo, to a third-person narration also from Massimo’s point of view, and then…well, I don’t want to spoil it because it’s so beautifully done that the reader should experience it from the page not from a reviewer!
Many thanks to Avid Reader Press for an advanced copy of this sure-to-be-bestseller! Readers, look for it in January 2024 for the first great read of the year!
December 12, 2023
“The wrinkles around his eyes and on his forehead spoke more of wear than years and I felt his presence to be dramatic and theatrical and magnetic: as though my eyes couldn’t help but fall on him and when they did—like being drawn to a performer under a spotlight onstage—I was unable to break away because of the promise of some inexplicable drama yet to come.”
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is the fourth stand-alone novel by award-winning American-born author, Derek B. Miller. It’s August, 1943, and the fourteen-year-old, determined to reach family in Naples after being orphaned by an Allied bomb dropped in Rome, is rescued from a beating at the foot of Montecassino by a man calling himself Pietro Houdini, with the same destination.
This “opinionated but charming polar bear with a big personality and a beautiful accent” somehow exudes trustworthiness, and seems to have a plan for the teen, who takes the name Massimo. They climb up to the Benedictine monastery founded in 529AD where Pietro identifies himself as the Vatican-endorsed Master of Art Restoration and Conservation from the University of Bologna, and declares Massimo his assistant. Massimo has been told his role is to ““Keep cleaning the brushes, especially if you hear someone coming. And listen to me talk. You don’t have to pay attention. There will be no test. But you must feign interest at all times.”
But as Maestro Houdini pretends to work on the frescos, and Massimo pretends to clean brushes while listening, around them the monks are negotiating with the Germans. Montecassino is, just then, one of the greatest repositories of culture on earth, a storehouse for treasure and history and art. And while Fridolin von Senger is assuring the Archabbot Gregorio Diamare that the monastery will remain neutral, safe from attack, Lieutenant Colonel Julius Schlegel is insisting that the irreplaceable artworks and manuscripts be loaded onto German trucks and taken to the Vatican for safe-keeping, just in case.
Brother Tobias, torn between St. Benedict’s admonition for silence and a peasant’s unstoppable need to gossip, shares the gist of the discussions with Pietro and Massimo. Pietro is unconvinced about the supposed sincerity of the Nazis: he believes that Truman Konig is shopping for Hitler, and that not all the loot will make it to Rome.
“It was hot and his body was perfectly still. His mind, I felt, was building a plan as big as a cathedral” Pietro hatches a scheme to deprive the Germans of a few pieces that will also serve an important personal purpose: his intentions aren’t wholly altruistic either. Keeping this under the radar takes a bit of cleverness with the monks’ meticulous inventory, and Massimo observes “Pietro’s actions seemed like those of an alchemist and his ramblings part of an incantation.” Everything done with flair.
Once their pieces of art are ready for travel, a few incidents delay their departure and, ultimately their sudden flight in the face of Allied bombs resembles a radical nativity scene that includes a wounded German soldier on a mule, a nurse, a monk, a fourteen-year-old, an Italian soldier, a flautist, and a limping art restorer. Pietro tells them “We will need to lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin our way to Naples. We will hold our own lives as precious above all others. We will trust no one but each other, and we will try and remember that in this country, at this time, there is no way to tell friend from foe.” Do they make it to some sort of safety?
Miller effortlessly evokes his era and setting, and his descriptive prose is marvellous: “Pietro Houdini had the sorted mind of a scientist but the spirit of a shaman who had seen too much and expected to see much more of it, a thinker and a storyteller and a liar who had as little reverence for the facts as P.T. Barnum. And yet, his dedication to truth—to God’s own truth, a truth Pietro claimed to know and I now believe he did—was bottomless.”
He gives his cast insightful observations: “My father was dismissive because he thought that things that don’t make sense don’t matter, when in fact they are the things that matter most” and “Secrets and lies are illusions and one must commit to the illusion if it is to work!” are examples. Based on certain actual events, Miller’s glimpse into war and its myriad effects is a moving, sometimes blackly funny, and thought-provoking page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/ Random House UK Transworld.
The Curse of Pietro Houdini is the fourth stand-alone novel by award-winning American-born author, Derek B. Miller. It’s August, 1943, and the fourteen-year-old, determined to reach family in Naples after being orphaned by an Allied bomb dropped in Rome, is rescued from a beating at the foot of Montecassino by a man calling himself Pietro Houdini, with the same destination.
