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Grasso Family Trilogy #1
A Kiss from Maddalena
One of the few remaining men in the village of Santa Cecilia during the Second World War, Vito Leone falls in love with the beautiful daughter of the town's most powerful family despite their disapproval and seeks to prove himself when Germany seizes control. Reader's Guide available. Reprint.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
Christopher Castellani
12 books306 followersChristopher Castellani is the author of five books, most recently the novel Leading Men, for which he received Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, MacDowell, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Leading Men was published by Viking Penguin, and is currently being adapted for film by Peter Spears (Oscar-winning producer of Nomadland) and Searchlight Pictures.
The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story, a collection of essays on point of view in fiction, was published in 2016 by Graywolf Press, and is taught in many creative writing workshops.
His first novel, A Kiss from Maddalena (Algonquin, 2003) won the Massachusetts Book Award; its follow-up, The Saint of Lost Things (Algonquin, 2005), was a BookSense (IndieBound) Notable Book; the final novel in the trilogy, All This Talk of Love (Algonquin, 2013), was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Literary Award.
Christopher is currently on the faculty and academic board of the Warren Wilson MFA program and the faculty of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Since 2019, he has chaired the Writing Panel at YoungArts, aka the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists. For nearly twenty years, Christopher was in executive leadership at GrubStreet, where he founded the Muse and the Marketplace national literary conference and led the development of numerous artistic programs for adults, teens, and seniors. In 2015, he was awarded the Barnes and Noble/Poets & Writers “Writer for Writers” Award in recognition of his contributions to the literary community and his generosity toward fellow writers.
The son of Italian immigrants, Christopher’s work often centers the Italian, Italian-American, and queer experience. He was educated at Swarthmore College, received his Masters in English Literature from Tufts University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Boston University. A native of Wilmington, DE, he now lives in Boston and Provincetown, MA, where he is completing his fifth novel, Last Seen , with the support of a 2024 Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Last Seen will be published in February 2026 by Viking Penguin.
The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story, a collection of essays on point of view in fiction, was published in 2016 by Graywolf Press, and is taught in many creative writing workshops.
His first novel, A Kiss from Maddalena (Algonquin, 2003) won the Massachusetts Book Award; its follow-up, The Saint of Lost Things (Algonquin, 2005), was a BookSense (IndieBound) Notable Book; the final novel in the trilogy, All This Talk of Love (Algonquin, 2013), was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and a finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Literary Award.
Christopher is currently on the faculty and academic board of the Warren Wilson MFA program and the faculty of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference. Since 2019, he has chaired the Writing Panel at YoungArts, aka the National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists. For nearly twenty years, Christopher was in executive leadership at GrubStreet, where he founded the Muse and the Marketplace national literary conference and led the development of numerous artistic programs for adults, teens, and seniors. In 2015, he was awarded the Barnes and Noble/Poets & Writers “Writer for Writers” Award in recognition of his contributions to the literary community and his generosity toward fellow writers.
The son of Italian immigrants, Christopher’s work often centers the Italian, Italian-American, and queer experience. He was educated at Swarthmore College, received his Masters in English Literature from Tufts University, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Boston University. A native of Wilmington, DE, he now lives in Boston and Provincetown, MA, where he is completing his fifth novel, Last Seen , with the support of a 2024 Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Last Seen will be published in February 2026 by Viking Penguin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
December 15, 2014
I’m very iffy about Romances and I swear it has nothing to do with my apparent lack of experience in the love department. Sure, I sit down for the occasional chick-lit from time to time, but I usually avoid hardcore love stories because most of the time they end up pretty much generic; it’s either too draggy and full of fluff that I get bored waiting for my tears to come out or it’s too plain melodramatic that I get bored to tears. I blame it on my having read Nicholas Sparks at age 9.
I am therefore wonderfully caught off-guard by Christopher Castellani’s A Kiss from Maddalena, because it shattered all my juvenile traumas about romances. For once, no one’s dying from cancer, suffering from alzheimers, divorcing or killing each other, finding their lost parents, or are secretly vampires. It’s ironic because the plot and backdrop of the novel is in fact on a grander scale and yet the intimacy and the genuineness of the characters’ lives still resonate from cover to cover. We get a vivid first-hand account of the second world war and its aftermath in Italy—we don’t just meet a pair of lovers or a family; we meet an entire town and the many ties and traditions that binds them together. Most importantly, the book is still very much anchored around the bittersweet affair between Vito and Maddalena—probably the most passionate and saddest tale I’ve read for this year.
