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Pippo and Clara
A story about family and fate – and how so much of our lives hinges on chance.
A country torn apart by war. Two siblings divided by fate.
Italy, 1938. Mussolini is in power and war is not far away . . .
Clara and Pippo are just children: quiet, thoughtful Clara is the older sister, Pippo the younger brother is forever chatting. The family has only recently arrived in the city carrying their few possessions.
When Mamma goes missing early one morning, both Clara and Pippo go in search of her. Clara turns right; Pippo, left.
As a result of the choices they make that morning, their lives will be changed forever.
Diana Rosie’s Pippo and Clara tells the story of a family and a country divided. But will Clara and Pippo – and their mother – find each other again?
A country torn apart by war. Two siblings divided by fate.
Italy, 1938. Mussolini is in power and war is not far away . . .
Clara and Pippo are just children: quiet, thoughtful Clara is the older sister, Pippo the younger brother is forever chatting. The family has only recently arrived in the city carrying their few possessions.
When Mamma goes missing early one morning, both Clara and Pippo go in search of her. Clara turns right; Pippo, left.
As a result of the choices they make that morning, their lives will be changed forever.
Diana Rosie’s Pippo and Clara tells the story of a family and a country divided. But will Clara and Pippo – and their mother – find each other again?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2021
18 people are currently reading
1034 people want to read
About the author
Diana Rosie
4 books23 followersAuthor of Alberto's Pippo & Clara and Lost Birthday
Published by Mantle, Pan Macmillan.
WHSmiths Fresh Talent Autumn 2016.
Amazon Rising Stars 2016.
Agent @Diana_Beaumont
Diana Rosie has been a tour guide in South America, a designer in Hong Kong, an Olympics volunteer in London and an advertising copywriter all over the place.
Diana now writes books in a country cottage where she lives with a husband, two children and a big dog.
She is thinking of buying some noise cancelling
headphones.
Published by Mantle, Pan Macmillan.
WHSmiths Fresh Talent Autumn 2016.
Amazon Rising Stars 2016.
Agent @Diana_Beaumont
Diana Rosie has been a tour guide in South America, a designer in Hong Kong, an Olympics volunteer in London and an advertising copywriter all over the place.
Diana now writes books in a country cottage where she lives with a husband, two children and a big dog.
She is thinking of buying some noise cancelling
headphones.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 20, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
I’m not sure that I can find the words to describe the impact that this book has had on me, it was truly wonderful, but anyway here goes.
Italy 1938, Mussolini is in power, and the Second World War is about to begin. Political tensions between the Fascists and the Communists have mounted in Italy, almost to the point of civil war, and the country will become completely divided because of the political turmoil.
Against this backdrop, Clara and Pippo arrive in an unspecified city, with their widowed mother, after moving home several times, but Mamma says they will make this dingy little apartment into their castle. Tucking them up for the night, she goes out to meet someone who might be able to provide her with a job, but she goes out into the night and never returns. The following morning, whilst Pippo is still asleep, Clara goes out looking for her mother, but this is a strange new city, and she has no idea where to start, so she decides to take a right turn to see if she can find her. Eventually Pippo awakens to find his mamma and sister gone, so he too leaves the apartment to search for them, but he takes a left turn outside the apartment block, each child going their separate ways, quite literally, and how fortuitous their decisions turn out to be.
What follows is the fascinating, and compelling story, of what happens to these two children, as their lives take them onto completely different tracks.
I can say little about this book for fear of giving some important detail away, that might spoil it for those of you lucky enough to yet read it. More to the point, I worry that the depth of my feelings will give something away too. All I can say is, this was a stunning read, and in the end, the threads of this story, with its intricate and delicate stitching, handmade with love, finally come full circle to sew together the most powerful and beautiful family quilt. I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read an ARC of Pippo and Clara. Quite simply, outstanding!
* I was invited to read Pippo and Clara by the publisher, and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
I’m not sure that I can find the words to describe the impact that this book has had on me, it was truly wonderful, but anyway here goes.
Italy 1938, Mussolini is in power, and the Second World War is about to begin. Political tensions between the Fascists and the Communists have mounted in Italy, almost to the point of civil war, and the country will become completely divided because of the political turmoil.
Against this backdrop, Clara and Pippo arrive in an unspecified city, with their widowed mother, after moving home several times, but Mamma says they will make this dingy little apartment into their castle. Tucking them up for the night, she goes out to meet someone who might be able to provide her with a job, but she goes out into the night and never returns. The following morning, whilst Pippo is still asleep, Clara goes out looking for her mother, but this is a strange new city, and she has no idea where to start, so she decides to take a right turn to see if she can find her. Eventually Pippo awakens to find his mamma and sister gone, so he too leaves the apartment to search for them, but he takes a left turn outside the apartment block, each child going their separate ways, quite literally, and how fortuitous their decisions turn out to be.
What follows is the fascinating, and compelling story, of what happens to these two children, as their lives take them onto completely different tracks.
I can say little about this book for fear of giving some important detail away, that might spoil it for those of you lucky enough to yet read it. More to the point, I worry that the depth of my feelings will give something away too. All I can say is, this was a stunning read, and in the end, the threads of this story, with its intricate and delicate stitching, handmade with love, finally come full circle to sew together the most powerful and beautiful family quilt. I’m thrilled to have been given the opportunity to read an ARC of Pippo and Clara. Quite simply, outstanding!
* I was invited to read Pippo and Clara by the publisher, and have given an honest unbiased review in exchange *
April 11, 2021
Fate and chance collide in this powerful read. The split-second choices made by Clara and Pippo are the foundation of this novel.
Beginning in 1938, a young mother and her two children move from the countryside to an undisclosed city in Italy. Mussolini's reign is the backdrop and setting, a country torn apart by politics and impending war.
Clara, the older of the siblings is a conscientious, caring sister to the chatty, happy, gregarious Pippo. On their first night in this unfamiliar town, their mother goes missing. Clara wakes and decides to look for her. At the exit to the building, she turns right. Pippo wakes to discover both his mother and sister missing. He too leaves in search of them but turns left out the building.
Across the intervening years both Clara and Pippo never stop searching for their family. With little to go on and the war creeping closer, the challenges and hardships created by the struggles of WWII, deliver blow after blow to the children.
The fateful decision each makes that morning changes their lives forever. A highly engaging novel with a powerful resolution make this a great read.
Beginning in 1938, a young mother and her two children move from the countryside to an undisclosed city in Italy. Mussolini's reign is the backdrop and setting, a country torn apart by politics and impending war.
Clara, the older of the siblings is a conscientious, caring sister to the chatty, happy, gregarious Pippo. On their first night in this unfamiliar town, their mother goes missing. Clara wakes and decides to look for her. At the exit to the building, she turns right. Pippo wakes to discover both his mother and sister missing. He too leaves in search of them but turns left out the building.