This “opinionated but charming polar bear with a big personality and a beautiful accent” somehow exudes trustworthiness, and seems to have a plan for the teen, who takes the name Massimo. They climb up to the Benedictine monastery founded in 529AD where Pietro identifies himself as the Vatican-endorsed Master of Art Restoration and Conservation from the University of Bologna, and declares Massimo his assistant. Massimo has been told his role is to ““Keep cleaning the brushes, especially if you hear someone coming. And listen to me talk. You don’t have to pay attention. There will be no test. But you must feign interest at all times.”
But as Maestro Houdini pretends to work on the frescos, and Massimo pretends to clean brushes while listening, around them the monks are negotiating with the Germans. Montecassino is, just then, one of the greatest repositories of culture on earth, a storehouse for treasure and history and art. And while Fridolin von Senger is assuring the Archabbot Gregorio Diamare that the monastery will remain neutral, safe from attack, Lieutenant Colonel Julius Schlegel is insisting that the irreplaceable artworks and manuscripts be loaded onto German trucks and taken to the Vatican for safe-keeping, just in case.
Brother Tobias, torn between St. Benedict’s admonition for silence and a peasant’s unstoppable need to gossip, shares the gist of the discussions with Pietro and Massimo. Pietro is unconvinced about the supposed sincerity of the Nazis: he believes that Truman Konig is shopping for Hitler, and that not all the loot will make it to Rome.
“It was hot and his body was perfectly still. His mind, I felt, was building a plan as big as a cathedral” Pietro hatches a scheme to deprive the Germans of a few pieces that will also serve an important personal purpose: his intentions aren’t wholly altruistic either. Keeping this under the radar takes a bit of cleverness with the monks’ meticulous inventory, and Massimo observes “Pietro’s actions seemed like those of an alchemist and his ramblings part of an incantation.” Everything done with flair.
Once their pieces of art are ready for travel, a few incidents delay their departure and, ultimately their sudden flight in the face of Allied bombs resembles a radical nativity scene that includes a wounded German soldier on a mule, a nurse, a monk, a fourteen-year-old, an Italian soldier, a flautist, and a limping art restorer. Pietro tells them “We will need to lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill, and sin our way to Naples. We will hold our own lives as precious above all others. We will trust no one but each other, and we will try and remember that in this country, at this time, there is no way to tell friend from foe.” Do they make it to some sort of safety?
Miller effortlessly evokes his era and setting, and his descriptive prose is marvellous: “Pietro Houdini had the sorted mind of a scientist but the spirit of a shaman who had seen too much and expected to see much more of it, a thinker and a storyteller and a liar who had as little reverence for the facts as P.T. Barnum. And yet, his dedication to truth—to God’s own truth, a truth Pietro claimed to know and I now believe he did—was bottomless.”
He gives his cast insightful observations: “My father was dismissive because he thought that things that don’t make sense don’t matter, when in fact they are the things that matter most” and “Secrets and lies are illusions and one must commit to the illusion if it is to work!” are examples. Based on certain actual events, Miller’s glimpse into war and its myriad effects is a moving, sometimes blackly funny, and thought-provoking page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Avid Reader Press/ Random House UK Transworld.
April 30, 2024
A remarkable book about art and war and all the the people we become in a single lifetime. This is a different WWII story, very personal but without too much sentimentality. Although the Nazi's were prominent in the story it was the Italians that are the stars. The art heist (based on real events) was fascinating and the characters spring to life.
Towards the end of the book there is an brutal chapter that I found difficult to get through, until then I loved everything about the book. War is traumatic, this book is a reminder of that. Highly recommended!
Towards the end of the book there is an brutal chapter that I found difficult to get through, until then I loved everything about the book. War is traumatic, this book is a reminder of that. Highly recommended!
October 15, 2025
I loved the part where stuffing dead Nazis in a hole became a full on Monty Python sketch.
February 3, 2024
I had no intention of reading this book. I read a short review about it and thought it was going to be an interesting novel with an art heist plot, so I got it from the library. I will read anything art-centric.
To begin, the cover is beautiful. And then, I read about 10 pages and could not put it down, and then, discovered this book has art as its plot but is really so much more.
