The Walls of Lucca

Martellino series #1

by Steve Physioc

An award-winning tale of love, life and forgiveness in World War I Italy

“An absorbing, well-researched saga.” — Kirkus Reviews

“The Walls of Lucca is a tender, suspenseful and touching story sure to please fans of romance, political stories, and historical novels.” — BlueInk Review

GOLD MEDAL WINNER of the 2019 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contest (Fiction - Inspirational)

When Franco, a weary Italian soldier who’s seen some of the worst of World War I, stumbles onto the Martellino vineyard, he’s looking for work — not love. But he finds that and much more with Isabella, the feisty young woman who works there.

Franco pours himself into the vineyard, trying to create a wine that will save it from financial ruin and rescue him from his dark memories of war. But it’s not easy when Mussolini's evil shadow continues to loom over all of Italy. It’s even harder when Susanna, the vineyard’s matriarch, invites that shadow to the vineyard with her involvement in Fascist politics — and one very sinister political operative.

Influenced by the teachings of A Course In Miracles, The Walls of Lucca is historical fiction that shows readers the power of love and forgiveness in the face of evil. Compelling, colorful characters populate an authentic, inspiring story of friendship, faith, love and loss in a tumultuous time in European history.



Winner of the 2019 Reader Views Historical Fiction AwardWinner of the 2019 Tyler R. Tichelaar Award for Best Historical Fiction

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Romance, Italy, Book Club, Amazon

509 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 26, 2018

About the author

As an Emmy-winning radio and TV broadcaster for football, baseball and basketball, Steve Physioc has been telling stories for 40 years. After a trip to Italy with his wife, Stace, he was inspired to tell a different kind of story — his novels, The Walls of Lucca and Above the Walls. He and Stace live in Kansas City and love to visit and spend time with their children, Ryan and Kevin, and three grandchildren.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/21/2018)!💝

Blurb:
Can love be found in the ruins of war? Find out in this thrilling and inspirational story of hope, redemption and the power of forgiveness in a broken world.

An enchanting debut novel by Steve Physioc

As Italy tries to heal from the shocks of World War I, one young woman brings together a number of strangers from disparate sections of the struggling country’s society. Isabella Roselli has an inner strength that defies understanding and her mission will touch those still hurting from the scars of war and violence.

When the orphaned Isabella happens on the Martellino vineyard, she pulls in a widowed mother of four, a shell-shocked soldier, and an imperious matriarch. As these and other characters in the town of Lucca get to know Isabella, they are challenged to surrender their fears. Fascism is taking hold of the heart of Italy, and it is ensnaring all Italians in a web of brutality and dictatorship. Will Isabella’s unconditional love and strength be enough to break its hold? Find out in this compelling novel about love, hope, and the family we choose for ourselves.

[Beth Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband knows I read constantly, so he was asking me the other night why I've been raving about Steve Physioc's THE WALLS OF LUCCA. The best way to describe it, is... you know when you get a new album and usually it has one or two songs that are great while the rest are just so-so? But every once in a while you come across an album where every song is amazing, and you just want to keep making it louder as it plays. That is special and rare, and that is how I felt as I was reading THE WALLS OF LUCCA.

Typically a book has a protagonist and a villain, or series of counter-characters. Primary POV and secondary cast. In TWOL, I have deep affection (or disdain) for each and every character. From the love story between Isabella and Franco; to facing and accepting family duties in father and son, Bernardino and Benny; Isabella's lifelong friendship with Sister Anna; and the vineyard farmlands of Italy playing a backdrop character to war, politics, and family drama; I was hooked from the first page.

Each and every character in this ‘cast’ stays with me, moves me, makes me feel what they are feeling, even when I don't agree with them or root for them. Truly, great stuff. I’ll be curious to see what Mr. Physioc writes next…

[Paul DiBara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story, believable and sympathetic characters, spiritual and moral messages while not being preachy.