I’m not even embarrassed to admit that I still repeatedly read the last paragraphs like these are from a page torn off a haunted love letter my soul has been wanting to write for so long. This book gives heartache a voice. Thank you Mr. Castellani, my faith in Romances has been completely restored.
The prologue is catchy ad intriguing—essentially what all books should be right off the bat. We start right away with the book’s turning point, and the author did such a fantastic job with keeping things hanging and then letting the chapters unfold naturally in a way that will still make you wonder how, when, where, who, why and what the hell happened. The first chapters were low-key but nonetheless brilliant; Castellani’s writing is so rich and precise, minus all the fluff. See, I’ve got issues with atmospheric descriptions in novels and I’m usually impatient with introductions, but this book opened in a very fluid way that transported me when and where it happened. It’s magical and I can’t help but wish I could write like this:
But of course, my favorite thing about it is still the budding affection between the passionate Vito Leone and the beautiful Maddalena Piccinelli. There’s this lovely scene at the early part of the book where they’re still on the process of getting to know each other amidst their friendship with peers. It was a time of innocence, and of the carefree days of being young. In many ways, this scene felt foreboding and in turns, poignant and piercing.
It’s crazy how this book can make you symphatize with all the characters from one page to another. In this particular moment for instance, I can deeply identify with Maddalena’s inner thoughts before they were separated because of the bombings:
And then ultimately, my heart breaks for Vito, so dedicated and loyal and loving. Here’s a boy of eighteen, caught in the crossfires of war, adolescence and the travails of young love.
Now that’s a good romance novel: Gripping and lingering, by all accounts, memorable—I read, I wept, I loved.
I am therefore wonderfully caught off-guard by Christopher Castellani’s A Kiss from Maddalena, because it shattered all my juvenile traumas about romances. For once, no one’s dying from cancer, suffering from alzheimers, divorcing or killing each other, finding their lost parents, or are secretly vampires. It’s ironic because the plot and backdrop of the novel is in fact on a grander scale and yet the intimacy and the genuineness of the characters’ lives still resonate from cover to cover. We get a vivid first-hand account of the second world war and its aftermath in Italy—we don’t just meet a pair of lovers or a family; we meet an entire town and the many ties and traditions that binds them together. Most importantly, the book is still very much anchored around the bittersweet affair between Vito and Maddalena—probably the most passionate and saddest tale I’ve read for this year.
I’m not even embarrassed to admit that I still repeatedly read the last paragraphs like these are from a page torn off a haunted love letter my soul has been wanting to write for so long. This book gives heartache a voice. Thank you Mr. Castellani, my faith in Romances has been completely restored.
The prologue is catchy ad intriguing—essentially what all books should be right off the bat. We start right away with the book’s turning point, and the author did such a fantastic job with keeping things hanging and then letting the chapters unfold naturally in a way that will still make you wonder how, when, where, who, why and what the hell happened. The first chapters were low-key but nonetheless brilliant; Castellani’s writing is so rich and precise, minus all the fluff. See, I’ve got issues with atmospheric descriptions in novels and I’m usually impatient with introductions, but this book opened in a very fluid way that transported me when and where it happened. It’s magical and I can’t help but wish I could write like this:
In the far corner of West Olive, the trees stood so close together that the leaves made a second sky. Girls sat in circles under it and complained about their mothers. They gossiped about whoever showed up late or left early. When the army trucks swallowed up their brothers and boyfriends and young fathers, they came here to forget or cry or admit I’m glad he’s gone. After they turned twenty, they found somewhere else to talk—they got married or they leaned against the front walls of stores and acted smart—but until then, the olive grove was the center of their world.
But of course, my favorite thing about it is still the budding affection between the passionate Vito Leone and the beautiful Maddalena Piccinelli. There’s this lovely scene at the early part of the book where they’re still on the process of getting to know each other amidst their friendship with peers. It was a time of innocence, and of the carefree days of being young. In many ways, this scene felt foreboding and in turns, poignant and piercing.
“You won’t grow up,” Madallena said, her lips pursed. This was her vision of his life.