The characters are remarkable and Miller’s storytelling is magical. He writes amazing dialogue. In fact, I loved every word main character Pietro Houdini says in this book and relished the pages of conversations between him and the young kid that becomes his sidekick.
I haven’t read a book in a long time that held my attention the way this one did. I suppose my only problem with the story is that it is about all the horrible things that people do and succumb to during war. The horror and destruction isn’t overly graphic but it is honest which makes for grim reading. These characters and their stories will stay with me. I think Miller has written an unusual WW II story. He has included perspectives about war from an unexpected group of people, whose survival I became emotionally invested in as they formed a found family trying to outsmart the war growing around and towards them.
Overall a magnificent book that I believe will be popular this year and should become a film. Of course, a lot of trigger warnings but it is a book about war.
To begin, the cover is beautiful. And then, I read about 10 pages and could not put it down, and then, discovered this book has art as its plot but is really so much more.
The characters are remarkable and Miller’s storytelling is magical. He writes amazing dialogue. In fact, I loved every word main character Pietro Houdini says in this book and relished the pages of conversations between him and the young kid that becomes his sidekick.
I haven’t read a book in a long time that held my attention the way this one did. I suppose my only problem with the story is that it is about all the horrible things that people do and succumb to during war. The horror and destruction isn’t overly graphic but it is honest which makes for grim reading. These characters and their stories will stay with me. I think Miller has written an unusual WW II story. He has included perspectives about war from an unexpected group of people, whose survival I became emotionally invested in as they formed a found family trying to outsmart the war growing around and towards them.
Overall a magnificent book that I believe will be popular this year and should become a film. Of course, a lot of trigger warnings but it is a book about war.
February 17, 2024
As a reader who has OD'd on historical fiction set during WWII, I was hesitant to give this one a try but gave it a go based on the stellar reviews. IMHO, it lives up to the hype.
A great sense of place, historical facts mixed with an engaging story, a bit of humor amongst the tragic circumstances, and a likeable group of characters kept me turning the pages. The writing is beautiful with lots of showing, not telling and a good mix of vivid description and dialogue. Though it lags a bit in the middle as Pietro waxes poetic on life and art, there's a lot of action and emotion to move the story along at a good pace. I learned a tremendous amount about the suffering endured by the citizens of Italy (can't believe my ignorance regarding this part of the world during the war). I found myself looking things up as I was reading, even listening to a piece of music that was pivotal in one scene.
This book made me want to book a trip to Italy or at least go to a local art museum. It piqued my curiosity and left me wanting to know more.
Quotes:
"Nothing insignificant has ever happened here, including us, Massimo. Believe me. We are already part of the history of this place."
"That's what art does, my dear child. It opens our hearts to the human condition...Fear is the enemy of art because it hinders us from creation."
"You see, every painter - wittingly or not, paints for eternity...performance is life and life is performance and we toil and we sweat and in the end nothing may remain but the mark we place on others and the knowledge that we participated in something of value that in turn kept it alive."
A great sense of place, historical facts mixed with an engaging story, a bit of humor amongst the tragic circumstances, and a likeable group of characters kept me turning the pages. The writing is beautiful with lots of showing, not telling and a good mix of vivid description and dialogue. Though it lags a bit in the middle as Pietro waxes poetic on life and art, there's a lot of action and emotion to move the story along at a good pace. I learned a tremendous amount about the suffering endured by the citizens of Italy (can't believe my ignorance regarding this part of the world during the war). I found myself looking things up as I was reading, even listening to a piece of music that was pivotal in one scene.
This book made me want to book a trip to Italy or at least go to a local art museum. It piqued my curiosity and left me wanting to know more.
Quotes:
"Nothing insignificant has ever happened here, including us, Massimo. Believe me. We are already part of the history of this place."
"That's what art does, my dear child. It opens our hearts to the human condition...Fear is the enemy of art because it hinders us from creation."
"You see, every painter - wittingly or not, paints for eternity...performance is life and life is performance and we toil and we sweat and in the end nothing may remain but the mark we place on others and the knowledge that we participated in something of value that in turn kept it alive."
January 12, 2025
This was an interesting and unique way to tell a portion of the art heists going on during World War II,
Pietro Houdini and Massimo, both living under false names, become unlikely allies in the plight of survival and art rescue.