Book is written in such a way as to provide the reader with a sense of place (Tuscany Italy), political and social period (fascist Mussolini), and personal crises and relationships.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It could be viewed as a story of the spiritual journey of Isabella but that would be too narrow a view. While it does have a pronounced spiritual bent, it is something of a fictional historical and psychological study.

The only disappointment comes with the way the story concludes. It leaves too many loose threads, leaving the reader unsatisfied. We don't know how the main characters fare leading up to and during the years of WWII.

But I would recommend this to fans of historical fiction or those who are fascinated by the interplay of different personalities and motivations of characters.

[Wendy Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which has been gathering dust on my shelves for several years. When I finally read it I got a delightful surprise. It was beautifully written. The characters are colourful, some warm and others questionable. The story was dramatic but contained messages about class divisions.

[Judy Moe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with Italy's entry into WWI and the aftermath of that war. I have read little of WWI, being drawn more to WWII historical novels so it was interesting to see a bit of the Italian fight in this war. The army of Italy was guided by ineffective leadership which led to the uprising of Mussolini's full power as head of state. After the war, we are introduced to Isabella, an orphan primarily raised in a convent. Her strong belief in redemption and forgiveness touch many people throughout the book as Mussolini's fascist leadership brings much fear to nonfascists, many of which are the surviving soldiers. It was interesting to me as I visited Lucca while in Italy several years ago and could relate somewhat to the city and area. The ending was a disappointment to me as it was just there when I turned the page. I was not aware that another book was to follow this one when I began the read. The ending did not provide enough closure to me but it did provide a strong interest to read the next book, Above the Walls.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If possible, I would have rated this 3 1/2 stars; "rounding up" makes it 4 stars. The writing itself is quite good. There are a few editing errors, but not enough to seriously detract from the book. That said, at times the story line is a little thin. Some events don't really hang together, and there were several instances of things/happenings that seemed out of place time-wise. Additionally, the entire book is more than a little preachy. But, having been to Lucca a couple of times, it was fun to be able to envision the setting. (I've also been to Buca di Sant'Antonio; great restaurant!)

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a book for everyone

This book was a good story, but weighed heavily on the side of being a “Christian “ novel. The story was totaled based on the benefits of being strong believer in God, which I am not. The story, however, was fine and I had read it mostly to learn a bit about Lucca and the time period.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book has to do with my familiarity with Lucca and environs. I loved revisiting that lovely part of Tuscany in these pages, and I was impressed and intrigued by the author's wine-making descriptions. I was also interested in the Italy of this post WWI period, with which I am unfamiliar. The rise of Fascism seemed to resonate with me today. Physioc tells a good story, and I certainly found myself wanting to know what would happen to these characters living on a vineyard estate in those troubling times. However, as someone who is as close to atheisim as an agnostic can be, I found the overt Christian proselytizing throughout a turn-off. His main female character is an implausibly perfect Jesus-like figure, and I wanted to slap her silly at times. The author's "wall" theme was consistent through the book, although sometimes a little heavy-handed. The symbolic cement one constricting the heart of the vineyard owner's wife was especially heavy-handed, but I am thinking Physioc is waiting to let it crumble in his sequel. I think I'll imagine it, and just take away the lovely images of Tuscany and its winemaking he evoked in this first book, for which he gets three stars.

[Helena Bosnjak Boras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, Tuscany...Ah, Tuscany. I picked this book at random, and what a lovely surprise it turned out to be. I’m not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but this novel immediately draws you into the mesmerizing atmosphere of Tuscany. Although it is, at its core, a family drama, the story carries a quiet sense of hope even in the most challenging times.

The novel begins just before the First World War and ends in the 1930s, during the Fascist rule in Italy. History weighs heavily on the story and the characters, shaping their lives in ways that make them feel strikingly real. Politics constantly interferes with the lives of individuals who simply want to live, love, and find peace.