Across the intervening years both Clara and Pippo never stop searching for their family. With little to go on and the war creeping closer, the challenges and hardships created by the struggles of WWII, deliver blow after blow to the children.
The fateful decision each makes that morning changes their lives forever. A highly engaging novel with a powerful resolution make this a great read.
October 24, 2021
I was drawn to this book primarily because I was interested in reading more about the Italian perspective on WWII and have struggled to find suitable novels. After reading the premise and discovering that the novel is told from the perspective of two children, Pippo and Clara, my heart sank and I admit, I was expecting either a simplistic YA read or else something rather mawkish in tone. Having now read the book I am very happy to eat my words as Pippo & Clara is an absolute tour de force. Heart-rending, enlightening on the Italian situation and genuinely compelling, Pippo & Clara is a beautifully understated, yet ultimately life-affirming novel, about one family amidst a divided country.
The novel opens in 1938 with Mussolini in power and ten-year-old Clara and seven-year-old Pippo arriving in an unnamed city with their widowed mother late one night. Promising to make the room they are renting a home after a series of moves, their mother leaves the pair to sleep with plans to meet someone who could potentially offer her work. When Clara wakes the next morning to find that her mother is not yet home she heads out of the apartment and turns right to look for her. When Pippo then wakes and finds both his mother and sister absent, he too leaves the apartment but turns left, planning to search for them. Both siblings are fortunate enough to encounter a caring and honest stranger, each of them from families on opposing sides of a political divide (Fascism/Communism) that in the years ahead is to have a devastating and irrevocable effect on the country and its people. The novel is comprised of alternating chapters that chart the siblings differing experiences at intermittent points through to the death of Mussolini in 1945, with Clara telling her story in the first-person and Pippo’s perspective narrated in the third-person, helping to keep both characters distinct.
On several occasions during the course of the novel, Pippo and Clara’s lives come tantalisingly close to connecting as they each move through the streets of the same city and indeed, the hope that fate will bring them together again runs through the entire novel. This is an exceptionally powerful book in which the realities of war are not sugar-coated making for, at times, a hard-hitting read but it is written with extraordinary compassion and, amidst the darkness, there are moments of utter joy. The novel portrays the consequences of having to choose a side in a country being torn apart by virtue of their leaders actions and, as the country veers close to civil war, the painful legacy for future generations. Highly readable with well-drawn characters whose fate I was invested in from early on, Diana Rosie has done a superb job of not only portraying life in a conflicted Italy before, during and after the occupation, but illustrating the specifics of the Italian situation. It is not just Pippo and Clara who are developed with attention to detail but the entire cast of adults on both sides of the divide feel fully-fleshed out and credible, making for one of the most impactful wartime novels I have had the privilege of reading. A mesmerisingly and unforgettable novel that I never once wanted to set aside.
The novel opens in 1938 with Mussolini in power and ten-year-old Clara and seven-year-old Pippo arriving in an unnamed city with their widowed mother late one night. Promising to make the room they are renting a home after a series of moves, their mother leaves the pair to sleep with plans to meet someone who could potentially offer her work. When Clara wakes the next morning to find that her mother is not yet home she heads out of the apartment and turns right to look for her. When Pippo then wakes and finds both his mother and sister absent, he too leaves the apartment but turns left, planning to search for them. Both siblings are fortunate enough to encounter a caring and honest stranger, each of them from families on opposing sides of a political divide (Fascism/Communism) that in the years ahead is to have a devastating and irrevocable effect on the country and its people. The novel is comprised of alternating chapters that chart the siblings differing experiences at intermittent points through to the death of Mussolini in 1945, with Clara telling her story in the first-person and Pippo’s perspective narrated in the third-person, helping to keep both characters distinct.
On several occasions during the course of the novel, Pippo and Clara’s lives come tantalisingly close to connecting as they each move through the streets of the same city and indeed, the hope that fate will bring them together again runs through the entire novel. This is an exceptionally powerful book in which the realities of war are not sugar-coated making for, at times, a hard-hitting read but it is written with extraordinary compassion and, amidst the darkness, there are moments of utter joy. The novel portrays the consequences of having to choose a side in a country being torn apart by virtue of their leaders actions and, as the country veers close to civil war, the painful legacy for future generations. Highly readable with well-drawn characters whose fate I was invested in from early on, Diana Rosie has done a superb job of not only portraying life in a conflicted Italy before, during and after the occupation, but illustrating the specifics of the Italian situation. It is not just Pippo and Clara who are developed with attention to detail but the entire cast of adults on both sides of the divide feel fully-fleshed out and credible, making for one of the most impactful wartime novels I have had the privilege of reading. A mesmerisingly and unforgettable novel that I never once wanted to set aside.
October 28, 2021
Moving, tragic, and absorbing!
Pippo and Clara is a bittersweet, family saga that sweeps you away to Italy in the late 1930s when Italy was full of unrest and upheaval not only due to the war being waged on the fields of Europe and getting closer to its borders by the day under Mussolini rule, but in their own countryside where simmering anger, questions of patriotism, and ongoing tension between supporters of communism and fascism was quickly coming to a head.
The prose is rich and smooth. The two main characters Clara and Pippo are lost, strong, and resilient. And the plot told from alternating points of view is an engaging tale filled with life, loss, friendship, familial drama, tragedy, heartbreak, separation, war, survival, and political unrest.
Overall, Pippo and Clara is a thought-provoking, informative, gripping story by Rosie that reminds us that often the choices we make have far-reaching consequences and has just the right amount of intrigue, colourful history, and heart-tugging emotion to be exceptionally pleasing to lovers, like myself, of historical fiction.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Pippo and Clara is a bittersweet, family saga that sweeps you away to Italy in the late 1930s when Italy was full of unrest and upheaval not only due to the war being waged on the fields of Europe and getting closer to its borders by the day under Mussolini rule, but in their own countryside where simmering anger, questions of patriotism, and ongoing tension between supporters of communism and fascism was quickly coming to a head.
The prose is rich and smooth. The two main characters Clara and Pippo are lost, strong, and resilient. And the plot told from alternating points of view is an engaging tale filled with life, loss, friendship, familial drama, tragedy, heartbreak, separation, war, survival, and political unrest.
Overall, Pippo and Clara is a thought-provoking, informative, gripping story by Rosie that reminds us that often the choices we make have far-reaching consequences and has just the right amount of intrigue, colourful history, and heart-tugging emotion to be exceptionally pleasing to lovers, like myself, of historical fiction.
Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2022
Uma história entre dois irmãos, separados por uma guerra que não lhes dizia respeito nem lhes interessava.
