The Lion and The Swastika

by Anna Bruni Benson

The Lion and the Swastika is a story of the brutalities of war brought home to a young girl by the fall of Mussolini in 1943 and the consequent Nazi occupation of the entire Veneto region. This is also a romantic story set against the backdrop of terrible war and of a beautiful ancient city – Venice, fascinating in all seasons, from the flowering of spring to the winter magic of snow and high tide. But it is also the story of the awakening of a young woman to the cruelty in the world and the necessity of taking radical action in defense of her ideals and the freedom of her beloved country. In Venice the emblem of the winged Lion of Saint Mark, for centuries the symbol of the glorious Venetian Republic, is still the symbol of the unyielding Venetian people. This story, based on my own experience, is one told here to inspire those who fight for love and freedom.

243 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2010

About the author

Anna Bruni Benson grew up in Venice where she attended the University of Venice (then called Ca’Foscari), from which she graduated after the World War II with a degree of Dr. in Foreign
Languages and Literatures.

After moving to Los Angeles, Anna enrolled at UCLA, where she received a Master Degree in Italian and a Ph.D in Italian, French and Spanish Languages and Literatures with a Major in the theater.

Anna went on to become the head of the Italian program at California State University, Northridge, for which she developed a Minor in Italian and staged several plays in Italian. She also published two books in English on Italian desserts, La Dolce Cucina and Solo Dolci (under the name of Anna Bruni Seldis), and a book of poetry.

Anna has returned to Venice many times to visit her parents and to do research, both written and oral, for her recently published book, The Lion and the Swastika.

Anna lives in Brentwood and is married to a professor of Chemistry from USC.

Reviews

[Nicholas Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting perspective on World War II from the viewpoint of young woman living in Venice during the Nazi's occupation of Italy during the second World War. The writing in this book was fantastic, with vivid descriptions of the struggles of the country during the time period. The main character, Marina was compassionate and at the same time ready to distribute punishment to her country's captures. It is amazing the lengths this woman goes to help any way she can with the resistances against the Nazi and Fascist troops. This is a great read for anyone looking for another look at the horrors of World War II..

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one point or another, most of us have studied World War II and learned about the horrors of the Holocaust. A lot of novels and memoirs and focus on the Nazi persecution of Jewish people, particularly concentration camps and death camps. The Lion and the Swastika, on the other hand, centers around the Nazi occupation of the Veneto region of Italy and the direct effect this had on Venice and its people.

The story focuses on a young girl named Marina Lorenzi and her family. Benson really brought the struggles of the Lorenzi family to life, such as the struggle just to get salt. It made me think about all of the things in my life that I take for granted. Although there were some scenes describing the troubles, Benson also made me sympathize for the characters by talking about the strain which the war put on their relationships with one another. I particularly enjoyed reading about Marco, the love interest, because he was such a sweet guy.

I will admit that this story was a little challenging to get into, because the writing was somewhat disjointed and choppy, and making it hard for a narrative flow to emerge. As the characters became more developed, though, this problem did get somewhat better, and I was rooting for Marina and her love story. If you want to pick up a novel that will both shed light on the conditions in Italy during WWII and keep you emotionally involved, I highly suggest picking up The Lion and the Swastika.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lion and the Swastika is basically a coming of age story set during World War II, told from the view point of a young girl, Marina. It is set in Italy, primarily Venice, and includes much history that I haven't really read about before. It is descriptive, and I've really enjoyed reading it.

In the beginning of the book, Marina is a young carefree girl. She has grown accustomed to daily sirens, but her life hasn't seem to be affected much. Things quickly change as the Nazis/Fascists invade and occupy Italy. Marina is forced to grow-up quickly and even does her part delivering messages and passing information for the partisans. It was during these tasks that she met Guido and fell in love. She is outraged at the injustice and is all to eager to to her part to fight for and defend her beloved country.

Part history, part romance, and part inspiration, this book was very enjoyable to read. Anna Bruni Benson, the author, does state that the story was based on her own experience. However, it is not specified if she based Marina's character on her personal experiences, or just bits and pieces that she incorported. It would be interesting to know the answer to this question.

[Julia Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At times mysterious, romantic, and, haunting, The Lion and the Swastika vividly traces Anna Bruni Benson’s personal experiences as a young girl growing up in Venice during World War II. Against the backdrop of the gruesome Nazi occupation of Venice, the author gracefully captures the blossoming of teenage love and the awakening of her main character, Marina, to the injustice in the world and the importance of taking action in defense of her ideals and the freedom of her beloved country. Lion and The Swastika not only offers a unique perspective on a time in Italy's history that has little been written upon, but it also tells the inspiring story of a young woman who learns to stand up for her beliefs. It is a story that will stay with you long after you have closed the book."

[DeniseF · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story but I think the characters needed a little more development. There were quite a few but I felt like I didn't really know much about them.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway. I really enjoyed reading it! It was very enjoyable. The story was engaging and well written.