“The years will pass and the war will end,” she said, “but you will not get old…I see you running through a green field. I see you laughing, chasing a dog, everyone around you with white beards and crooked legs, with canes! But you are still young, still as much as a boy as today, forever. That is what I see for you; it is here in front of my face.”
“What does it mean?” asked Fiorella. She looked over at Vito curiously, as if she’d just seen him for the very first time.
“How do I know?” said Maddalena. “But I can tell you, it seems like a beautiful feature to me.”
It’s crazy how this book can make you symphatize with all the characters from one page to another. In this particular moment for instance, I can deeply identify with Maddalena’s inner thoughts before they were separated because of the bombings:
This was falling in love, she told herself. She was making it happen. You saw something about to be taken away from you, and in that moment you saw how much it was worth. She’d sneaked out of her house in the middle of the night, broken the law and betrayed her parents to come here, and that had to mean something. God had to recognize it and remember.
And then ultimately, my heart breaks for Vito, so dedicated and loyal and loving. Here’s a boy of eighteen, caught in the crossfires of war, adolescence and the travails of young love.
“Maybe I do want to scare you a little,” he said. He faced the road again, his back to her. “If I scare you, maybe you’ll think of my life sometimes, for just a little while, when you’re safe on your zia’s farm. Maybe you’ll think of my Mother’s legs that don’t work, that won’t let us leave here. Of her sleeping twenty hours a day and not recognizing me when she wakes up. I want you to think of me, Maddalena, with you not here anymore.”
Now that’s a good romance novel: Gripping and lingering, by all accounts, memorable—I read, I wept, I loved.
September 27, 2013
My entire Italian-American family has read this trilogy and we are head-nodding in agreement for our admiration. Castellani captures the Italian-American experience like few others.
But what makes A Kiss for Maddalena, The Saint of Lost Things, and All This Talk of Love remarkable is the realistic evolution of the characters. Maddalena the plucky country girl of book one becomes the provincial, ignorant and somewhat bigoted American housewife in book two. Her husband, Antonio the interloper, eventually becomes the loyal husband deserving of Maddalena's love.
All the books flirt with cliche, longeur, soap opera subplots (one of which involves watching soaps) but always resolve in unpredictable yet realistic ways. These books live and breath.
But what makes A Kiss for Maddalena, The Saint of Lost Things, and All This Talk of Love remarkable is the realistic evolution of the characters. Maddalena the plucky country girl of book one becomes the provincial, ignorant and somewhat bigoted American housewife in book two. Her husband, Antonio the interloper, eventually becomes the loyal husband deserving of Maddalena's love.
All the books flirt with cliche, longeur, soap opera subplots (one of which involves watching soaps) but always resolve in unpredictable yet realistic ways. These books live and breath.
September 18, 2013
Born after the end of World War II, my earliest memories are happy ones of family connections, a great sigh of relief followed by a time of great hope. My mother and aunts no longer had the responsibilities of juggling work shifts and child care. My father and uncles returned safely from their Europe and Pacific assignments.
In this first book of three about Maddalena Piccinelli and her family, Christopher Castellani captures a big story about a group of characters in the small town of Santa Cecilia in Italy from 1943-45. With a war raging in their country, brothers forced into military service, confusion about the Allies’ position, friend or foe, town life struggles to continue…a young man builds a bike and trades kisses for rides…young women search for love and marriage…a family holds on to traditions despite a young man’s extraordinary efforts to win their approval.
In many ways, the stories may seem similar to those of our elderly relatives during WWII…lives changed, sacrifices made, loneliness and courage. The families in this novel, however, were also forced to evacuate their small village to seek a safer haven and then, to return only to rebuild the entire town. Here, Castellani offers the reader the gift of family, a sense of place, and a longing for more without knowing where that is coming from. Decisions made reflect the times. Chiara, Maddalena’s mother, counsels her to accept her arranged marriage, “There are plenty of good men in the world, and love is easy for any one of them who takes care of you.”…”Who loves you makes you cry; who doesn’t, makes you laugh.”