Muito sofrimento, fome, dor, doença, morte. É o retrato da Itália durante a segunda grande guerra. Um pouco aborrecido em certas ocasiões, com conteúdo político chato, mas uma história de amor muito bonita!
Muito sofrimento, fome, dor, doença, morte. É o retrato da Itália durante a segunda grande guerra. Um pouco aborrecido em certas ocasiões, com conteúdo político chato, mas uma história de amor muito bonita!
July 15, 2021
*Disclaimer: I was kindly gifted a copy of this book by Pan Macmillan SA in exchange for an honest review.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Pippo & Clara is an emotionally engaging Historical Fiction set in Italy 1938. Mussolini is in power and the Second World War is looming over everyone. Clara, her younger brother Pippo and their mother arrive in a new city with barely any possessions; hoping to turn this new apartment into a home. Short after their arrival, Mamma leaves to meet a lady who might help her with work to make an income. Pippo and Clara is put to bed while their mother goes out, but the next morning Clara wakes and finds Mamma hasn't returned yet. Pippo is still asleep and Clara decides to go find Mamma, but she doesn't know that this small decision will change her life.
As she stands in the doorway, she is faced with an unknown street and decides to turn right.
Pippo wakes and realises he's all alone, he doesn't understand why Mamma and Clara left but he is under the impression they left together. He decides to go look for Mamma and Clara; faced with the same unknown street, Pippo decides to turn left.
Unable to find Mamma, Clara goes back to the apartment only to find it empty.
"But every night, when I went to bed in a small room at the top of the house, I curled into a ball under the stiff white sheets and cried. I cried for the arms of my mother, her soft voice singing and telling stories. I sobbed when I thought of Pippo, missing his twittering talking." -- Clara
Pippo and Clara are taken in by kind families, but their positions in life quickly change. The scent of war is in the air; people are divided by Fascism and Communism. The family Clara is staying with are Fascists and the family Pippo is staying with are Communists.
Years go by and Pippo and Clara still haven't found each other, but they both still feel an invisible connection. The wristbands their mother gave them keeps their hope of finding each other alive.
Life goes on for brother and sister, but there are close calls where their paths cross without them knowing it.
At some point I got so frustrated that they kept missing each other, the anticipation had me saying out loud "She's there!" or "He's here!".
The story starts in 1938 and ends in 1958, the chapters alternate between Pippo and Clara's POV. We experience their panic at the apartment, we experience their fear for the coming war and we experience their uncertainty of the future; a future where they will be reunited or separated forever.
Pippo & Clara is a phenomenal read, the story has a good pace and the characters are entwined in a way the reader will appreciate.
If you find Historical Fiction intimidating this is the perfect book to ease you into this genre. The story is beautiful and special; it evokes a certain feeling in the reader that can only be understood by reading it. Pippo & Clara is the first Historical Fiction that made me cry, the ending had me in tears. The beauty of a book can be described with words, but it is felt through tears.
This book shows how war has an impact on families but also the kindness people show towards each other in the time of need.
This review is posted on my blog:
https://willowscornerbook.wordpress.c...
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Pippo & Clara is an emotionally engaging Historical Fiction set in Italy 1938. Mussolini is in power and the Second World War is looming over everyone. Clara, her younger brother Pippo and their mother arrive in a new city with barely any possessions; hoping to turn this new apartment into a home. Short after their arrival, Mamma leaves to meet a lady who might help her with work to make an income. Pippo and Clara is put to bed while their mother goes out, but the next morning Clara wakes and finds Mamma hasn't returned yet. Pippo is still asleep and Clara decides to go find Mamma, but she doesn't know that this small decision will change her life.
As she stands in the doorway, she is faced with an unknown street and decides to turn right.
Pippo wakes and realises he's all alone, he doesn't understand why Mamma and Clara left but he is under the impression they left together. He decides to go look for Mamma and Clara; faced with the same unknown street, Pippo decides to turn left.
Unable to find Mamma, Clara goes back to the apartment only to find it empty.
"But every night, when I went to bed in a small room at the top of the house, I curled into a ball under the stiff white sheets and cried. I cried for the arms of my mother, her soft voice singing and telling stories. I sobbed when I thought of Pippo, missing his twittering talking." -- Clara
Pippo and Clara are taken in by kind families, but their positions in life quickly change. The scent of war is in the air; people are divided by Fascism and Communism. The family Clara is staying with are Fascists and the family Pippo is staying with are Communists.
Years go by and Pippo and Clara still haven't found each other, but they both still feel an invisible connection. The wristbands their mother gave them keeps their hope of finding each other alive.
Life goes on for brother and sister, but there are close calls where their paths cross without them knowing it.
At some point I got so frustrated that they kept missing each other, the anticipation had me saying out loud "She's there!" or "He's here!".
The story starts in 1938 and ends in 1958, the chapters alternate between Pippo and Clara's POV. We experience their panic at the apartment, we experience their fear for the coming war and we experience their uncertainty of the future; a future where they will be reunited or separated forever.
Pippo & Clara is a phenomenal read, the story has a good pace and the characters are entwined in a way the reader will appreciate.
If you find Historical Fiction intimidating this is the perfect book to ease you into this genre. The story is beautiful and special; it evokes a certain feeling in the reader that can only be understood by reading it. Pippo & Clara is the first Historical Fiction that made me cry, the ending had me in tears. The beauty of a book can be described with words, but it is felt through tears.
This book shows how war has an impact on families but also the kindness people show towards each other in the time of need.
This review is posted on my blog:
https://willowscornerbook.wordpress.c...
March 5, 2021
I'm not even sure how to write this review. It has been such a long time since a book caught me off guard and made me sob like I sobbed. About 11 years to be exact. And I've read some sad stories.
This book tells the tragic story of two siblings, Pippo and Clara. Their Romani father is murdered by those supporting the Nazi regime and the idea of cleansing a nation. In fear, their Mother flees with her children in tow. As the children sleep, she goes out to look for a way in which to support her children. Her children wake at separate times and search for their Mother except when turning out of their building, one chose right, the other chose left.
What impacted me straight away was how one simple decision, that normally wouldn't even register, can take people and their lives in such a different direction.
Diana Rosie writes beautifully. I found it to be an easy read in terms of flow and engagement and the chapters were a good length with cliffhanger style ending that made me want to keep reading. Towards the end, Rosie ups the pace by making the chapters a paragraph in length and the suspence is built in me was probably why I crashed at the end! Brilliantly done.
I would recommend this book to everyone. I loved it. Thank you so much to @netgalley for gifting me the book in return for an honest review!
This book tells the tragic story of two siblings, Pippo and Clara. Their Romani father is murdered by those supporting the Nazi regime and the idea of cleansing a nation. In fear, their Mother flees with her children in tow. As the children sleep, she goes out to look for a way in which to support her children. Her children wake at separate times and search for their Mother except when turning out of their building, one chose right, the other chose left.