I’ve been to Tuscany with friends, but this book made me want to visit it all over again. It’s easy to see why this novel won its award — it’s atmospheric, emotional, and quietly powerful. Highly recommended!!

[Just another reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabella Rossellini, orphaned by fate, but affectionate by choice, is a lovely protagonist. The story revolves around the timeframe of Italy foraging into WWI. With fascism springing up, Isabella's belief in love and forgiveness touches the hearts of almost everyone she comes across. A heart-warming tale, instilling faith in humanity.
I loved reading this historical fiction work. The narration, depicting yesteryear Italy, was brilliant. The pace could have been better controlled, but that's a small price to pay for an otherwise awesome book.
My thanks to the promoter Amy Bruno, and the author Steve Physioc for gifting me a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Rizello · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took a bit for me to get into the book, but once I did, it kept my attention throughout.

I was drawn to the story because I have been to Lucca and found it to be an enchanting town. But what kept me reading was the storyline, as we followed several families as they navigate their way through the WWI era, and how it affected Italy. The characters were well-developed, and you learned about them to understand their motivations, actions, etc.

It looks like the book will lead to a sequel, which I look forward to reading.

[BookTrib.com]

Navigate through post-World War I Italy as Mussolini and Fascism loom over the peace and prosperity of the unassuming Martellino vineyard in THE WALLS OF LUCCA by Steve Physioc.

Read the full review on Booktrib.com

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. For as much as I have read about WWII, I know little about Mussolini and the chaos & stress he caused in Italy. I found myself completely engaged by the plot, caring greatly about the characters and holding my breath as the War progressed!

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read if you want to learn of facisim

This story involves a family of winemakers, both the owners of the vineyard and the workers who work for them. The chief character is isabella, who lives unconditionally no matter how many horrible things happen to her and her family. The writing is terrible, very amateur in tone, and the story drags on and on. The only reason for two stars versus one is because of the portrayal of the rise of facisim in Italy which was interesting from a historical perspective.

[Larry · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was very good but about halfway through it changed. The story became stilted, preachy and repetitive, it also became trite. The writing also seemed to become less professional and less believable. I will not be reading more books by this author.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much preaching!!!

There was simply far too much preaching, and repetitious preaching that totally turned me off. For me, it ruined the story. Will not be reading any more of his books.

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Megan Weiss for Reader Views (2/19)

Steve Physioc’s “The Walls of Lucca” is a beautifully written tale that takes place in in the years following the end of World War I, when Mussolini’s rhetoric is gaining vast support and fascism is spreading like wildfire. The novel’s protagonist is Isabella Roselli, a young woman raised in a convent who uses her skills as a cook and gardener to sow seeds of love in the lives she touches.

“The Walls of Lucca” is a compelling novel not only because of the detail and writing talent of the author, but because of the connections it has to present situations in the world today. The book falls well within the genre of historical fiction, but has mirrors to contemporary life, as well. The years between World War 1 and World War II saw a rise in those who wished to create a better world for the masses. Which masses, however, was dependent upon political belief. In post-war Italy, the lines were drawn between the fascists and socialists – those who wanted to safeguard the liberties and well-being of the landowners and more wealthy citizens and those who wanted to safeguard the liberties and well-being of all, especially the lower classes who had been so often ignored. We see a lot of this same thing today in our debates over immigration, conservative vs. liberal politics, the economy and how we tax our citizens, and more. We have extremists akin to Mussolini who are gaining momentum and followers at the expense of others. There are protests and marches.

As a historian-in-training I try not to think of history as “repeating itself,” but in a lot of ways we are seeing very similar scenes in our modern day lives as we did one hundred years ago during the years when “The Walls of Lucca” takes place. Physioc has written a novel that not only captures readers with its content, but which contributes to the current social and political debates in the world today. Not everyone who picks up the book will necessarily be able to relate personally to the things that happen to the characters, but they will be able to equate the scenes and events in the books to things currently taking place which are now being written into our history.