An evenly flowing tale that is neither fast nor slow, with a great narration. Well-created characters that you find yourself rooting for.
4 STars
Pietro Houdini and Massimo, both living under false names, become unlikely allies in the plight of survival and art rescue.
An evenly flowing tale that is neither fast nor slow, with a great narration. Well-created characters that you find yourself rooting for.
4 STars
Read
May 18, 2024I am eagerly waiting for my copy at the library.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, "The Curse of Pietro Houdini" by the Dagger Award-winning author follows the harrowing journey of fourteen-year-old Massimo, who, orphaned and fleeing Rome after a devastating bombing raid, is rescued by a mysterious man named Pietro Houdini. Claiming to be the "Master Artist and confidante of the Vatican," Pietro takes Massimo under his wing as they seek refuge in Montecassino, a Benedictine abbey. As the war threatens the monastery, the unlikely duo hatches a daring plan to smuggle priceless Titian paintings to safety down the mountain. Joined by a diverse group of characters with their own secrets, including a nurse with a shady past, a cafe owner-turned-murderer, a cheerful German soldier, and a pair of lovers, they navigate a treacherous path through battlefields, resorting to deception, theft, and violence to survive. The narrative unfolds as a gripping adventure heist, intertwining forgotten history with a coming-of-age tale, exploring moral complexities on the enigmatic frontlines of World War II.
February 4, 2024
In August of 1943. A self - proclaimed " master artist " Pietro Houdini rescues Massimo from an attack following the American bombing raid that killed Massimo's parents in Rome. Pietro makes Massimo his assistant or for a lack of a better word. His sidekick.
Pietro has a big secret and Massimo has an even bigger one.
So after stealing back 3 paintings and gold from the Nazis. They head out to finish their mission.
Along the way a group of rag - tag characters join the group and decide to help even though the area is dangerous with American , Nazis and Moroccan solders.
Will they make it or will the mission fail. But more importantly will all the lies and Pietro's curse be revealed.
Dereck B. Miller knocks this one out of the park. It's a definite masterpiece.
Listed below are my favorite ten books.
The prince of tides.
The plot against America.
Ironweed.
The cider house rules.
The bonfire of the vanities.
A Confederacy of dunces
Matterhorn.
The things they carried.
Gorky park
Love in the time of cholera.
My dilemma was which book to pull so I still ended with ten.
Screw it I made it into the top 11.
11. The curse of Pietro Houdini.
Pietro has a big secret and Massimo has an even bigger one.
So after stealing back 3 paintings and gold from the Nazis. They head out to finish their mission.
Along the way a group of rag - tag characters join the group and decide to help even though the area is dangerous with American , Nazis and Moroccan solders.
Will they make it or will the mission fail. But more importantly will all the lies and Pietro's curse be revealed.
Dereck B. Miller knocks this one out of the park. It's a definite masterpiece.
Listed below are my favorite ten books.
The prince of tides.
The plot against America.
Ironweed.
The cider house rules.
The bonfire of the vanities.
A Confederacy of dunces
Matterhorn.
The things they carried.
Gorky park
Love in the time of cholera.
My dilemma was which book to pull so I still ended with ten.
Screw it I made it into the top 11.
11. The curse of Pietro Houdini.
August 6, 2024
World War II books that don’t focus on soldiers or battles are my jam. Give me the pieces about the civilians, the spies, the scientists, the kids. I picked up The Curse of Pietro Houdini on a whim from the new books shelf at my library. I thought the title betokened some kind of fantasy novel, and though that hope was dashed, I still enjoyed Derek B. Miller’s historical yarn of an irreverent-yet-sentimental old man and his happenstance, gendershifting protégé.
A fourteen-year-old narrowly escapes Rome as Italy finds itself occupied by German forces. The eponymous Pietro scoops up this child on his way to Montecassino, the first Benedictine abbey, where he plans to restore and perhaps rescue some priceless works of art before the Nazis or the Allies destroy them. The child claims the name Massimo and takes on the appearance of a boy and falls in with Pietro as his assistant. From here the kind of peculiar bond really only found in quirky stories like this develops as Pietro tries to keep Massimo safe while also preserving the artworks. Along the way, they kill some Nazis, get injured, go on the run, and more.
