Little Fortress

by Laisha Rosnau

In this captivating and intricate novel Laisha Rosnau introduces us to three women, each of whom is storied enough to have their own novel and who, together, make for an unforgettable tale. Based on the true story of the Caetanis, Italian nobility driven out of their home by the rise in fascism who chose exile in Vernon, BC, Rosnau brings to life Ofelia Caetani, her daughter Sveva Caetani and their personal secretary, Miss Juul. Miss Juul is the voice of the novel, a diminutive Danish woman who enters into employment with the Caetani family in Italy before the birth of Sveva, stays with them through twenty-five years of seclusion at their home in Vernon, and past the death of Ofelia. Little Fortress is a story of a shifting world, with the death of its age-old nobility, and of the intricacies of the lives of women caught up in these grand changes. It is a story of friendship, class, betrayal and love.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Book Club, Canada

328 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2019

Reviews

[Laurie Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! It was not what I excepted it was better than that.
True history and fiction, and love and women and hoo boy, I really enjoyed it.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've lived one hour away from Vernon for 45 years and visited the town innumerable times, but I never knew about the Caetanis until this book was released. Now I really want to go back and look at the house, because this was such a good book. While other authors have related the story of the family, emphasizing the Duke and his daughter Sveva, this author chose to tell the tale of Miss Juuls, the Danish companion to the Duchess. Her story was actually much more interesting than that of the Caetanis themselves. Sveva has been written about a lot because of her art, but because the Caetanis lived such a cloistered existence in Vernon, there was precious little to tell about their life there.
It's not clear how much the story of Miss Juul in this book is true and how much is fiction, but it doesn't matter, because the author brought her alive so vividly. What a life she leads in this book before arriving in Canada! The last few chapters were extremely poignant and I found myself feeling so crushed at how she was deceived and exploited by Ofelia, but the story was good and I'm glad I read this beautiful book.

[prescribed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Fortress traces the life of Miss. Juul, a Danish housemaid who enters 25 years of seclusion along with the Italian mother and daughter she cares for in Vernon BC. While based in historical facts and archives, Rosnau reveals the desires, sacrifices, and betrayals that shape these women's lives. A fantastic twist at the end broke my heart.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Quite an extraordinary piece of historical fiction. After reading this book my curiosity is piqued about the Caetani family who sought refuge in Vernon, BC due to the rise of facism in Italy. Their home is now a heritage museum and I plan to visit it very soon! Well done Laisha Rosnau!

[Juanita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars is not enough! A fascinating story, and incredibly written! I live a few minutes drive from the Caetani house and knew a little of its history but could never have imagined it was this rich. A must read!

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the author refers to Little Fortress as fiction, it concerns very real people whom the author researched for years. To my mind this fascinating book is historical fiction. The story is told through the perspective of Miss Juul, a Danish woman hired to be a companion/helper to the Duke and Duchess Caetani of Italy who emigrated in 1921 with their four-year-old daughter to my home town of Vernon, BC. (You understand my interest!) The story unfolds moving back and forth in time as we gradually come to understand the intrigues of the Duchess who deteriorates in mind and body, basically holding the women prisoners for 25 years in their grand house. Rosnau’s writing flows smoothly, evocatively, as she weaves the story – occasionally racy, occasionally heartbreaking – through time. Very absorbing. Looking forward to our book club discussion tomorrow at the Caetani Cultural Centre with the author in attendance. We’ll have questions for her.

[Carol Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up there was always a house in the neighborhood that was mysterious. We sometimes called it haunted or declared that a witch lived inside. This is how I think of the house in Vernon. Reading this book was magical in that I was able to look in through the keyhole and learn the stories of those hidden in the fortress! I totally enjoyed this read.

[Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much more than I had expected. I knew of the premise of three women living in seclusion for years and I thought that part of the story sounded interesting enough. It was why I had wanted to read it. But of course, they had had lives outside of that seclusion which is what the author focusses on (with one of the women) and I loved it!

[Eryne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosnau uses beautiful prose to tell this tale. It's part truth, part mystery. It has a surprise ending.

The story has undertones of feminism, especially considering the opportunities available to young women around the time of WWI. Despite the limitation, young Miss Juul, manages to find adventure, love, tragedy, and eventual peace.

I think you should read this book.

[Kayren mosurinjohn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a book that send you down a research rabbit hole!! Even though I found the narrative a bit flat and clunky the story was intriguing enough to keep me reading. Who knew Canada had their own "Grey Gardens" story?! Fascinating combination of fiction & real life... for pictures of the house, family and the diminutive Miss Juul go to https://www.caetani.org/caetani-chron....

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, poetic, heartbreaking novel.