I encourage any reader, whether they are in high school or approaching their 100th birthday, to give this book a try if they are interested in world history, hoping to gain a little insight into how our history has shaped our present situations, or who may just be looking for their next great read. “The Walls of Lucca” by Steve Physioc definitely took me by surprise, and once picked up, became increasingly harder to put down.

[Ryan Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Walls of Lucca is set with a backdrop of the events of 1914 through 1930, with the first 20% or so of the book essentially reading like a war novel, with the remainder of the events of the book occurring during post-WWI Italy. Though the "walls" themselves are literal walls surrounding the city, the titular walls are symbolic in nature, representing the walls the characters place around themselves, with the main protagonist, Isabella, acting as an agent to tear down these walls.

Equal parts romance, history, spirituality, and political commentary, Walls is ripe with meaning to be captured by the reader. There are truly two parallel stories being told: the first being the spiritual quest undertaken by Franco, entering the war already jaded in a Hands Held High "When the rich wage war, its the poor who die" view point, only to be confirmed during his service, and returning with deep emotional trauma that he endeavors to work through the remainder of the book, dropping his "walls" along the way in his search for forgiveness and self-worth.

The parallel story is that of Susanna Martinello, the key antagonist of the novel, who also has walls set up among all of those around her. Written to be an unlikable character, Physioc, at various points in the story, foreshadows cracks and weakness in the walls she has built. The difference in the two characters being that Susanna is not actively trying to work through her demons, but who at least initially is so self-absorbed that she doesn't care about alienating her own family.

The author writes from a Christian point of view, and some reviewers have chided the amount of religion in the book, or chided it as being preachy. The is understandable given that even the name of the protagonist, Isabella, is given a name that loosely translates from its original latin "God is my oath." Isabella lives in a convent, but is a heathen who was abandoned as a child and is not a converted Christian; rather, the scriptures she quotes reinforce a spiritual position that is better described as buddhist in nature. And so while some could be forgiven for mistakenly seeing the book as advocating for Christianity, I see the author as advocating for non-denominational (including non-western) spirituality.

Finally, the remaining thesis throughout the story, which is an outgrowth on the thesis of spirituality, is that of the evils of fascism. Written in 2018, I can't help but wonder if the author was attempting to parallel Mussolini's (and the National Fascist Party's) rise in post-WWI Italy, with the MAGA movement, and even more so once the phrase "make Italy great again" was used late in the book. Regardless, it is clear that there is an intended lesson to be learned about the class warfare between landowners and workers in early 20th-century Italy, and the caustic political environment existing almost exactly 100 years later in 21st-century USA.

Overall, a captivating story with more depth than immediately meets the eye. Four stars.

[Carlos Mock · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Walls of Lucca (Kindle Edition) by Steve Physioc

WWI, war-torn Italy, the rise of Benito Mussolini - 1914 - 1930 - are the background on this love tale between an orphan woman raised at The Blessings Convent - Isabella (Bella) Roselli - and Franco Carollo a farmer turned wine master.

The book opens when Franco and his older brother, Benny are recruited to fight in WWI. Great Britain, France, and Russia - later joined by Italy, fight the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy (the Triple Alliance was only defensive in nature, allowing Italy to stay out of the war until April 1915, when it joined the Allied Powers after its relations with Austria-Hungary deteriorated).

The horrors of the conflict and the loss of his brother tear up Franco as he returns home, not knowing what to do. He gets work at the Martellino winery, owned by Giovanni Martellino. The winery has been in the Martellino family for several generations and it's situated in the outside of Lucca - a medieval walled city in Tuscany. There he meets Bella and is slowly turned by her innocence and her way of finding forgiveness and love. Nurturing his wounds in more ways than one, he falls for Bella. Franco is joined by his platoon sergeant, Antonio San Stefano, who lost an arm in the war and ends up working for the winery. Antonio attaches himself to the Venero family - Angelina, a widow, and her children: Bartolo, Rosa, Elena, and Eloise - all workers at the winery.