In the end, Maddalena sets off on a journey many women made at the end of the war, leaving family behind, so much unknown before them. Her new husband, Antonio Grasso, comforts her, “If there’s one sad thing about life in America, it’s how fast you forget your childhood, a little each day, with nothing to remind you.” Accepting her new position and life, she discovers her new husband’s promise of honesty and integrity to her while thinking, “Someone else would decide how this would end, just as someone else had decided the war and her chances with Vito and every detail of her marriage. That she played such a small part in her own life did not enrage her. Not now. Not yet.” These are powerful words, promising and foreshadowing a continuing story in the second and third books, making Castellani one of my favorite new contemporary authors.
In this first book of three about Maddalena Piccinelli and her family, Christopher Castellani captures a big story about a group of characters in the small town of Santa Cecilia in Italy from 1943-45. With a war raging in their country, brothers forced into military service, confusion about the Allies’ position, friend or foe, town life struggles to continue…a young man builds a bike and trades kisses for rides…young women search for love and marriage…a family holds on to traditions despite a young man’s extraordinary efforts to win their approval.
In many ways, the stories may seem similar to those of our elderly relatives during WWII…lives changed, sacrifices made, loneliness and courage. The families in this novel, however, were also forced to evacuate their small village to seek a safer haven and then, to return only to rebuild the entire town. Here, Castellani offers the reader the gift of family, a sense of place, and a longing for more without knowing where that is coming from. Decisions made reflect the times. Chiara, Maddalena’s mother, counsels her to accept her arranged marriage, “There are plenty of good men in the world, and love is easy for any one of them who takes care of you.”…”Who loves you makes you cry; who doesn’t, makes you laugh.”
In the end, Maddalena sets off on a journey many women made at the end of the war, leaving family behind, so much unknown before them. Her new husband, Antonio Grasso, comforts her, “If there’s one sad thing about life in America, it’s how fast you forget your childhood, a little each day, with nothing to remind you.” Accepting her new position and life, she discovers her new husband’s promise of honesty and integrity to her while thinking, “Someone else would decide how this would end, just as someone else had decided the war and her chances with Vito and every detail of her marriage. That she played such a small part in her own life did not enrage her. Not now. Not yet.” These are powerful words, promising and foreshadowing a continuing story in the second and third books, making Castellani one of my favorite new contemporary authors.
February 18, 2013
Downloading this on a kindle for a recent plane trip I was amazed to discover a real gem.
This story is set in Italy during and after WWII, mainly about the coming of age/love affair between teenagers Vito and Maddalena. It is reminiscent of the Romeo&Juliette saga. With a first-hand look of the war and how it affected Italy in its aftermath, we see families trying to live through and pick up the pieces (literally) of their war-torn lives.
The town of Santa Cecilia has many traditions and close family ties that have to deal with change. We learn that love gives the strength and determination to carry on regardless of the odds.
The author's words are purposeful and precise. Painting a vivid portrayal of the beautiful countryside shredded as a result of enemy invasion and the characters involved, has the reader right in the midst of the action.
It surprised me how much I enjoyed this novel. I look forward to reading more from this author.
This story is set in Italy during and after WWII, mainly about the coming of age/love affair between teenagers Vito and Maddalena. It is reminiscent of the Romeo&Juliette saga. With a first-hand look of the war and how it affected Italy in its aftermath, we see families trying to live through and pick up the pieces (literally) of their war-torn lives.
The town of Santa Cecilia has many traditions and close family ties that have to deal with change. We learn that love gives the strength and determination to carry on regardless of the odds.
The author's words are purposeful and precise. Painting a vivid portrayal of the beautiful countryside shredded as a result of enemy invasion and the characters involved, has the reader right in the midst of the action.
It surprised me how much I enjoyed this novel. I look forward to reading more from this author.
August 12, 2022
Christopher Castellani has this incredible gift for making characters feel like friends and family, lifting them off the page, and securing them in our hearts. After finishing this book, it feels like I traveled through Italy, fell in love, and paid the price. And what more could you wish for in a book?
January 16, 2010
Depressing, bizarre and disorganized. Oddly enough I was mildly impressed with his descriptions of the scenery. Kind of reminded me of Cormac McCarthy because I never really became enchanted with the story. Only with the imagery and descriptions.
July 20, 2010
Chris Castellani is right up there with the M.T. Andersons of the world, the writers who make the rest of us want to give up because we can never approach them in talent. To make matters worse, I met Chris at a PEN New England event, and he's an instantly likeable, charismatic, down-to-earth guy. Some people get all the breaks.
