Within the Walled City

by Virginia Evans

Lily Dunn died seventeen years ago, and the small family that she left behind has buried her memory along with their pain. When her twenty-six-year-old daughter Jillian leaves for a semester in Siena, Italy to complete her Master’s in Art History, she comes upon an unexpected treasure: Lily’s handwritten journal, from a time when she too lived in Siena.

Jillian’s months in Siena are marked by eccentric people, stunning scenery, a trove of exquisite art, and most of all, the enthralling and painful discovery of a mother she never knew and a world of secrets she can’t unlearn. The shadows of the past, the memories of an artist, will either crush or unfold her within the walled city.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2015

Reviews

[Kate Templeton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written by a dear friend of mine and I'm so proud. Great narrative, character development and detailed descriptions of Siena. A wonderful debut novel from a talented writer.

[Morgan Stallings · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

One of the best I’ve read in a while! I fell in love with the characters and Italy too. Can’t wait for more Virginia Evans novels.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Italy Oh Italy!

Wonderful read that takes place in Siena, IT. Good story line, rich, vibrant characters and great descriptions of Siena and her people.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐ I really enjoyed the premise of this book and was excited to learn the true story of Jill's mother, Lily, who had passed away when Jill was young! There were times that this book was painstakingly slow and gave very few clues into Lily's life and so the plot often dragged!

I was fascinated to learn about the city of Siena in quite great detail and some overviews of other Italian cities! Visiting Italy sounds very romantic and a wealth of history, architecture, art, food and culture to explore! I would love to go there someday!

By the end of the story, I had pretty much guessed what was going to be revealed, although there were a few surprises! I was definitely wanting more as I read the ending, which can be what the author wants you to feel. Will Virginia Evans leave us to figure out the rest of the story for ourselves? Or will there be a sequel?

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. What a difference a decade makes.. I read the recently published book “The Correspondent” and absolutely loved it. So I thought I would pick up her earlier novel which was written ten years ago. A totally different voice. Much less sophisticated than The Correspondent.

[Sarah Seamans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit slow - liked the ending when all tied together. Liked the description of Siena. Parts were a page turner and other parts not so much.