Miller shows himself an expert at interweaving fact and fiction in this historical novel. I didn’t know much about Monte Cassino (don’t know much about wartime Italy at all, to be honest), so it was fascinating learning about real-life people like Schlengel and Becker alongside Miller’s fictional creations like Pietro. I liked seeing things through the eyes of sympathetic yet non-Ally characters: their disdain for Americans and imperialists is enjoyable. Pietro criticizes the Americans, for example, for dispatching their “monuments men” in some cases yet blithely bombing irreplaceable landmarks like Montecassino in other cases. Similarly, the perspectives of civilians like Lucia and Dino, or Bella, or even Massimo/Eva, shed light on how fraught the war must have felt when it was both in the vicinity yet at a remove.
Miller’s exploration of gender expression through our narrator is also worth examining. The book starts in the first person until the narrator reaches a breaking point and “becomes” Massimo, fully inhabiting this persona so much that it feels like he “believes” himself to be a fourteen-year-old boy from a rough life in Rome. At this point, the book shifts into third person, remaining this way even as Massimo transforms into Eva to escape press-ganging. Though I don’t believe we are meant to interpret these shifts as the narrator truly having a mental break, they are useful in illustrating how intensely some people had to conceal their identities to survive Nazi or fascist rule. I also enjoyed how accepting Pietro was of the genderfluidity of our narrator.
Without going into spoilers, I want to conclude by briefly looking at this book as a tragedy—for it has some of those elements. Dark shit happens near the end of this book. You want everyone to get out of it alive. You want a happy ending. And maybe Miller gives you one or maybe he doesn’t—that isn’t for me to say. But like any book about World War II, The Curse of Pietro Houdini is about resilience in the face of trauma, and Miller is quick to point out in his afterword that some of the worst events in this book did, in fact, happen. War is hell, and it is no wonder novelists continue to revisit some of our most famous wars so they can tinker with the environments that most test our humanity.
If, like me, you want “cozy” wartime books, The Curse of Pietro Houdini has something to offer. It’s humorous yet sometimes heavy, far-reaching yet incredibly intimate, lighthearted yet shading often into sombre. In other words, it is as much a rash of contradictions as its title character—as it should be.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
A fourteen-year-old narrowly escapes Rome as Italy finds itself occupied by German forces. The eponymous Pietro scoops up this child on his way to Montecassino, the first Benedictine abbey, where he plans to restore and perhaps rescue some priceless works of art before the Nazis or the Allies destroy them. The child claims the name Massimo and takes on the appearance of a boy and falls in with Pietro as his assistant. From here the kind of peculiar bond really only found in quirky stories like this develops as Pietro tries to keep Massimo safe while also preserving the artworks. Along the way, they kill some Nazis, get injured, go on the run, and more.
Miller shows himself an expert at interweaving fact and fiction in this historical novel. I didn’t know much about Monte Cassino (don’t know much about wartime Italy at all, to be honest), so it was fascinating learning about real-life people like Schlengel and Becker alongside Miller’s fictional creations like Pietro. I liked seeing things through the eyes of sympathetic yet non-Ally characters: their disdain for Americans and imperialists is enjoyable. Pietro criticizes the Americans, for example, for dispatching their “monuments men” in some cases yet blithely bombing irreplaceable landmarks like Montecassino in other cases. Similarly, the perspectives of civilians like Lucia and Dino, or Bella, or even Massimo/Eva, shed light on how fraught the war must have felt when it was both in the vicinity yet at a remove.
Miller’s exploration of gender expression through our narrator is also worth examining. The book starts in the first person until the narrator reaches a breaking point and “becomes” Massimo, fully inhabiting this persona so much that it feels like he “believes” himself to be a fourteen-year-old boy from a rough life in Rome. At this point, the book shifts into third person, remaining this way even as Massimo transforms into Eva to escape press-ganging. Though I don’t believe we are meant to interpret these shifts as the narrator truly having a mental break, they are useful in illustrating how intensely some people had to conceal their identities to survive Nazi or fascist rule. I also enjoyed how accepting Pietro was of the genderfluidity of our narrator.
