De verliefde soldaat

by Nicholas Rinaldi, Paul Syrier (Translator)

1942. Rocco Raven, een automonteur uit Brooklyn, arriveert als officier van een klein peloton Amerikaanse militairen op Malta. Hij weet niets van het mediterrane eilandje, behalve dat het dag en nacht wordt gebombardeerd door Duitsers en Italianen. Meteen na aankomst moet hij al rennen voor zijn leven en het enige wat hij ziet is rook, bominslagen en bergen puin. Maar niets is wat het lijkt op Malta. Rocco's onderkomen blijkt zich in een bordeel te bevinden, zijn commandant is een ritselaar die voordeel weet te putten uit de oorlogssituatie, en de Maltezers zelf leven door alsof er geen oorlog is. Ze dansen, drinken, lachen en bedrijven de liefde. Rocco is pas enkele dagen op het eiland als hun hoofdkwartier wordt gebombardeerd. Compleet verdwaasd doolt hij door de straten tot hij een vrouw door de puinhopen ziet lopen. Ondanks de gevaren bloeit er tussen de twee een gepassioneerde liefde op. Maar kan hun liefde de ellende overleven?

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, War, Novels

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Nicholas Rinaldi was a poet and novelist of three novels. His poems and fiction have won numerous awards, and he was recently honored as the 2007 Artist of the Year by the Fairfield Arts Council. Rinaldi earned a doctorate degree from Fordham University and taught courses in literature and creative writing at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Reviews

[Veronique · Rating 1 out of 5]

After so many attempts I DNFed this book. I couldn't get any further than 80 pages.. the writing style was so boring, the characters fell flat to me and I cant even talk about a plot because it was so boring that I did not even get to read the plot...

This is such a slow book and I'm not in the mood for it like at all. Maybe it is too soon to say anything about this book but every page was a torment for me and I'd rather read another book which would interest me more.. so unfortunately this book is a no to me!

Happy reading 📚

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book description gives a very detailed plot summary, so not point trying that in the review. This was a readable book, set on the war-torn island of Malta in the midst of World War II. It is not a heavily war oriented book, more a background to an isolation romance for the American radio operator. There are details from the flyboys he mixes with, there is enough depth to the descriptions of the planes, the details of war, and enough overview of the war in north Africa, but ultimately it the story of a handful of people in Malta, and how they survive, or don't survive.
Enjoyable characters, nicely written, but a fairly abrupt ending for a book 460 pages long - almost as if the middle of the story was padded out at the expense of the abrupt end.
Not really my usual reading matter - war fiction, but ok for a once in a while selection.
Three stars and a bit, but not four.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written novel is about two young people who find each other during the bombing of Malta during the war. The jukeboxes form a minor subplot but make for a catchy title.

The absurdity of war is nicely showcased, along with its randomness...but also interesting is how various people adapted to living under bombardment, and how acceptable the situation was to them in spite of how much they wished it was over. Life went on, at least for some of them.

The author does a very effective job of invoking sadness at one point.

For those of you who might like a quote puncturing the inflated importance of literature, I give you this:

"When the toilet paper ran out, the classics became instantly popular and, in a rush, the bookstores sold titles that had languished on the shelves for years."

[Sylvia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finally decided after reading to page 120 that this book was not going to interest me anymore. Since I will be traveling to Malta, I was hoping that a historical novel would be a fun way to get a feel of the area. It was disappointing. The entire plot seems to have 3 main focal areas: the erratic, erotic, and the eccentric. The bombing was constant, yet erratic. This most likely was true. The continual concentration on brothels and sex was, I thought, an insult to the real hero’s of Malta. The eccentricity of the officers of the allies was overdone. I skipped further into the book and saw that further reading was not really necessary. Too bad. I am sure there are/were many interesting plots that could have been explored. The reviews said, “beguiling”, “hilarious”, “magical”. I think that those words must mean something else to me. The people of Malta deserved the medals they received in real life, but I don’t think they spent their days in bed or selling off national treasures.

[Greta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicholas Rinaldi writes a sweet, sour and sad love story on the island of Malta during WWII. The descriptions of the people of Malta, residents and visitors are colorful, the bombing brutal, the suffering sharp, the resiliency of all concerned is amazing. The strategic importance of Malta becomes an all too familiar nightmare for the people, places & things of Malta.