Politics are everything and the rise of Mussolini's power permeates throughout the book. Susana Martellino - a fascist sympathizer - is frustrated with her life, she resents her sister, Margherita - a socialist - who married a wealthy banker. She resents her husband for liking his workers and not having enough ambition to be a wealthy man. She ends up having an affair with Alfredo Obizzi, a fascist wanna be, and who fathers her second child.

The novel is a fight of good vs evil, love vs hate, and revenge vs forgiveness.

Narrated from the third person point of view of the many principal characters, the book is a slow read. Points of view change without any warnings, the book is full of spelling and important mistakes - like on page 59, Chapter 7, The Isonzo alley has the date of 2016, when it clearly should have been 1916.

I found Bella's sermons boring, and I couldn't wait for the "preaching" to end. The characters were simple and boring, I never identified or cared for any of them. The plot was linear and predictable. I found myself skipping, just to finish the book.

I would not recommend the series.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like it when a book is set in a place I've been so I can picture the environs! The author is a play-by-play announcer for the Kansas City Royals, for heaven's sake (and we're fans) so I didn't expect much, but it's a really good book. The story takes place during and just after WWI. I like the author's sense of political history. Even though he never comes out and says it, the comparisons drawn between Mussolini and Trump are rather clear. E.g., “Why won’t Mussolini condemn the violence?” Giovanni asked. “Because they’re his base. Alienate them, and he’ll lose their support.” “The Fascists don’t care about truth, Alfredo—only perception. Your great Mussolini has been screaming to the masses about the importance of ethics and family while he gallivants around the country with other women.” "I’m always concerned when corporations do so well while workers struggle.” “Two years ago they told us what we wanted to hear so they could gain power. Now that they have power, they’ve gone back on all of their promises.” "It was a time in Italy during which an accusation held almost as much power as the truth." "Mussolini had always told Italians he was a man of the common people—one of them, a man of hope and determination. But now he had done what all the other leaders had done in the past. He had done nothing for the poor or middle class. He followed the money and made agreements with the most powerful corporations in Italy. Mussolini’s parliament had created the National Council of Corporations: twenty-two of Italy’s most influential companies representing agriculture, industry, and God knows what else. Franco knew the Fascist laws were probably designed to make sure those corporations would prosper." "“Two years ago they told us what we wanted to hear so they could gain power. Now that they have power, they’ve gone back on all of their promises.”

I also really liked the author's theology. His protagonist Isabella is all about inner peace and forgiveness. She says things like: "We’re here on earth to simply learn how to forgive and help each other.” “There are no limits to the blessings we’ll receive when we seek to help others.” “Every day it’s my job to show the world who created me by being truly helpful.” “But how do we stop the bad men?” “By being vigilant with our kindness. Each one of us has the power to help heal this world, but it will take great determination and faith to make it happen.”

Good story and enjoyable reading. And there's a sequel!

[Subhajit Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Walls of Lucca by Steve Physioc

Blurb- Can love be found in the ruins of war? Find out in this thrilling and inspirational story of hope, redemption and the power of forgiveness in a broken world.

An enchanting debut novel by Steve Physioc

As Italy tries to heal from the shocks of World War I, one young woman brings together a number of strangers from disparate sections of the struggling country’s society. Isabella Roselli has an inner strength that defies understanding and her mission will touch those still hurting from the scars of war and violence.

When the orphaned Isabella happens on the Martellino vineyard, she pulls in a widowed mother of four, a shell-shocked soldier, and an imperious matriarch. As these and other characters in the town of Lucca get to know Isabella, they are challenged to surrender their fears. Fascism is taking hold of the heart of Italy, and it is ensnaring all Italians in a web of brutality and dictatorship. Will Isabella’s unconditional love and strength be enough to break its hold? Find out in this compelling novel about love, hope, and the family we choose for ourselves.