Without going into spoilers, I want to conclude by briefly looking at this book as a tragedy—for it has some of those elements. Dark shit happens near the end of this book. You want everyone to get out of it alive. You want a happy ending. And maybe Miller gives you one or maybe he doesn’t—that isn’t for me to say. But like any book about World War II, The Curse of Pietro Houdini is about resilience in the face of trauma, and Miller is quick to point out in his afterword that some of the worst events in this book did, in fact, happen. War is hell, and it is no wonder novelists continue to revisit some of our most famous wars so they can tinker with the environments that most test our humanity.
If, like me, you want “cozy” wartime books, The Curse of Pietro Houdini has something to offer. It’s humorous yet sometimes heavy, far-reaching yet incredibly intimate, lighthearted yet shading often into sombre. In other words, it is as much a rash of contradictions as its title character—as it should be.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
June 14, 2024
Adored!!!
I have tons of notes I need to organize, but this was wonderful and tragic. There's no heavy romance, which is probably why it's not popular, but it's filled with so much beauty.
Full review soon
I have tons of notes I need to organize, but this was wonderful and tragic. There's no heavy romance, which is probably why it's not popular, but it's filled with so much beauty.
Full review soon
February 9, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this one.
This was a lot more philosophical musings and history facts than art heist (or art obfuscation? Art protection?). It wasn't what I was expecting, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
As a character, Pietro feels fully fledged and interesting. He has all the weird mannerisms of a tenured university professor and the burden of a secret. The unnamed main character.... Less so. I never figured out exactly the point of her having 3 personas. It didn't add to the story, in my opinion, and made it harder to understand because Italian is a gendered language and literally no one she encountered believes she was a boy when she was adopting her male "protective identity".
And if I had $1 for every time a teenage female character watched friends engage in sex acts through a peep hole, and then repeatedly return to the peep hole to watch, I'd have $2. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice.
I think it would have been a higher rating for me if perhaps our unnamed main character had a bit more refinement.
This was a lot more philosophical musings and history facts than art heist (or art obfuscation? Art protection?). It wasn't what I was expecting, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
As a character, Pietro feels fully fledged and interesting. He has all the weird mannerisms of a tenured university professor and the burden of a secret. The unnamed main character.... Less so. I never figured out exactly the point of her having 3 personas. It didn't add to the story, in my opinion, and made it harder to understand because Italian is a gendered language and literally no one she encountered believes she was a boy when she was adopting her male "protective identity".
And if I had $1 for every time a teenage female character watched friends engage in sex acts through a peep hole, and then repeatedly return to the peep hole to watch, I'd have $2. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice.
I think it would have been a higher rating for me if perhaps our unnamed main character had a bit more refinement.
February 7, 2024
I recommend this stunning book. It is beautifully written, and absolutely unique. It's setting is mainly Italy toward the end of WWII. Our protagonist is unnamed, but we get to know her two alter-egos as the book progresses. I've read some of the reviews that are critical, and am saddened for those readers who missed that she is a girl, and that the author uses first person narrative when she is speaking as herself, and third person when the story is being related about Massimo and Eva.
This is the very best of historical fiction, immersing the reader in a wartime zone, with fabulous art, heroism, and fierce loyalties and sacrifices.
This is the very best of historical fiction, immersing the reader in a wartime zone, with fabulous art, heroism, and fierce loyalties and sacrifices.
February 1, 2024
This novel will stay with me a long time. So beautiful and stark and sad and humorous. The whole novel was about incongruity, and the story was a flawless weaving together of good and evil--how they can exist simultaneously. Pietro ascended my list of favorite male literary characters, joining Alexander from a Gentleman in Moscow. They would have been good friends. I got a Hemmingway vibe from the novel, the imagery, the characters, the dialogue, and definitely from Pietro himself. Most mind-blowing was the lengths to which this story was pulled from the truth of history. Absolutely fascinating. After the acknowledgments, there was a QR code to access the art and other images from history which inspired the author.
February 8, 2024
Okay so I’m calling it because our protagonists just got in an accident and will apparently be convalescing for several months and I can’t hang on anymore. I’ve read a synopsis of the rest of the plot.