[Nancy H · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel gives an up-close and personal look at war time in Malta, during World War II. There are many unique characters, and the two main characters evoke empathy and much sympathy for what they have to go through just to stay alive day by day. For those who like world War II war-time stories, this one is for you.

[Margaret Zammit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being Maltese myself and the daughter of a father who has experienced wartime Malta first hand as a young man, this book immediately caught my attention. Though based on a fictitious story-line, the novel is very true to history and to the geography of the Maltese islands. The social life described in the novel is an intricate web of interactions between islanders and English and American servicemen who, though coming from vastly different backgrounds, come to share the same experiences of wartime island life.... the scarcity of almost all commodities, the fatigue, the hunger and indeed the humor. The streets mentioned still exist and walking through them now after having read this book takes me back 80 years to the time when the same streets were bombed out. Through my father's accounts of wartime, I can almost feel what it was like being Rocco and Melita at that time. I highly recommend this book for a good read and especially for anyone who has an affinity to wartime stories.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book until the very end. So I really give it just 2.5 stars. I found myself wondering when the tale derailed - I'm still not sure when the novel morphed into a sort of fantasy. I did enjoy reading about World War II Malta. I personally believe Malta is one of the best-kept secrets in the Mediterranean. I wish more Americans knew about it and would come visit; they'd surely fall in love with the island. The people are amazingly resilient and the island is gorgeous!

The book, on the other hand, was just okay as far as I'm concerned. The story was a good one, but I found the writing awkward at some points and just too fantastical at others.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this book on a trip to malta to find my heritage. around noon, when the sun (and, consequently, the streets made of stairs) became unbearable, i'd retire to my room or the gardens to read this book for a different kind of history.

An absolutely beautiful story of love, war and everything that happens in between.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this book. The writing was very slow, and most of the characters were caricatures. Although the two main characters were more realistic, I didn't warm to them and I wasn't interested in their fate.

The historical aspects of Malta during the war were interesting, but didn't overcome the boring people.

[Donna Jo Atwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was compared to Catch-22. In that it is about the absurdities and randomness of war and set during World War II, I suppose so. I felt the tone of the book was a little remote from the characters. I also felt the ending was pretty abrupt.

[Anke Doms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het is een heel knap boek. Wanneer de verhaallijn wat stil valt raak je niet meteen verveelt, want het verhaal blijft leuk om lezen door de manier waarop al Rocco's gekke gedachten worden neergeschreven. Ook heb ik een mooi beeld kunnen schetsen van WO2 in Malta en op andere plaatsen.

[Hannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het boek viel mij iets tegen. Ik had er meer van verwacht gezien de achterflap. Een pluspunt vind ik de invalshoek. Die is anders dan andere oorlogsboeken. Ook speelt het zich op Malta af. Ik heb volgens mij nog niet eerder een oorlogsverhaal gelezen dat zich daar afspeelt. Malta wordt flink gebombardeerd door zowel de Duitsers en Italianen, zodat de Maltezers zich overgeven, maar dat doen ze niet. Ze blijven de Britten steunen, ondanks dat er dagelijks bombardementen zijn en er overal een te kort aan is (eten, benzine, kleding en schoenen, elektriciteit, enz.) Rocco is een Amerikaanse soldaat die daar geplaatst wordt om radioberichten te beluisteren en te sturen. Al snel ontmoet hij Melita en gaan ze samenwonen. Normaal zouden ze dat niet gedaan hebben, maar door de oorlog besluiten ze het toch te doen. Ondanks dat dat in strijd is met Melita’s geloof (katholiek). Maar elke dag kan je laatste zijn, dus moet je er van maken wat je kunt. Het leven op Malta is chaotisch en ook in het leger verloopt niets gepland. Fingerly heeft de leiding, maar het wordt niet echt duidelijk wat hij doet. Dan is hij zo ineens een paar dagen weg om weer op te duiken met allerlei spullen (sigaretten, condooms, kunstvoorwerpen, eten of drank, enz.). Ook woont Rocco eerst in een bordeel. Als dat gebombardeerd wordt, woont hij kort in een schuilkelder. Ondanks de oorlog zijn er nog wel wat cafés open. Een eigenaar heeft een regeling met de Italianen, waardoor hij vaak wel eten en drank heeft. Ondertussen bouwt Melita’s neef Zammit jukeboxen van restmateriaal en doet zij de reparaties. Via Gibraltar kunnen ze aan platen komen. Ondanks dat er niet altijd elektriciteit is, houden de mensen van de muziek en zijn Zammits jukeboxen populair. Een leuke verhaallijn is die van Tony Zebra, een piloot die meer door toeval dan door wijsheid allerlei Duitse en Italiaanse vliegtuigen neerhaalt. Hij houdt het er het langste vol van alle piloten en wordt steeds weer bevorderd, terwijl hij alleen maar van het eiland af wil. Maar omdat de meeste piloten vrij snel zelf doodgaan doordat hun vliegtuig geraakt wordt en hij elke keer weer te overleven, wil het leger hem niet kwijt. Ondanks alle positieve punten, vond ik het verhaal iets te langdradig. Ook paste het niet echt bij mijn stemming. Ik las het boek tijdens mijn vakantie in Griekenland en de sfeer van de oorlog paste niet echt bij een zomerse vakantie. Dus wellicht had ik het boek op een ander moment moeten lezen. Ik kwam het boek echter tegen in een minibieb van mijn hotel en ik had gehoopt het uit te kunnen lezen tijdens mijn vakantie, zodat ik het boek daar weer achter had kunnen lezen. Dat is mij niet gelukt. Nu heb ik wel twee van mijn eigen boeken die ik mee had daar achtergelaten nadat ik ze uit had, dus dan kon ik deze ook wel meenemen naar huis.