What impacted me straight away was how one simple decision, that normally wouldn't even register, can take people and their lives in such a different direction.
Diana Rosie writes beautifully. I found it to be an easy read in terms of flow and engagement and the chapters were a good length with cliffhanger style ending that made me want to keep reading. Towards the end, Rosie ups the pace by making the chapters a paragraph in length and the suspence is built in me was probably why I crashed at the end! Brilliantly done.
I would recommend this book to everyone. I loved it. Thank you so much to @netgalley for gifting me the book in return for an honest review!
February 26, 2021
I devoured Pippo & Clara in 2 hours. This book really was a heartbreaker. I loved seeing the way their lives intertwined without them knowing. The constant close calls and meeting mutual friends while not knowing if the other was alive and close really had my heart racing.
My one issue with this book is that it felt a little too fast-paced for me. There were moments where I felt I didn't have enough time with a character before we had moved on, or where I thought we were finally getting some depth and backstory but we suddenly jumped 2 years into the future in the next chapter.
Aside from this, I really enjoyed it. It was a really interesting dynamic to see the subversion of the typical WW2 story, where the boy follows fascism while the girl follows the rebellion. The change in dynamic made for a great story. I think with a bit more editing in terms of the pacing, this book would have been perfect.
Content warnings: war, anti-semitism, mention of past miscarriage.
Thank you to Diana Rosie, Book Break UK and Mantle Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
My one issue with this book is that it felt a little too fast-paced for me. There were moments where I felt I didn't have enough time with a character before we had moved on, or where I thought we were finally getting some depth and backstory but we suddenly jumped 2 years into the future in the next chapter.
Aside from this, I really enjoyed it. It was a really interesting dynamic to see the subversion of the typical WW2 story, where the boy follows fascism while the girl follows the rebellion. The change in dynamic made for a great story. I think with a bit more editing in terms of the pacing, this book would have been perfect.
Content warnings: war, anti-semitism, mention of past miscarriage.
Thank you to Diana Rosie, Book Break UK and Mantle Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
December 9, 2021
Novel set in ITALY - WW2
Italy: “… this is not like the Spanish war. There we fought for ideas and ideals. Here, we are fighting for humanity”
1938. Pippo and his older sister Clara arrive in an an unnamed Italian city with their mamma, having fled the countryside. They are here to make a new home for themselves. The children’s Zingaro father has recently been killed and already the reader has a sense that people are being hounded because of their ethnicity, difference or political affiliations. The clouds of WW2 are building.
Mamma and the two children bed down on the first night and in the morning their worlds have changed. Mamma went out during the night and disappeared. Clara wakes and goes to look for her mamma; Pippo wakes and goes in search of Clara and his mamma – one child exits the building to the left, the other turns to the right and a metaphor for their individual lives as they unfold. One child lodges with a family of fascist sympathisers, the other is taken in by a staunchly communist couple. The dividing lines in Italy are drawn.
The children thus have to acclimatise to a whole new way of living, whilst struggling with their immense losses. They settle in as the war builds, they experience bombing and German invasion as the years pass, and always they keep an eye out for their missing family members.
I was really keen to find out a little more about how each child came to be with their new families and felt the author glossed over that part of the story in order to get on with the main thrust of the narrative. A little more background, for me, would have added depth.
In troubled times of war, children have to grow up incredibly quickly. On some occasions the voices of the children were perhaps a touch overly mature for their years, at times they seemed incredibly well informed about the political issues and historical matters that were part of the bigger picture. This felt like a device to enlighten readers about the deeper issues which faced Italy and the world at the time, and sometimes didn’t quite feel authentically age appropriate. That aside, this is a very readable novel of childhood, loss and war – and of course – of Italy, which suffered greatly under Mussolini and German aggression and then Allied Bombings. The writing is truly lyrical and the author is a great storyteller, capturing the poignancy of the children’s plight.
Mention must be made for the well designed cover, which really reflects the story – the colours of the Italian flag being put to very good use.
Italy: “… this is not like the Spanish war. There we fought for ideas and ideals. Here, we are fighting for humanity”
1938. Pippo and his older sister Clara arrive in an an unnamed Italian city with their mamma, having fled the countryside. They are here to make a new home for themselves. The children’s Zingaro father has recently been killed and already the reader has a sense that people are being hounded because of their ethnicity, difference or political affiliations. The clouds of WW2 are building.
Mamma and the two children bed down on the first night and in the morning their worlds have changed. Mamma went out during the night and disappeared. Clara wakes and goes to look for her mamma; Pippo wakes and goes in search of Clara and his mamma – one child exits the building to the left, the other turns to the right and a metaphor for their individual lives as they unfold. One child lodges with a family of fascist sympathisers, the other is taken in by a staunchly communist couple. The dividing lines in Italy are drawn.
The children thus have to acclimatise to a whole new way of living, whilst struggling with their immense losses. They settle in as the war builds, they experience bombing and German invasion as the years pass, and always they keep an eye out for their missing family members.
I was really keen to find out a little more about how each child came to be with their new families and felt the author glossed over that part of the story in order to get on with the main thrust of the narrative. A little more background, for me, would have added depth.
In troubled times of war, children have to grow up incredibly quickly. On some occasions the voices of the children were perhaps a touch overly mature for their years, at times they seemed incredibly well informed about the political issues and historical matters that were part of the bigger picture. This felt like a device to enlighten readers about the deeper issues which faced Italy and the world at the time, and sometimes didn’t quite feel authentically age appropriate. That aside, this is a very readable novel of childhood, loss and war – and of course – of Italy, which suffered greatly under Mussolini and German aggression and then Allied Bombings. The writing is truly lyrical and the author is a great storyteller, capturing the poignancy of the children’s plight.
Mention must be made for the well designed cover, which really reflects the story – the colours of the Italian flag being put to very good use.
March 9, 2022
(Audio version)
The book starts in Italy in 1938, the year my Dad was born in Italy. My Dad was a small boy during the war and has only ever mentioned a couple of details. I feel I now understand so much more of what he experienced. It has also helped me appreciate how his childhood struggles helped shape him into a survivor and hard working man dedicated to providing for his family.
This is a powerful read offering insight into the war, family life, the importance of community and politics. The book was written from the perspectives of Pippo and Clara, who are brother and sister and I loved this. They are both unique, strong and wonderful characters in their own way.
There is a lot of emotion in this book, particularly tragedy and sadness which highlights the effect of war.
The book starts in Italy in 1938, the year my Dad was born in Italy. My Dad was a small boy during the war and has only ever mentioned a couple of details. I feel I now understand so much more of what he experienced. It has also helped me appreciate how his childhood struggles helped shape him into a survivor and hard working man dedicated to providing for his family.