The beating heart of A KISS FROM MADDALENA is Vito, Vito, Vito. I love Maddalena, love her sweetness, her composure, her sense of duty occasionally corrupted by passion. And the setting -- tiny Santa Cecilia, Italy, in wartime -- is brought to life with vivid morsels, from the homemade bicycle with uneven wheels to the bombs that crumble stone homes to dust. But Vito's internal struggle drives the plot. He is like an Italian Hamlet: To act on his love or to hesitate? On the one hand, my modern sensibilities kept screaming, "Go, Vito! Enough self-pity! Leave Mama be! Make Maddalena yours!" Yet my chastising would soon slip into empathy... and I'd feel horrified at my callousness. Vito cares for his mother so tenderly, so selflessly; why should this devotion be a flaw? His impotence is merely a product of his circumstances and social status... or is it?? Vito is so complex, so beautifully realized. He has stayed with me.
And the writing, oh the words themselves. Simply luscious. I believe one of the reviewers called the novel "an Italian feast"; truly, Castellani's prose stuffs you. Yet he never uses one word too many. Go ahead; read even the prologue and you'll see for yourself.
Speaking of, I had an inclination that the prologue was a WATER FOR ELEPHANTS-like device -- i.e. deliberately misleading -- but I still didn't know whether Vito and Maddalena's affair would end in bliss or heartbreak. All I'll say here is that the ending is true to all that comes before, true to the characters, and the time, and the place.
Read this novel. I'm moving on to the second in the trilogy, THE SAINT OF LOST THINGS.
The beating heart of A KISS FROM MADDALENA is Vito, Vito, Vito. I love Maddalena, love her sweetness, her composure, her sense of duty occasionally corrupted by passion. And the setting -- tiny Santa Cecilia, Italy, in wartime -- is brought to life with vivid morsels, from the homemade bicycle with uneven wheels to the bombs that crumble stone homes to dust. But Vito's internal struggle drives the plot. He is like an Italian Hamlet: To act on his love or to hesitate? On the one hand, my modern sensibilities kept screaming, "Go, Vito! Enough self-pity! Leave Mama be! Make Maddalena yours!" Yet my chastising would soon slip into empathy... and I'd feel horrified at my callousness. Vito cares for his mother so tenderly, so selflessly; why should this devotion be a flaw? His impotence is merely a product of his circumstances and social status... or is it?? Vito is so complex, so beautifully realized. He has stayed with me.
And the writing, oh the words themselves. Simply luscious. I believe one of the reviewers called the novel "an Italian feast"; truly, Castellani's prose stuffs you. Yet he never uses one word too many. Go ahead; read even the prologue and you'll see for yourself.
Speaking of, I had an inclination that the prologue was a WATER FOR ELEPHANTS-like device -- i.e. deliberately misleading -- but I still didn't know whether Vito and Maddalena's affair would end in bliss or heartbreak. All I'll say here is that the ending is true to all that comes before, true to the characters, and the time, and the place.
Read this novel. I'm moving on to the second in the trilogy, THE SAINT OF LOST THINGS.
January 16, 2014
(Edit after reading entire series: I'm adding back the star I deducted for being forced to part ways with the compelling and beautifully rendered young Vito Leone. I admit to a pang of reader rage at the end of the first book of the three, because it was clear that we would leave behind my favorite character. BUT the three-part series works so well with Maddalena at its center, and renders the Italian immigrant experience so poignantly and accurately, that I had to concede that I trust the author and he deserves a fifth star. Hope that makes sense!)
My original review:
I picked this up with a sense of dread. 1943 Italy. Nothing good can happen.
Post-war life in the provincial towns of Lazio, brilliantly and richly described by a writer whose passion for his subject matter is evident. I loved the passages where characters debated whether to stay in the old country or venture to the new.
The writing is lovely; the ending bold and believable. The book tackles huge subjects with grace. Whether one's duty lies with family or country. Whether sending a child away is an act of love. Whether it makes any difference, to the average citizen, which side of the war the country takes.
I just wasn't as into Maddalena as our hero Vito was. Yes, she's an obedient, largely powerless product of her environment, but she was a bit of a twit. Carolina (her sister) was far more interesting.