[Hina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whew, I am finally, D-O-N-E with this book! It wasn't particularly long, it just wasn't all that interesting, so I've been loathe to read it (in case you're wondering why it took over a month). So far I'm been 0-for-3 in terms of the secondhand books I bought..... last year??

This is a story about an American guy, Rocco Raven, who gets shipped to Malta to support the war efforts (the story is set in the 1940s and talks about Hitler and Mussolini, so it must be WWII) as a code reader. And then he conveniently, magically sees a woman, Melita, follows her to wherever she's going, and they end up becoming lovers and then living together for the entire eight months that he's on the island. Yes, this is a work of fiction, but it's still packaged too neatly and the ending isn't wholly unexpected either.

I mean, it was interesting to read about everyday life and hardships during a war and also about Zammit, Melita's cousin, who is a genius at imagining and constructing jukeboxes using found objects. The title made me believe that this would be an interesting book, but there is only a passing reference (if even that) to Melita being referred to as the jukebox queen because she is very skilled at repairing jukeboxes.

Don't make the same mistake I did!

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was mentioned in the author's obituary in the New York Times. The title was a bit unusual and since I knew nothing about the aerial bombardment of Malta during WWII I thought to read it. I am glad I did. Mr. Rinaldi has written a war story, old-fashioned love story and a description of an island and its people life under siege. The book is entertaining and well written. The characters grow in the course of the 9 months Mt. Rinaldi writes. The ending is probably the best plotted and written piece of the novel. It reminds one of the uncertainty of life.

[Carolyn Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but was confused by it. Overtones of Catch 22 got lost in the romance (at least for me) and I wanted more from the ending/wrap-up.

[Rita]

Flutboek.

[Sonja]

DNF

[Dean Severson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice story - nothing special but probably a good vacation read.

[Annette Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting insight into life in Malta during WW2, a nice love story, some exciting war time escapades and some funny anecdotes.

[Cathi Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meh. Another meh book but…it takes place entirely on Malta (a place I’ve been to) and the author captured it perfectly.

[Wif Stenger · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars ... vivid, deeply researched depiction of life on Malta during the WW2 bombings, but hardly any plot or character development

[Jinjer]

1942...Malta...a tumultuous love affair? No thinaks.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