The front cover is beautiful. The title is appropriate. The Blurb is highlighting the gist of the book, this will help the reader top go for this book for sure. The plot is captivating and touching. An in-depth read overall completely. The portrayal of the phases are perfectly presented in front of the readers. I was engrossed with the book till the end. Enjoyed it fully. Highly recommending. Thank you.

[Dean McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Walls of Lucca by Steve Physioc is set in the period from the beginning of World War I to the rise of Mussolini and Italian Fascism. I've read more of the WWII era so I enjoyed being exposed to the history, culture, conflicts, suffering, and politics of this period. The characters are strong, well-developed, and memorable. Isabella is orphaned and comes to live in a convent. Despite the strong Catholic surroundings, she shows a love and affinity for creation, agriculture, cooking, and serving and caring for others, and develops a faith and religion far different from that of orthodox Christianity, with a personal doctrine of offering forgiveness and unconditional love to those who have suffered from war, poverty, death, injustice, and corrupt and evil political systems and leaders. Isabella is at the center of other characters that includes the owner of a growing and improving vineyard, a shell-shocked soldier suffering from the horrors of war and the death of a beloved brother and other compatriots, the family of a widowed mother of four who continues to work on the vineyard following the death of her husband in the war, and the vineyard owner's wife, an imperious matriarch and sympathizer with Mussolini, Fascism, and a power-hungry politician who doesn't hesitate to use brutality, rape, beatings, theft, and political power. With all the political, social, and historical references in the novel, in the end it is a story of love, hope, forgiveness, inner strength, and family. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, Above the Walls. Five out of five stars.

[Glen Chern · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not much for reading nonfiction anymore, but this was one novel that I had trouble putting down after reading. I just wanted to continue reading until it was done. Author Steve Physioc provides the reader with a compelling narrative containing some remarkable and intriguing characters. The main character is Isabella, who is an orphan delivered to a convent of remarkable nuns who raised her from the time she was 12 years old. Isabella is an amazing and intriguing character, whose love of life and belief in God carry her through her every day of life.

There are other wonderful characters in this novel, including Franco, a war veteran of World War I, whose life was dramatically changed because of his experiences. Antonio, who was his sergeant in the Italian army, comes back his life and brings happiness and joy wherever he goes. Giovanni, the landowner of the vineyard with Franco and Isabella work along with Antonio and Angelina and her children, sees through hardship because of Isabella‘s examples. Susanna, Giovanni‘s wife, is a complex character who is deeply consumed with jealousy and hatred, and yet she eventually gives in to Isabella’s lesson of life and love and forgiveness.

I strongly recommend this book and hope that those who read it will have enjoyed it as much as I did.

[Joan Maten · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with many other historical fictions, The Walls of Lucca revealed a small slice of history that I haven’t had the privilege of reading before. It covers the political environment of Italy from WWI through the Great Depression. The story is told through the experiences of a local vineyard landowner and his employees. The family is politically split as the wife supports Fascism and Mussolini while the husband tends towards a more socialistic stand with his employees. The reader will travel through the horrors of war in Italy and then through the advancement of the new regime.

What makes this story unique is the way it is told. We never really see Mussolini in the tale. Only his effects upon the communities, farmers, and common people of the villages. It is a story of how good can prevail when fear and repression is the theme of the day.

The spirituality of Isabella was the most fascinating aspect of this novel. Her concepts of God were interesting. The idea that there is no sin and therefore no guilt is not necessarily in line with Catholic upbringing. I found her outlook refreshing from all the guilt loving Christians in our world. But their was more ideology in this book than necessary.

[Jill Miclean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been to Lucca so I was excited to read a story in that setting. Unfortunately, what I got was a long, overly detailed lesson in the rise of Fascism in Italy. Isabella's character was interesting in that she was raised by nuns but she also has some very questionable ideas on theology. Not sure if the author was trying to make Isabella into what he thinks a Christian should be, or just doesn't know his bible well enough.