It sounds like this author has a unique and distinct style of storytelling, which I can respect, but it very much did not suit me. The plot was not the heart of this book. Events took forever to unfold, and most important information was relayed through Pietro talking, which got old quickly. Pietro never. Shuts. UP. Maybe the author’s intent behind this and the near-mute Massimo was “grief-stricken teen gloms onto Interesting Adult for sense of security/stability,” but it was just a slog to get through. The plot inches by in the most roundabout way in the meantime, so it’s unsatisfying to read. Some of the action scenes had a bit more juice, but odd diversions would take you out of the scene in a disjointed way. Philosophical meanderings peppered in made you feel you were being lectured by Pietro or Massimo. I was promised an exciting art heist and ragtag crew: if it’s in the second half of the book, sorry I didn’t stick around for it.
People may bring up that this explores gender identity, but to be clear I don’t think it does: it’s really more a disguise for the character. (Though full disclosure, I am not trans.) Eva/Massimo presents/pronouns as fem or masc throughout the book for reasons of self-protection, not reasons of personal identity. It’s made clear that Massimo is a character to try out and make up as safety demands, not as an identity that has been there all along, waiting to be fully expressed. I would love to hear the opinions of trans individuals, especially since all experiences are different, but what I read does not strike me as similar to the experiences my trans friends have shared with me.
I really, REALLY need publishers to STOP designing these STUNNING layered art covers with kickass premises if the book inside is going to be underwhelming. (Burned by this and the God of Endings, in my case.)
It sounds like this author has a unique and distinct style of storytelling, which I can respect, but it very much did not suit me. The plot was not the heart of this book. Events took forever to unfold, and most important information was relayed through Pietro talking, which got old quickly. Pietro never. Shuts. UP. Maybe the author’s intent behind this and the near-mute Massimo was “grief-stricken teen gloms onto Interesting Adult for sense of security/stability,” but it was just a slog to get through. The plot inches by in the most roundabout way in the meantime, so it’s unsatisfying to read. Some of the action scenes had a bit more juice, but odd diversions would take you out of the scene in a disjointed way. Philosophical meanderings peppered in made you feel you were being lectured by Pietro or Massimo. I was promised an exciting art heist and ragtag crew: if it’s in the second half of the book, sorry I didn’t stick around for it.
People may bring up that this explores gender identity, but to be clear I don’t think it does: it’s really more a disguise for the character. (Though full disclosure, I am not trans.) Eva/Massimo presents/pronouns as fem or masc throughout the book for reasons of self-protection, not reasons of personal identity. It’s made clear that Massimo is a character to try out and make up as safety demands, not as an identity that has been there all along, waiting to be fully expressed. I would love to hear the opinions of trans individuals, especially since all experiences are different, but what I read does not strike me as similar to the experiences my trans friends have shared with me.
I really, REALLY need publishers to STOP designing these STUNNING layered art covers with kickass premises if the book inside is going to be underwhelming. (Burned by this and the God of Endings, in my case.)
February 18, 2024
4.5 Stars.
This book was part World History, part Art History with a beautifully woven tale of found-family. Miller writes some very vivid passages of the horrors of war that absolutely gut the reader.
This book was part World History, part Art History with a beautifully woven tale of found-family. Miller writes some very vivid passages of the horrors of war that absolutely gut the reader.
October 8, 2024
Felt like this one never really figured out what it wanted to be.
March 28, 2024
It's often weird to me the way some books get billed. For instance, this one is billed as an "art heist" in the midst of WWII and during the bombing of the Abbey at Montecassino. To me, the art heist label makes it seem much less serious than it actually is. This is not a fun caper. This gets very dark very fast.
It follows the unnamed protagonist from Rome, where she loses her family to the bombs and where she gets saved by Pietro Houdini and becomes Massimo (for reasons that are clear to girls/women in war zones). Together they travel to the Abbey where Pietro's job is to restore great works of art. Of course, the town is occupied by Nazis and Pietro realizes immediately that they will loot the great works in the Abbey. Thus a plan is hatched to save some Renaissance paintings. But in doing so, this story grows and becomes so much more: it's about survival and what you're willing to do for it. It's about how there are no "good" soldiers/people in occupied lands--they all end up doing horrific things from the Nazis to the Italians to the Allied Moroccans to the Allies themselves.
Eventually Massimo must become Ava (still not her true name), joining a ragtag bunch (including and amazing donkey named Ferrari) fleeing the bombs and trying to find any safe place--another impossibility in war. Ava, after more harrowing experiences, must figure out how to save herself and the paintings and see if there's a worthwhile future for her.
