The Sitter

by Robert Fowler

Tuscany, January 1943. Nurse Isolina Donatelli and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Sofia, live in the hills surrounding Florence. Most of Europe remains firmly in the grip of war, although the idyllic setting of Tuscany is currently shielded from the conflict. Mussolini and his black shirts cling on to power, but that is all about to change – as is the direction of the war itself. This will almost certainly place Isolina and Sofia nearer to the conflict, initiating a violent struggle for survival. Isolina has tried to keep the war at arm’s length. Her only objective is to keep Sofia safe, but that is being jeopardised by the demands others are making on her. Her life is suddenly filled with Nazis, Fascists, spies, ex-lovers and persuasive friends. Each request takes Isolina and Sofia closer to the looming danger fast approaching. A desperate, resentful, retreating German army is becoming ruthless, handing out brutal punishments to every civilian population it encounters. It is just a matter of time before both Isolina and her daughter are swallowed up by the tidal wave of madness coming their way.

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2018

Reviews

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unvarnished look at the beginning of the end of World War II in a Tuscan village near Florence. The end of a war can be a drawn-out, ugly process, and so it is here. Through multiple points of view, the author shows instances of violence (including rape), struggle, fear, betrayal, and despair. Atrocities are committed on civilians both by Italians and Germans as the German army retreats. The various characters are created with sufficient detail to be memorable. Many of them are sympathetic, which makes their sufferings that much harder to read about. Normal human relationships, such as those of old lovers, new lovers, parents and children, are bent and shredded by the horrors of war. There are a few heartwarming moments, but only a few, especially in the second half of the book. The beautiful background of the Tuscan countryside is vividly rendered and presents a contrast to the human struggles enacted upon it.
The book is well-written, but hard to read in places, so while I recognize its quality, I really cannot say I liked it. As one scene of horror followed another, I skimmed the last few chapters, just to see who was alive at the end. Then I realized I had missed some important details and made myself go back and read those chapters more closely.
I wondered about the title. One of the characters is an artist, as well as an English spy. Except for a brief instance near the beginning of the book, no one actually sits for him; he sketches people he encounters while working with a group of Partisans. Perhaps the "sitter" is actually the war-torn community.