I had a hard time getting into this book and liking the characters. They were all so naive on one hand. I skimmed some of the middle chapters because of the repetitiveness and was annoyed at the ending. Forgiveness is a wonderful message but it's hard to like the book when those we are being asked to forgive have no redeeming qualities whatsoever and are never held accountable for their actions. I guess that's the authors point but, IMO, seeing justice served makes for a much better story.

[Jan Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poignant and potent novel written in varying perspectives from landowner to land worker in 1920s Italy during the rise of Mussolini and fascism. The story takes us from the trenches of World War I to the vineyards of Tuscany where Socialism and Fascism strive to get a hold in the countryside. Meanwhile, the focus is on the grapes and the olives, the hard labor it takes to make a good bottle of wine excellent, and this keeps the characters together despite their differences—the love for what they are creating.

Like the grape vines and olive groves they tend, the families are still at the mercy of the weather, the trauma of the past and the uncertain future. Well written and well researched, the plot is riveting. If you have a love of Tuscany, I highly recommend this novel, but I also highly recommend this novel to all lovers of historical fiction.

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story that evokes the beauty of Tuscany, the hard work of the farmer, and the political instability of the early 20th century. Bella is a gem of a character, inspiring the reader to look deeply at his own outlook on life and happiness. The "supporting" characters are complex, flawed, and inspiring in turn. They bring the complexities of the political confusion of the time to the story without long-winded explanations.

Physioc deftly manages dialog, capturing the lighthearted feel of large Italian family gatherings beautifully. Each of his characters speaks for himself, and the voices are consistent and well-done.

I grabbed this book on a "free" day through Amazon, and will soon go buy the sequel just to see what happens with the characters. The initial story stands alone, though, for those who want to read only one.

[Diane Cressy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book!! So much so I can hardly wait to read the sequel. We visited Italy about 5 years ago and toured Tuscany and Pisa. We were so close to Lucca it pains me that we didn't have this amazing town on our itinerary. I won't miss it on our next trip! The author makes Lucca come alive. I want so much to stroll on that wall!
The story captivated me after the war. I know that the war was a fundamental part of the storyline and the character of Franco and others but it was my least favorite part. Isabella is my favorite character and what an amazing character she is. I love her spirituality and long to have her perspective. It's a wonderful story and I cannot believe it's a first novel as it is so incredibly good. I highly recommend this and now I'm off to read the sequel. I hope it lives up to my expectations!

[Doug Menchhofer · Rating 1 out of 5]

More style than substance

While the premise of the story has ample roots in an important time and place in history, as well as a setting that has been used many times in the past as the basis for enchanting storytelling, this novel was disappointingly flat. Relatively petty conflicts between the everyday characters are repetitiously unpacked, with scant attention given to the monumental conflicts affecting entire societies portrayed mostly in the background. The underlying theme comes across as a confused mixture of ambiguous religious doctrine and new age power of positive thinking. Perhaps it was simply bad timing to have read this on the heels of some excellent works by Isabel Allende and Anthony Marra; in any event the substance that one might hope for remained lacking from start to finish.

[Arne Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished one of the best novels I have read for a long time. "The Walls of Lucca" is a captivating romance novel set in Northern Italy before, during and after the 1st World War. Normally I am drawn to the constant action of espionage/thrillers, but this book held my attention from the beginning to the end. Without giving any spoilers, I thoroughly enjoyed the character development of Isabella, Franco and the entire Martellini family as they struggled to keep the family vineyard together through the turmoil of the early 20th century. Through the detailed history of this story, I learned more about Italy's involvement in the "war to end all wars" than I had through my entire formal education. Steve Physioc has created a wonderful story and an imaginative framework that will serve to continue the saga in future novels. Great job!