Also, I was surprised at how quickly the village rebuilt. Some hill towns of the south stayed ravaged and bombed out well into the 1960s (and beyond?). Perhaps the village's proximity to Rome (and the wide road that's almost a character in the novel) helped speed things along.
My original review:
I picked this up with a sense of dread. 1943 Italy. Nothing good can happen.
Post-war life in the provincial towns of Lazio, brilliantly and richly described by a writer whose passion for his subject matter is evident. I loved the passages where characters debated whether to stay in the old country or venture to the new.
The writing is lovely; the ending bold and believable. The book tackles huge subjects with grace. Whether one's duty lies with family or country. Whether sending a child away is an act of love. Whether it makes any difference, to the average citizen, which side of the war the country takes.
I just wasn't as into Maddalena as our hero Vito was. Yes, she's an obedient, largely powerless product of her environment, but she was a bit of a twit. Carolina (her sister) was far more interesting.
Also, I was surprised at how quickly the village rebuilt. Some hill towns of the south stayed ravaged and bombed out well into the 1960s (and beyond?). Perhaps the village's proximity to Rome (and the wide road that's almost a character in the novel) helped speed things along.
January 28, 2013
What a delightful slice of heaven this book was! I loved every word, and savored this book like a delicious Italian gelato. Romance, the Italian country side, coming of age, betrayal... This book had it all and had me in tears at the end. I'm happy to find the story continues in a second book, which I plan to start this week! I recommend it as a lazy, romantic book. Not a thriller or mystery that you can't put down, but definitely a page turner that gets you involved in its characters and where they end up.
December 27, 2018
Set in World War II Italy, this romance sees.young Vito on the cusp of the age where he can be drafted. His village has already lost many young men to the war. War has impoverished the village although its support for Mussolini remains fairly strong. Vito seeks the affections of Maddalena, but her parents see the pretty girl married to someone far above Vito's station. Maddalena is intrigued by his desire. In short order, Italy collapses and retires from the war. Angry Germans rush in to fill the void against the advancing allied armies. Vito rescues his mother and even rebuilds the home of Maddalena's parents which does nothing to help his stature in their eyes. Maddalena recognizes Vito's strong affection toward her, but is she strong enough of character to return his love in the face of external resistance. I found this a real good story. It is hard to overcome caste differences as this book demonstrates..
December 26, 2018
A deeply felt story, A Kiss from Maddelena is not your ordinary romance novel.
Christopher Castellani writes with the power and emotion of a more seasoned writer, proving that he belongs in the world of words.
Vito is immediately lovable, Maddelena is strong willed and sweet at the same time. The family members surrounding them are complements and opposites.
The deep convictions of love are bound to prevail from the start. But, twists and turns change it's course, leaving the reader astonished. The scenes are touching, lyrical and heart shattering.
I won't say more, but read this stunning tale.
Christopher Castellani writes with the power and emotion of a more seasoned writer, proving that he belongs in the world of words.
Vito is immediately lovable, Maddelena is strong willed and sweet at the same time. The family members surrounding them are complements and opposites.
The deep convictions of love are bound to prevail from the start. But, twists and turns change it's course, leaving the reader astonished. The scenes are touching, lyrical and heart shattering.
I won't say more, but read this stunning tale.
August 11, 2013
I tried. I tried to finish but this is such a boring book. I couldn't engage with any f the characters or the writing. I really can't pin down what it was about the book something seemed dormant and dull in the narrative. Wouldn't recommend.
January 29, 2012
it's sad...the ending wasn't what i was expecting at all!
February 6, 2013
Read this when it first came out. Its a trilogy and the last one was just released. Loved it - although that was a long time ago!
February 9, 2013
A sweet book and nice easy weekend read!
January 22, 2014
Loved it! Felt like I was sitting around the table hearing the older generations talk about the old country!
October 30, 2024
This is a love story, which is definitely not something I would ever choose to read on my own. I also appreciate being able to read an author's first novel. His prose is very well crafted, and I enjoyed the interspersed Italian phrases throughout. It was interesting to be transported to another time and place (Italy 1945) and see how the war may have affected those lifestyles. The story is a novel and should be called historical fiction, but these stories are apparently informed by true events. I was mostly happy with the ending, but I do think it ended too quickly. It was interesting how the tense changed somewhat throughout the final chapters as the author sought to tie up some loose ends and give the reader some element of closure. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this author. I just realized this is the first novel in a trilogy, and so maybe I'll pick up the second book when I'm feeling slightly more romantic.