First let me start by saying that my rating is no way an indication of the quality of the writing, the storyline or the novel as a whole. It is purely a reflection of my personal preferences. The book was written well, the storyline was interesting and I enjoyed the characters thoroughly. Having said that, this just isn't my kind of book. I like novels based on historical events and am frequently intrigued by how the author intertwines the characters into the events that occur. I had a hard time finishing the book, but did so because I felt engaged by the characters and their internal turmoil. My main problem was the overly specific war/fighting details. Don't get me wrong, I like a good plane fight, but the battles became lists of planes, specifications and general lingo were overdone. Admittedly, I am historically ignorant, but I think only a true historical fanatic or a real pilot could understand and follow it all. Frankly, I think it was simply too much. Which brings me to my point, or rather, my observation. Not every book is going to please everyone and that is what I feel the author tried to do on some level. It is a story about the war; the circumstances, the battles, and the progression. It is also a love story; the circumstances, the affects of the war, the time period, and the outcome. Some people will be attracted to the book for the war aspect, whereas, others will be attracted to the romance aspect. Unfortunately, while focusing on either one, the other becomes distracting and often tedious to get through. That is not to say there are not people who would appreciate both sides, but the two aspects are so far apart in detail that I feel the gap is too wide. However; if there is a romantic pilot/aviator out there with a passion for historical battles, then this book is perfect for them.

[MJ Julian · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one, sadly, was a DNF for me. As a fan of historical fiction, I wanted badly to like this book. Some gems kept me going at first. The wry sarcasm in some of the narrator’s descriptions toward the beginning made me want to follow the main character along, and for a little while, a sense of suspense made me keep turning pages, too.

I can’t pinpoint exactly where things went wrong, but the interest that initially had me staying up late to read it started to wane. I like a slow read, so the pacing wasn’t a problem. The content itself began to get boring, and more time went by between readings, eventually to the point that I set it aside in a pile of books on a side table and forgot I was reading it. That rarely happens with me.

Hoping there was just a slow section, when I rediscovered the book, I backtracked and tried to skim past what bored me. With this book, skimming never gave way, so I gave up.

As someone who’s writing their first novel, I know the hard work that goes into one, so I hate slamming the work of another writer. There are good elements in it, but unfortunately for me, they didn’t come together to hold my interest. For me, the descriptions of the book and the glowing reviews I’d read before I bought it didn’t seem to match the contents, disappointing me as a reader. Your mileage may vary.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

A poignant love story - not too soppy but lovely. I really liked it. What I loved most about the book was the background of it all - war-torn Malta. The author did a terrific job in researching the places and names associated with Malta. He must have lived sometime on the island or else he's a very good researcher. Loved the different characters especially the Maltese people. The text was very descriptive but not at all boring, but this maybe because I enjoyed reading about Malta, which is after all my home country. Sometimes, however the descriptions verge on the fantastical point of view and I thought it was too heavy and inappropriate in some places. Loved the sense of humour injected in some parts of the book - it was actually a much needed dose because just like any other wartime literature, the book does leave you with a sad aftertaste. Good use of imagery and symbolism! 3.5 stars.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me longer than it should have to finish this. The first two-thirds were great, but then I just wanted it to be over. It was an interesting story, akin to Catch-22 but not nearly as witty, but dragged on too long. I also got sick of the author's attempt at stream-of-consciousness, which didn't quite work, and ended up instead being a string of strangely organized independent clauses strung together by misplaced commas. Call me a grammar Nazi, but that really bothered me. However, the characters were rich and interesting, I learned a lot about WWII Malta, and there were some important themes, specifically those dealing with war, discussed. The idea of a woman delivering jukeboxes during wartime was especially evocative. And oh, the symbolism.

[Brian Godsey, now on thestorygraph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the best way to describe this is a "mainstream Catch-22". There's a quote from Joseph Heller on the cover saying it's a good book, so that was my first tip-off. But compared to Catch-22, there is absolutely NO EDGE to this book. The story and characters are definitely worth reading, and it tries desperately, at times, to be quirky and absurd like it's predecessor, but it fails most of the time. But despite this, and the mainly romantic nature of the story, the writing is good enough to bring the book up to above average.

[Phil Waltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

very well written WW2 isolation love story set in Malta. Rinaldi brings both Malta and his characters to vivid, stark, bare bones siege-edged life. Like this book better than his Tom Thumb novel though it was good too. Gobs of symbolism, imagery, and themes in Jukebox Queen, even if is hard to read through the screwed up characters at times. the religious aspects of the jukeboxes, the pilots lives and sky descriptions shines through, as does hapless Rocco's distraught family life.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Strong characters, echoes (but not mere imitations of) of Catch 22, a knack for describing an isolated and rather eccentric locale, good story, enough literary smarts to keep it interesting, and excellent language make this book a dangerous one to read at night. It is easy to fall into the "one more chapter and then to bed" trap.