“There is nothing to me but passing time, a faded photograph in my pocket. I’ve imagined my future and my past until they both seem like so many layered clouds changing shape. What we leave is all we ever had – our love, as bright as the sun and the other stars.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

After visiting the Caitani Centre in Vernon BC I purchased this book to learn more about the Caitani family and the woman Ms Juul who cared and looked after them for many years
The Duke and his mistress plus their daughter left behind all their wealth in Italy and immigrated to Vernon BC in 1921 This was because of the scandalous relationship outside of his marriage as well as his anti Facist and Mussolini views The book though is primarily about Ms Juul a Danish woman who was hired to be a companion for Ofilia the mistress It is a very interesting read What is really interesting though is the Caitani Center in Vernon BC which is now a museum plus a place for artists to reside while working on a project. in the 1895 heritage home that they purchased in 1921 and they all lived here their whole lives The daughter Sveva became an artist of great talent and her art is also on display in a purpose built art building. If you have the opportunity I would highly recommend visiting this place

[MyPlantsLoveAudiobooks · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up Little Fortress because of Eden Robinson's recommendation on the cover. Sadly, I did not finish this book. Usually when poets turn their hand to novels, readers are gifted with beautiful poetic prose that provides a unique and lovely reading experience. Unfortunately in this case, Rosnau's poetic background did not translate well. There are so many odd sentences that I was distracted. I'm not even sure what the phrase "moved through a continent of climate" even means. Phrases that might work in a poem, just fall flat here and read as distracting attempts at description. I went back to read Robinson's description and realized that she comments on the story, not the quality of the writing . . . a story, I might add, that is based on true events.

When I realized that I would not find an original narrative to carry me through the frustrating prose, I stopped reading. I do not recommend this book.

[Barbara Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a fine line between fiction based on a real story, and creative non-fiction, and I wish I knew where this story better fit. It’s told as fiction but the author had access to all sorts of archival materials, so I don’t know whether the basic facts of her protagonist’s life are factual and she just filled in the emotional blanks. Either way, Juul lives a fascinating and independent, if somewhat traumatic, life until she arrives in Vernon, so her behaviour in becoming so subservient to Ofelia’s wishes seems rather out of character. Or perhaps, as seems the case with this family, the strength of will of someone suffering from mental illness, as Ofelia clearly does, really does allow them to completely dominant the lives of others, as Ofelia does Juul and her daughter until her death. It’s a particularly fascinating story for those of us who know BC’s Okanagan Valley.

[Laura Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating dive into the lives of three women of Vernon lore. I grew up blocks away from the Caetani house and yet knew only snippets about the royal-connected occupants, their danish companion and the art protege that locked themselves away from the world for 25 years. Little Fortress contains unique and unexpected (and for a Vernon girl- some familiar) settings as well as contrasting characters that will leave you pondering the societal, physical and personal boundaries that we live and create for ourselves.

[Darlene Karalash · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Darkness built until it was too much and had to be pinpricked with stars”. This is a sample of the language used to tell the infuriating-and-essentially true tale of three little-known womyn from Canadian her-story. I shelved this book as “quintessentially Canadian”—the preoccupation with the weather, stoic-ever-so-polite responses to grand scale disappointments, use of earthy topographical imagery depicting every human experience...pretty much a poetic-prose-feast on every page. A friend passed this book on to me and am I ever glad she did!

[Peter B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening of this novel read much like a romantic melodrama, and in some respects it remained that throughout.
However, Rosnau took it into a complex character study of the women whose story she was telling and gave us an amazing picture of being trapped inside the little fortresses that we create to protect ourselves, but which at the same time imprison us.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really well written with a very nice flow of the story. It was also interesting historical fiction. The four stars are only because I prefer reading more uplifting novels and did not like what Ofelia did to Marie. Although I was happy to read about what Marie did to Ofelia at the end.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a household affairs employee, the life of Inger-Marie Jüül is one of riddled work-life boundaries. What opportunities will she enjoy and what costs will she be tolled. Jüül’s experiences stay with her into and after her years of service to the Caetani family. A very rewarding read.

[Tyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book and an amazing story. I had a hard time putting it down. Well written. Poetic. I would strongly recommend.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I was hooked on page 1

[Carla Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowzaaaa!! Such a fascinating story! Laisha has captured the complexity of the relationships and eloquently tells the Caetanis story. So impressed, a page turner for sure! Well done Laisha

[Evil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up very close to the Caetani house and enjoyed reading the story of the people who occupied it.

[Debra Mooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the Canadian connection ; interesting to try and understand the life of a woman making her way but always trapped in a life with another family.

[Lenore · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Shelly Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this authors writing style, the local content and well researched story of the Caetani family.

[Sue]

great

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rachael Preston]

This story made my heart ache. Rich and beautifully told. Unforgettable characters.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really getting into it now, so many places, that we are traveling 😊