January 2, 2018
I'm not sure how I felt about this book; I may give it closer to a 3.5 than a 3, only because the ending kept me on my toes. However, most of the book was a bit slow, and I found it sort of hard to focus, especially when the war was going on, and Vito was trying to find his place in Santa Cecilia. I would have liked to read more about the interaction between Vito and Carolina near the end of the book but, the author decided to leave that in the air, focusing solely on Antonio and Maddalena. I felt that some of the characters could have been expanded upon more, such as Maddalena's sisters, or her parents. I felt that this book was dry at times however, it did get better closer to the end. I should have read this book first as I later realized it comes as a series.
November 3, 2023
A painful romance that takes place in Italy during WWII. Interesting insight into the turmoil and confusion as Italy changed sides -- those on fronts fighting with the Germans in Russia suddenly switching to fighting with the Russians; those coming home celebrated or castigated for their alliances depending on when they joined the war; the few men left behind and how they navigated their shame or discomfort. But primarily it deals with class and the lack of choice of girls and women had in their lives -- whom to marry and when -- and the "awful fate" of being a spinster.
February 19, 2019
I picked this up because I really enjoyed the author's latest work, but just couldn't like this as much as the other. This is billed as a romance, but there's no progression in the man characters' relationship until the very end of the work. I was more curious about the bits of the story mentioned in passing than in the main plot. There's more in this series, but I'm not sure if I have another in me!
July 7, 2025
I love this book SO MUCH. Picked it up at a random thrift store and I am so glad that I did. I had never heard of it before but now it has slipped into my brain forever. Easily a favourite book of mine. The characters in this book are extremely magnificent and so well written in a way that they are always consistent and/or true to who they are. The ending, as much as it was heartbreaking, was satisfying and made sense. I couldn't see it any other way even if it made me emotional.
March 9, 2019
I typically do not write negative reviews. that being said, I was really disappointed in this book. I am of Italian decent from Little Italy in Wilmington, DE, so I really wanted to like this story. But I found it contrived and drawn out, the characters almost comical and, all in all, I just couldn't recommend this read.
March 15, 2020
I loved this book the first time I read it (10 years ago) and thought I'd give it a reread.
I loved it just as much the second time! I think I'll try the next book in the trilogy, although sometimes that leads to disappointment. I'm OK with the way the book ends, even after being left with more questions than answers.
I loved it just as much the second time! I think I'll try the next book in the trilogy, although sometimes that leads to disappointment. I'm OK with the way the book ends, even after being left with more questions than answers.
June 19, 2025
This is a coming of age story, a romance and a betrayal. Though I am 2nd generation American born many scenes were familiar. This was a portrayal that rang sadly true to me.
The book is well done. I just don't know if I will continue with the series. I will look at reviews to see if book 2 &3 have more joy.
The book is well done. I just don't know if I will continue with the series. I will look at reviews to see if book 2 &3 have more joy.
December 30, 2025
Loved this Italian historical fiction novel. You can tell this story was written by an Italian because the story is so true to life when it comes to small town, big family Italian drama! I loved everything about this book…especially Vito❤️. Highly recommend this book for any reader that loves a good Italian family drama with love and history.
July 2, 2020
So, this is the first in a trilogy. It was pretty good but not sure that I will read the other 2. I couldn't quite fall in love with the characters. I like the story and the premise but it did drag a bit.
May 18, 2025
A love story in the 1940’s that wasn’t about the war. The war affected the people in the story, but it wasn’t the, main focus. I was rooting for Vito, I wanted him to get everything he was working towards. I enjoyed this book very much. Wasn’t so sure I would at first.
August 29, 2019
This was a great book! Hard for me to read at times (old eyes) but so worth it, especially for people who like to read about that time period such as myself. His next book sounds great too!
August 26, 2021
The villagers of Santa Cecilia came to life in Castellani’s realistic and sensitive prose. It was like hearing family stories about the Old Country.
June 13, 2022
Frustrating & sad but that's how many lives end up. I never realized Italy switched sides after the fall of Mussolini.
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