At times, the narrative feels oddly detached from all the horrors it presents. We get to know this group but then violence comes and we move on. Perhaps this reflects war itself--no time to grieve, no time to plan or act. Only reaction and numbness. But it still felt like something missing in those moments, like it was for shock value and not much else. The journey felt worth it overall, and some things get tied up while others are left unknown, as is so often the case. Still, this is not really a heist and it's a shame that's the dominant descriptor of this book.
It follows the unnamed protagonist from Rome, where she loses her family to the bombs and where she gets saved by Pietro Houdini and becomes Massimo (for reasons that are clear to girls/women in war zones). Together they travel to the Abbey where Pietro's job is to restore great works of art. Of course, the town is occupied by Nazis and Pietro realizes immediately that they will loot the great works in the Abbey. Thus a plan is hatched to save some Renaissance paintings. But in doing so, this story grows and becomes so much more: it's about survival and what you're willing to do for it. It's about how there are no "good" soldiers/people in occupied lands--they all end up doing horrific things from the Nazis to the Italians to the Allied Moroccans to the Allies themselves.
Eventually Massimo must become Ava (still not her true name), joining a ragtag bunch (including and amazing donkey named Ferrari) fleeing the bombs and trying to find any safe place--another impossibility in war. Ava, after more harrowing experiences, must figure out how to save herself and the paintings and see if there's a worthwhile future for her.
At times, the narrative feels oddly detached from all the horrors it presents. We get to know this group but then violence comes and we move on. Perhaps this reflects war itself--no time to grieve, no time to plan or act. Only reaction and numbness. But it still felt like something missing in those moments, like it was for shock value and not much else. The journey felt worth it overall, and some things get tied up while others are left unknown, as is so often the case. Still, this is not really a heist and it's a shame that's the dominant descriptor of this book.
November 14, 2025
(4.5) This is a coming-of-age historical fiction tale that takes place in Italy during WWII, tackling themes of war, survival, devotion, rebellion, art, love, loss, philosophy, found family, finding beauty during the worst of times, becoming the person you need to be in the moment, and knowing when to let go to become someone new. It is beautifully complex, and deeply relatable to our current times.
I have not read WWII historical fiction based in Italy before, so I enjoyed seeing another country's experience during the war. I was deeply invested in the main character, but invested just as much in the supporting characters- Miller develops his characters so well where you love them all, even a limping mule named Ferrari. His writing knocked my socks off at moments of deep introspection and enlightenment.
I highly recommend the audiobook version if you want to hear someone pronounce all the Italian and German text.
I have not read WWII historical fiction based in Italy before, so I enjoyed seeing another country's experience during the war. I was deeply invested in the main character, but invested just as much in the supporting characters- Miller develops his characters so well where you love them all, even a limping mule named Ferrari. His writing knocked my socks off at moments of deep introspection and enlightenment.
I highly recommend the audiobook version if you want to hear someone pronounce all the Italian and German text.
February 25, 2024
I’ve liked this author’s writing, and this story did not disappoint. It had everything I love in a novel; history, atmosphere, characters, coming of age, family, love, community, philosophy on life, humor, war, tons of heart and the writing that brings it all together. Others on GR do a better job of reviewing this wonderful book. Suffice it to say, it will go down as one of my all time favorites.
April 18, 2024
I just didn’t want this book to end. Fantastic writing, stellar character development, historical fiction all wrapped together. WWII in Italy. Nazis want to remove the art treasury housed in a monastery supposedly for safe keeping at the Vatican.
July 1, 2025
I loved an earlier book that Derek Miller wrote. I did not like this one as much. Part of it probably had to do with my greater interest in the Catskills Borscht belt than the life in an abbey. This is definitely a war book. Miller provides an intimate look at how WW II affected the people in Italy caught between the NAZIS and the Allies, and the effect of the war on the Italian countryside. The fate of people changes in mere seconds. Miller has a lot to say about the importance of art in conveying the feelings of people and sustaining civilization, but I am sure that I missed some of the lessons Miller imparts. I wish that more of Pietro’s words of wisdom were interspersed with more action. It was interesting to discover the secrets he was holding. I liked the perspective of the child in the book who has to grow up at much too early an age due to the war.
March 27, 2024
I'm amazed at the ways this book was able to rip my heart apart, glue it back together, and rip it apart over and over again. This is not a particularly happy story, but one that captivated me none the less.
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