This is a powerful read offering insight into the war, family life, the importance of community and politics. The book was written from the perspectives of Pippo and Clara, who are brother and sister and I loved this. They are both unique, strong and wonderful characters in their own way.
There is a lot of emotion in this book, particularly tragedy and sadness which highlights the effect of war.
October 24, 2021
I was interested in the historical background of Italy just before and during WWII.
February 19, 2021
This novel is set in Italy in 1938. Mussolini is in power and WWII is imminent with Hitler rising in power in Germany.
Pippo and Clara wake up to find their mother is missing. Both go in search for her - Clara turns right on the street, and Pippo turns left. This choice determines their lives forever and they find themselves lost to each other on opposing sides of the revolution between communism and fascism, and then ultimately opposite sides of WWII.
Despite their separation their bond is strong and they can’t forget each other. The red bracelets they both wear represents a ’𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙪𝙨.’
Will Clara and Pippo meet again? Who will they be if and when they do?
💭 This is such an emotional and tear jerking book! I feel the rise of emotion even writing this review! Rosie provides a devastating story of love, loss and separation between two siblings that find strength to live their lives together but separately in hope of seeing each other again. I find it deeply affecting, perhaps because it focuses on fate of young children during times of unrest and uncertainty in the lead up to WWII, which is likely to reflect real life tragedies that occurred at the time for struggling families, and families that are prejudiced because of race, religion and heritage. It seems Pippo, Clara and parents are different because they are Roma gypsies, which in the eyes of Hitler and Mussolini viewed as ‘undesirables’ like Jews were.
I always love reading and learning about life in the World Wars and this provides a fascinating perspective about Mussolini and the civil conflict in Italy that I don’t have much knowledge on.
I like how the chapters are split between following Clara’s life and then Pippo’s life which mirrors their split lives and how we discover moments where they are within distance of each other but yet so far apart.
⚖️ Highly recommend if you enjoy books with historical context during late 1930s-1945. Even if you don’t read a lot of historical fiction, the central story between Pippo and Clara is intimate and beautiful yet heartbreaking, and you just want to keep reading to see where their journeys will take them and if they will ever meet again.
Pippo and Clara wake up to find their mother is missing. Both go in search for her - Clara turns right on the street, and Pippo turns left. This choice determines their lives forever and they find themselves lost to each other on opposing sides of the revolution between communism and fascism, and then ultimately opposite sides of WWII.
Despite their separation their bond is strong and they can’t forget each other. The red bracelets they both wear represents a ’𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙖𝙥𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙪𝙨.’
Will Clara and Pippo meet again? Who will they be if and when they do?
💭 This is such an emotional and tear jerking book! I feel the rise of emotion even writing this review! Rosie provides a devastating story of love, loss and separation between two siblings that find strength to live their lives together but separately in hope of seeing each other again. I find it deeply affecting, perhaps because it focuses on fate of young children during times of unrest and uncertainty in the lead up to WWII, which is likely to reflect real life tragedies that occurred at the time for struggling families, and families that are prejudiced because of race, religion and heritage. It seems Pippo, Clara and parents are different because they are Roma gypsies, which in the eyes of Hitler and Mussolini viewed as ‘undesirables’ like Jews were.
I always love reading and learning about life in the World Wars and this provides a fascinating perspective about Mussolini and the civil conflict in Italy that I don’t have much knowledge on.
I like how the chapters are split between following Clara’s life and then Pippo’s life which mirrors their split lives and how we discover moments where they are within distance of each other but yet so far apart.
⚖️ Highly recommend if you enjoy books with historical context during late 1930s-1945. Even if you don’t read a lot of historical fiction, the central story between Pippo and Clara is intimate and beautiful yet heartbreaking, and you just want to keep reading to see where their journeys will take them and if they will ever meet again.
February 27, 2022
"Pippo and Clara," a book about two separated siblings, living two different lives during the Mussolini's ruling Italy and that beyond WW2. One was taken care of by a family with Fascist's background, and the other by a pro-Communism Italian family. I loved the book because through the experiences of the two siblings, they witnessed love, pain, struggles and redemption qualities on both sides of the political spectrums. It's an easy book to read, but a profound one with meanings.
1- The two fatherly figures, with their utmost ideologies on politics, changed drastically over the course of the war;
2- The two motherly figures, while loving and supporting of their husbands, the harshness of wars made them not only stronger but also wiser;
2- The two separated siblings, while growing up with conflicting ideas about the world around them, their innocence and intrinsic good-nature steered them to find the balance, through abundance of love, in the world full of turmoil, hatred and fear.
The author strategically, using tenses and details, stitched the stories of two siblings together perfectly using alternate narrations. Honestly, I haven't read anything could make me sob for a long time. "Pippo and Clara," it's a good book. It also bears positive vibe and messages.
A solid 5-stars read. Don't miss it. :)
1- The two fatherly figures, with their utmost ideologies on politics, changed drastically over the course of the war;
2- The two motherly figures, while loving and supporting of their husbands, the harshness of wars made them not only stronger but also wiser;
2- The two separated siblings, while growing up with conflicting ideas about the world around them, their innocence and intrinsic good-nature steered them to find the balance, through abundance of love, in the world full of turmoil, hatred and fear.
The author strategically, using tenses and details, stitched the stories of two siblings together perfectly using alternate narrations. Honestly, I haven't read anything could make me sob for a long time. "Pippo and Clara," it's a good book. It also bears positive vibe and messages.
A solid 5-stars read. Don't miss it. :)
January 19, 2022
"Um país devastado pela guerra. Dois irmãos separados pelo destino."
Foi com estas palavras na capa do livro que decidi conhecer a história de Clara e Pippo (Filippo), achei o livro curtinho e que iria ser uma leitura rápida e "leve", não podia estar mais enganada, estes irmão arrebataram o meu coração, a história vai alterando entre capítulos com a perspetiva de cada um, por isso temos a tendência de querer acolher os dois e de lhes dar só coisas boas...
A história passa-se na Itália de Mussolini, cada vez gosto mais de ler histórias passadas em Itália...
Logo nas primeiras páginas a mãe de Clara e Pippo, faz um ultimato a Clara: "Tens de cuidar do teu irmão.", a menina sendo mais velha promete, mas as vicissitudes da vida têm mistérios que se tornam incompreendidos ao ser humano, mesmo diante de promessas...
Gostei bastante de acompanhar os passos destes irmãos, uma história de amor, amizade, justiça e fraternidade que me surpreendeu muito... Ainda bem que peguei nesta leitura ;)
Foi com estas palavras na capa do livro que decidi conhecer a história de Clara e Pippo (Filippo), achei o livro curtinho e que iria ser uma leitura rápida e "leve", não podia estar mais enganada, estes irmão arrebataram o meu coração, a história vai alterando entre capítulos com a perspetiva de cada um, por isso temos a tendência de querer acolher os dois e de lhes dar só coisas boas...
