Cloud on Sand

by Gabriella De Ferrari

A young woman, the daughter of a lonely, scornful widow, escapes the stultifying environment of her mother's Italian villa in the 1920s when she flees with her lover to Peru.

Genres: Fiction

Hardcover

First published March 17, 1990

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher describes this book as "a tale of two women" and, inadequate as that is, I am puzzled as to how to appropriately describe this interesting and provocative book.

It is in many ways the coming of age story of a young Italian woman who escapes her unhappy family life by marrying and relocating to South America. But that description also is belittling for such a rich psychological drama.

It is a beautiful portrait of a lonely aristocratic man who establishes a symbiotic relationship with both mother and daughter;

It is a mystery about the mother's "secret life" and cruel behaviour towards her children;

and it is a lush historical novel that provides perspective on pre-WW2 life in Europe and South America.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the story raises more questions than it answers. The book ended without enlightment regarding the characters' motivations and/or secrets and I suspect that is just as the author intended it---satisfying but cloudy.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a woman growing up in Italy between the World Wars, and her efforts to make a life for herself after being raised by an extremely detached and neglectful mother.

I guess the central message of the book was that love comes in so many different forms, and that something that doesn't "look" like love should look doesn't make it any less of real love. But I thought the "message," if that's what it was, was very subtle; not strong enough to make for a very interesting or compelling story. I had to guess too much at what the message really was, for it to make an impact on me.

[Suebee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating tale about mother and daughter