A história passa-se na Itália de Mussolini, cada vez gosto mais de ler histórias passadas em Itália...
Logo nas primeiras páginas a mãe de Clara e Pippo, faz um ultimato a Clara: "Tens de cuidar do teu irmão.", a menina sendo mais velha promete, mas as vicissitudes da vida têm mistérios que se tornam incompreendidos ao ser humano, mesmo diante de promessas...
Gostei bastante de acompanhar os passos destes irmãos, uma história de amor, amizade, justiça e fraternidade que me surpreendeu muito... Ainda bem que peguei nesta leitura ;)
December 18, 2020
I am writing this review with a tear in my eye not least of all because I’ve finished the story. It was love at first sight with this book, I loved the cover and the name of the book just felt right, and I was right to feel this way as this book is beautiful. When this book is released I will buy a copy just to have it on my bookshelf and to one day read it again. This book is beautiful, charming, sad, full of hope and just perfect. The story is told in such a beautiful way that although it is sad it is so much more, it somehow manages to illustrate the futility of war in a very gentle way and because of this it is so much more poignant. This is a really special historical novel that will remain with me for sometime.
September 15, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up
Heartbreakingly beautiful
Heartbreakingly beautiful
February 26, 2023
Once you get past the changing from first to third person, and swapping of characters (a preference thing) this is a touching and powerful story with a sad if not satisfying ending.
December 13, 2020
This was an enjoyable and quick read telling the story of two children but also, Italy at war which is a perspective rarely seen in WWII novels. I am torn here because I liked that it was a quick and easy read but a huge part of me while I was reading was looking for greater depth and historical and political context. Well you can’t have it all and this novel has inspired me to read more widely around Italy’s alliance and then occupation by Nazi Germany.
Rosie’s skill lies in her characterisation and her ability to show warmth and love in all circumstances. Pippo and Clara are tragically separated and are ‘adopted’ into families on diametrically opposing political sides as well as vastly different socioeconomic situations but in both homes the love is clear and radiant. Rosie makes us care about her characters so there were quite a few times when reading that I gasped out loud and nearly woke my sleeping husband!
The epilogue was just gorgeous and tied up what I had thought would be left as loose ends.
Rosie’s skill lies in her characterisation and her ability to show warmth and love in all circumstances. Pippo and Clara are tragically separated and are ‘adopted’ into families on diametrically opposing political sides as well as vastly different socioeconomic situations but in both homes the love is clear and radiant. Rosie makes us care about her characters so there were quite a few times when reading that I gasped out loud and nearly woke my sleeping husband!
The epilogue was just gorgeous and tied up what I had thought would be left as loose ends.
March 18, 2022
I don't need to tell you what this book is about because you will know by reading the description. What I do need to tell you is that the author has done a fabulous job of giving us a mini history lesson. You will see the difference between fachism and communism, and you probaly won't like either one. You wil learn that there are good people everywhere, even those that take in lost children and treat them with love and kindness. You will also learn that life is not fair and bad things happen to good people.
June 10, 2025
The themes in this book were very powerful and I loved the superstition and the recurring theme of the red string theory!!! It captivated the naïveté of children yet the struggles of war and how this influenced the personalities and lives of the protagonists in this book, in differing ways.
I would love to revisit this book again as I’m not sure the audible narration did the story justice.
I would also love to see a film adaptation in future!
I think it would make a great story on-screen!
I would love to revisit this book again as I’m not sure the audible narration did the story justice.
I would also love to see a film adaptation in future!
I think it would make a great story on-screen!
July 27, 2024
a thematic masterpiece that at no point hesitated to pull on my heartstrings.
____________________________________________________
favourite theme: pippo goes left, clara steers right.
favourite character: signor salvador, donna and more.
favourite moment: ❝you came back.❞
a question for the author: why are clara's chapters written in first person but pippo's are in third?
____________________________________________________
favourite theme: pippo goes left, clara steers right.
favourite character: signor salvador, donna and more.
favourite moment: ❝you came back.❞
a question for the author: why are clara's chapters written in first person but pippo's are in third?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 2, 2021
A moving and fateful story about the impact of chance, the futility of war and the bond of family.
In 1938 Italy, siblings Clara and Pippo arrive with their Mama in the middle of the night at a small apartment in a strange city, which she promises they will make their new home. Mama then heads out to find work but is gone when the morning comes. When Clara wakes up, she heads out to search for her, deciding spontaneously to turn right when she steps out of their apartment. Pippo then wakes up later to find both his mother and sister gone, and he also decides to go out and look for them - but he turns left. Both children’s seemingly small decision leads them down drastically different paths, and they end up on opposite sides of a developing conflict – Clara with a family who fully support the rise of Mussolini and fascism, and Pippo with secret communist rebels. As the years' pass and war comes to Italy, Pippo and Clara face a struggle to survive, all the while never giving up hope that they might one day find each other again.
This was a beautiful and compelling story about how one small choice can change life drastically, but also about the powerful and unbreakable bond of a family that can withstand all kinds of terrible circumstances. Whilst the premise of two children being separated during a difficult time is not particularly original, the richly developed and likeable characters and the engaging and smooth writing style combine to make this a hugely enjoyable and poignant book that is easy to read and grips onto you emotionally from the first few pages, then stays in your mind long after it is put down. Pippo and Clara’s relationship and their love for each other and their missing Mama was beautifully portrayed, and their indestructible hope that they might find each other again was truly touching. The ending of the novel packs a huge emotional punch which bought a tear to my eye and tied up all the loose ends in a way that was both heart-rending and satisfying.
The setting of this story was another reason that this book was a big success for me. I love reading about different countries, cultures and times, and a pre-war Italy, brewing with tension, danger, and political divide, was expertly portrayed in the writing. The story is told from the perspective of two innocent children who don’t fully understand what is happening to them and their country added uniqueness and humanity to the historical setting and highlighted the powerful emotions of fear and hope that must have been resonating through so many people at that time. This story does contain some darkness, with the tragedy and suffering of war a central element, but also contains compassion, kindness from strangers, idealism and bravery which stop it from becoming too bleak. There were several moments in the story where Pippo and Clara’s paths came frustratingly close to the crossing – some may say too close to be realistic – but this added to the fateful nature of the story, and none of the coincidences was too extreme to seem fantastical to me.
In conclusion, this was an outstanding novel that I enjoyed from start to finish. I would highly recommend this book and this author to anyone interested in historical fiction, or simply anyone who is looking for a profoundly moving and enjoyable story.
Daenerys
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.
In 1938 Italy, siblings Clara and Pippo arrive with their Mama in the middle of the night at a small apartment in a strange city, which she promises they will make their new home. Mama then heads out to find work but is gone when the morning comes. When Clara wakes up, she heads out to search for her, deciding spontaneously to turn right when she steps out of their apartment. Pippo then wakes up later to find both his mother and sister gone, and he also decides to go out and look for them - but he turns left. Both children’s seemingly small decision leads them down drastically different paths, and they end up on opposite sides of a developing conflict – Clara with a family who fully support the rise of Mussolini and fascism, and Pippo with secret communist rebels. As the years' pass and war comes to Italy, Pippo and Clara face a struggle to survive, all the while never giving up hope that they might one day find each other again.
This was a beautiful and compelling story about how one small choice can change life drastically, but also about the powerful and unbreakable bond of a family that can withstand all kinds of terrible circumstances. Whilst the premise of two children being separated during a difficult time is not particularly original, the richly developed and likeable characters and the engaging and smooth writing style combine to make this a hugely enjoyable and poignant book that is easy to read and grips onto you emotionally from the first few pages, then stays in your mind long after it is put down. Pippo and Clara’s relationship and their love for each other and their missing Mama was beautifully portrayed, and their indestructible hope that they might find each other again was truly touching. The ending of the novel packs a huge emotional punch which bought a tear to my eye and tied up all the loose ends in a way that was both heart-rending and satisfying.
The setting of this story was another reason that this book was a big success for me. I love reading about different countries, cultures and times, and a pre-war Italy, brewing with tension, danger, and political divide, was expertly portrayed in the writing. The story is told from the perspective of two innocent children who don’t fully understand what is happening to them and their country added uniqueness and humanity to the historical setting and highlighted the powerful emotions of fear and hope that must have been resonating through so many people at that time. This story does contain some darkness, with the tragedy and suffering of war a central element, but also contains compassion, kindness from strangers, idealism and bravery which stop it from becoming too bleak. There were several moments in the story where Pippo and Clara’s paths came frustratingly close to the crossing – some may say too close to be realistic – but this added to the fateful nature of the story, and none of the coincidences was too extreme to seem fantastical to me.
In conclusion, this was an outstanding novel that I enjoyed from start to finish. I would highly recommend this book and this author to anyone interested in historical fiction, or simply anyone who is looking for a profoundly moving and enjoyable story.
Daenerys
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.
November 17, 2020
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for a free ARC of this book.
Diana Rosie is a new author to me, and I wasn't sure what to expect. This book left me pleasantly surprised.
The story is narrated, so that you are told of rather than shown events. Usually, this would put me off, but in this case it was done well enough to pull me in and engross me regardless. Parts of the writing seem unpolished, with extraneous wording, frequent use of split-infinitives, and the like, but--again--this didn't detract that much from the story being portrayed. That's because the characterisation and world-building were done excellently, and for the most part, I got so lost in the book that I forgot I was reading.
We have Italy under Mussolini.
Gypsies outlawed and persecuted.
Europe at war.
A murdered father.
Enter Clara (10 years-old) and Pippo (7 years-old), and a mother who goes out one lonely night in a strange city in search of work. Mama fails to return. First Clara leaves the boarding room in search of Mama. Then Pippo awakens alone and afraid. He, too, leaves the squalid and bare room to look for both Mama and Clara.
From that point on, each of the children's tales diverge, and the narrative alternates between the POVs of Clara and Pippo. We follow them throughout the ensuing trials and tribulations and see both the brutality and uselessness of war, where the innocent are the ones who suffer. At the same time, we are shown bravery and compassion in abundance.
I loved this book and would read more from this writer. It gets a solid 4 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
Diana Rosie is a new author to me, and I wasn't sure what to expect. This book left me pleasantly surprised.
The story is narrated, so that you are told of rather than shown events. Usually, this would put me off, but in this case it was done well enough to pull me in and engross me regardless. Parts of the writing seem unpolished, with extraneous wording, frequent use of split-infinitives, and the like, but--again--this didn't detract that much from the story being portrayed. That's because the characterisation and world-building were done excellently, and for the most part, I got so lost in the book that I forgot I was reading.
We have Italy under Mussolini.
Gypsies outlawed and persecuted.
Europe at war.
A murdered father.
Enter Clara (10 years-old) and Pippo (7 years-old), and a mother who goes out one lonely night in a strange city in search of work. Mama fails to return. First Clara leaves the boarding room in search of Mama. Then Pippo awakens alone and afraid. He, too, leaves the squalid and bare room to look for both Mama and Clara.
From that point on, each of the children's tales diverge, and the narrative alternates between the POVs of Clara and Pippo. We follow them throughout the ensuing trials and tribulations and see both the brutality and uselessness of war, where the innocent are the ones who suffer. At the same time, we are shown bravery and compassion in abundance.
I loved this book and would read more from this writer. It gets a solid 4 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
January 5, 2024
PIPPO & CLARA by Diana Rosie is an emotionally charged journey through war-torn Italy, highlighting the profound impact of chance on the lives of two siblings. Set against the backdrop of Mussolini's regime, the story unfolds with haunting beauty and tragic consequences. The siblings, Pippo and Clara, navigate the harsh realities of a divided country after their Romani father's murder. Rosie's narrative skillfully explores the fragility of life, demonstrating how one fateful decision can alter destinies. The book's emotional depth took me by surprise, evoking a level of sorrow rarely experienced in my reading. Rosie's beautiful writing effortlessly guides readers through this poignant tale, creating a compelling narrative with well-paced chapters and suspenseful endings. PIPPO & CLARA is a powerful reminder of how simple choices can shape lives in unexpected ways.
November 4, 2020
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started Pippo and Clara but was instantly captivated by this moving story. It's told, rather than shown (like someone telling you a story rather than immersing yourself in the tale) which I can find offputting, but in this case the writing and plot were so good I didn't notice after my initial hesitation.
The book is set in 1930s/40s Italy and written from two points of view, the titular Pippo and Clara. They are still young children, seven and ten, when they move to a new (unspecified) city with their widowed mother. They know nobody in the city, so when their mother fails to come home they have no one to turn to. Each, independently, slips out to look for her, one turns right, the other left. And so their family is torn apart as their paths diverge and they live very different lives. Both are fortunate enough to meet compassionate women who take them in, Clara to a solidly middle class family whose fortunes have risen along with facism, Pippo to a working class Communist home. Neither stops searching for the other as they are assimilatated into new lives, not even when war darkens their childhood and both have to grow up even more quickly than circumstances have already ensured as tragedy touches both their lives.
This is a clever, emotional and inventive book, exploring Italy in the war, the effect facism and occupation had on ordinary people and what it takes to survive. Highly recommended.
The book is set in 1930s/40s Italy and written from two points of view, the titular Pippo and Clara. They are still young children, seven and ten, when they move to a new (unspecified) city with their widowed mother. They know nobody in the city, so when their mother fails to come home they have no one to turn to. Each, independently, slips out to look for her, one turns right, the other left. And so their family is torn apart as their paths diverge and they live very different lives. Both are fortunate enough to meet compassionate women who take them in, Clara to a solidly middle class family whose fortunes have risen along with facism, Pippo to a working class Communist home. Neither stops searching for the other as they are assimilatated into new lives, not even when war darkens their childhood and both have to grow up even more quickly than circumstances have already ensured as tragedy touches both their lives.
This is a clever, emotional and inventive book, exploring Italy in the war, the effect facism and occupation had on ordinary people and what it takes to survive. Highly recommended.
February 7, 2021
Anyone in need of a good cry, please may I point you in the direction of this beautiful book?
To call this an emotive read would be a total understatement - there were moments that completely shattered me. Pippo and Clara are such incredible young characters and from the moment they went their separate ways after their mother disappears I felt such a sense of foreboding and concern for them.
This is a story full of tragedy - of an Italy destroyed by politics and war, and the people brave enough to fight first their own Fascist government, and then the Nazis. There’s destruction, fear and death but my goodness there is also so much love and kindness.
This is a story full of compassion and bravery - of people who take in unknown children and call them family, of people who look out for their neighbours as much as themselves, and of two children who never give up on finding each other.
The moments where Pippo and Clara came so close to finding each other and seemed to have a physical reaction to the other being nearby actually gave me goosebumps - the writing is so wonderful you can almost feel you are in the moment.
This is a novel so full of tenderness, love and hope that I will carry it with me for a long time. And I always love finishing a novel and feeling like I’ve learnt something new - stories like these bring meaning and humanity to things we usually only read the facts of in history books. An incredible book I hope everyone reads.
November 8, 2020
*I was sent an early copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a big thank you to Pan Macmillan for the invite*
Pippo and Clara was such a touching book, while fictional one can imagine that situations and events in the story ring true to the reality faced by so many individuals during the Second World War and it's utterly devastating. The novel follows Clara and her younger brother Pippo as they are separated by a tragic twist of fate and follows them in the intervening years as they grow up and lead very different lives. I liked that the entire book is told in dual perspectives and you can see the outbreak of war, tide of fascism and effects of war through the eyes of these two brilliant young protagonists. This is the kind of book where 'so close but so far' is frustratingly relatable as there are so many times over the years where the siblings are so close to reuniting but sadly don't and I was on the edge of my seat each and every time willing it to happen. Beautifully written and so emotionally powerful, I feel this book will affect many readers and that ending hit me right in the chest. A story I won't forget any time soon, I would encourage readers who enjoy moving historical fiction and character driven stories to give this one a read.
Pippo and Clara was such a touching book, while fictional one can imagine that situations and events in the story ring true to the reality faced by so many individuals during the Second World War and it's utterly devastating. The novel follows Clara and her younger brother Pippo as they are separated by a tragic twist of fate and follows them in the intervening years as they grow up and lead very different lives. I liked that the entire book is told in dual perspectives and you can see the outbreak of war, tide of fascism and effects of war through the eyes of these two brilliant young protagonists. This is the kind of book where 'so close but so far' is frustratingly relatable as there are so many times over the years where the siblings are so close to reuniting but sadly don't and I was on the edge of my seat each and every time willing it to happen. Beautifully written and so emotionally powerful, I feel this book will affect many readers and that ending hit me right in the chest. A story I won't forget any time soon, I would encourage readers who enjoy moving historical fiction and character driven stories to give this one a read.
November 19, 2020
Oh, I could not put this book down - so so heartbreaking that I just needed to keep reading to find out what happened.
Pippo and Clara are children in Mussolini's Italy - their father is gone, and they're living in poverty with their mother; one day she goes out and doesn't return. Clara wakes, goes to look for her and turns in one direction - when she comes back, Pippo is also gone - he's done the same thing but taken a different turning... and hence a different turning in life for them both.
A story of a relationship torn apart by circumstances - poverty and wealth, fascism and communism, war and peace, education and work - and all along the fizzing emotion that somehow Clara and Pippo know the other is out there and close by.
The characters are beautifully written, I cared about them so much; the story was a delight to read and the narrative flowed smoothly and cleverly. Highly recommended.
Pippo and Clara are children in Mussolini's Italy - their father is gone, and they're living in poverty with their mother; one day she goes out and doesn't return. Clara wakes, goes to look for her and turns in one direction - when she comes back, Pippo is also gone - he's done the same thing but taken a different turning... and hence a different turning in life for them both.
A story of a relationship torn apart by circumstances - poverty and wealth, fascism and communism, war and peace, education and work - and all along the fizzing emotion that somehow Clara and Pippo know the other is out there and close by.
The characters are beautifully written, I cared about them so much; the story was a delight to read and the narrative flowed smoothly and cleverly. Highly recommended.
January 20, 2021
This book hooked me in from the very start. The tale of a Roma family, ripped apart by the racism in Mussolini’s Italy in the lead up to the Second World War. Newly arrived in an unnamed city, the children, Clara and Pippo are left alone by their mother while she is seeking work, and she never makes it back to their room. Searching separately for her, each child turns in a different direction and meets with the kindness of strangers. Each gets pulled into a different and vastly contrasting world to the other but despite this their paths weave toward and away from each other many times and Clara always senses their proximity. She is convinced that it’s only a matter of time before they will be together again.
This was a quick but very worthwhile read. Wonderful characters in a beautifully poignant story, the threads of narrative bind you tightly till the very end.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I thoroughly recommend it.
December 9, 2021
I was drawn to this because I thought the premise sounded interesting and I haven't read much about Italy during WW2. Honestly, I wasn't disappointed. I learned a bit, and I think the author used the device of the split up siblings pretty well to show different sides and different events and how they effected different people. So that was good.
It's also a novel with a lot of heart. For both children, someone takes them in, and from there we come to know them and the family they forge on their own. You really want them to re-find each other, you worry about who is going to survive around them, and there's a lot of kindness and courage as well as the darkness of war. ( I thought I'd mention it's not gruesome, in case you were wondering if you could handle reading it) I can see a lot of people talking about how this book made them cry, so be prepared.
On the whole, I liked this.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy of this book for review.
It's also a novel with a lot of heart. For both children, someone takes them in, and from there we come to know them and the family they forge on their own. You really want them to re-find each other, you worry about who is going to survive around them, and there's a lot of kindness and courage as well as the darkness of war. ( I thought I'd mention it's not gruesome, in case you were wondering if you could handle reading it) I can see a lot of people talking about how this book made them cry, so be prepared.
On the whole, I liked this.
Thank you to the publisher for the copy of this book for review.
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