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Italian Fever
In Italian Fever, Valerie Martin redefines the Gothic novel in a compelling tale of one woman's headlong tumble into a mystery, art, and eros.
Part romance, part gothic suspense story and wholly entertaining, Italian Fever is the story of the awakening of Lucy Stark, an American pragmatist. Lucy leads a quiet, solitary life working for a best-selling (but remarkably untalented) writer. When he dies at his villa in Tuscany, Lucy flies to Tuscany to settle his affairs. What begins as a grim chore soon threatens Stark's Emersonian self-reliance--and her very sense of what is real. The villa harbors secrets: a missing manuscript, neighbors whose Byzantine arrogance veils their dark past, a phantom whose nocturnal visits tear a gaping hole in Lucy's well-honed skepticism. And to complicate matters: Massimo, a married man whose tender attentions render Lucy breathless.
Smart, sophisticated, achingly beautiful, Italian Fever is one of the most original and compelling novels of the year.
Part romance, part gothic suspense story and wholly entertaining, Italian Fever is the story of the awakening of Lucy Stark, an American pragmatist. Lucy leads a quiet, solitary life working for a best-selling (but remarkably untalented) writer. When he dies at his villa in Tuscany, Lucy flies to Tuscany to settle his affairs. What begins as a grim chore soon threatens Stark's Emersonian self-reliance--and her very sense of what is real. The villa harbors secrets: a missing manuscript, neighbors whose Byzantine arrogance veils their dark past, a phantom whose nocturnal visits tear a gaping hole in Lucy's well-honed skepticism. And to complicate matters: Massimo, a married man whose tender attentions render Lucy breathless.
Smart, sophisticated, achingly beautiful, Italian Fever is one of the most original and compelling novels of the year.
259 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
17 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Valerie Martin
62 books256 followersValerie Martin is the author of nine novels, including Trespass, Mary Reilly, Italian Fever, and Property, three collections of short fiction, and a biography of St. Francis of Assisi, titled Salvation. She has been awarded a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, as well as the Kafka Prize (for Mary Reilly) and Britain’s Orange Prize (for Property). Martin’s last novel, The Confessions of Edward Day was a New York Times notable book for 2009.
A new novel The Ghost of the Mary Celeste is due from Nan Talese/Random House in January 2014, and a middle-grade book Anton and Cecil, Cats at Sea, co-written with Valerie’s niece Lisa Martin, will be out from Algonquin in October of 2013.
Valerie Martin has taught in writing programs at Mt. Holyoke College, Univ. of Massachusetts, and Sarah Lawrence College, among others. She resides in Dutchess County, New York and is currently Professor of English at Mt. Holyoke College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 13, 2024
Este é um daqueles livros que tinha na estante há anos por ler; nem sequer me lembro qual é a sua origem. Posso dizer que, apesar das diversas críticas menos positivas que li por aqui, gostei da história deste "Febre Italiana". É verdade que o enredo se tornou confuso em certo ponto, as personagens não são propriamente inesquecíveis, o final deixou-me a pensar: "É só isto?", contudo gostei desta obra de Valerie Martin. Volto a ler outro livro desta escritora? Provavelmente não, mas gosto de pensar que valeu a pena cada palavra lida, porque a verdade é que me afastou da realidade por algumas horas e isso vale imenso para mim.
July 17, 2019
This is intelligent and well-written, but not nearly as compelling as the other Martin novels I've read. I did enjoy an a-ha moment when I realized the main character and her story is somewhat a reworking of Forster's Lucy and his "A Room with a View." (The front of the book carries an epigraph from "Where Angels Fear to Tread," so it wasn't that surprising.) I'm tempted to say there's also a nod to Austen's "Northanger Abbey" with its parody of Gothic fiction in that this novel seems to be in some ways poking fun at chick-lit.
I imagine calling the dead (not a spoiler) hack-writer DV is a reference to the Latin phrase Deo Volente (God Willing)-- quite ironic.
I imagine calling the dead (not a spoiler) hack-writer DV is a reference to the Latin phrase Deo Volente (God Willing)-- quite ironic.
July 2, 2018
The MacGuffin of this novel is that it seems to be a Gothic ghost story. Some readers will fixate on that (read the 1-2 star reviews) and be very disappointed. And I really can't argue with that. Put a ghost in the beginning of the book and it can't help but stay in your imagination.
Martin specifically alludes to Henry James in several instances. This should make the astute reader think there is something more than a ghost story going on. Because with James' ghost stories, there is always something else going on - specifically with the character interacting with the ghost. Also there is James' great theme of the innocent American encountering old and corrupt Europe. And, oy, is that there.
The main character of the story, Lucy Stark (a Jamesian name like Isabel Archer or even Edith Wharton's Lily Bart) is a dogsbody for a hack popular writer DV (we never learn his first name, his last name is Vandam - "of the damned?"). DV decamps to a farmhouse in Tuscany to write his next novel. The villa of the farmhouse houses an ancient Italian family with a spectre for a patriarch. We have officially entered Gothic novel territory.
In the prologue (and this isn't really a spoiler - hence no alert), DV is medicating his writer's block with bourbon and encounters a ghostly apparition in the driveway outside. He follows the shade and dies a very Dantean death. Lucy is called over from the states as an ambassador (The Ambassadors) to deal with what needs to be done.
During her stay, the theme of the novel turns. Readers might expect hauntings and melodrama - and there are hints of that. But the Italian Fever that Lucy literally and figuratively falls under is one of self-discovery that shocks her out of her safe life. Her assumptions on characters she once respected and those who she didn't are reversed - waking her up to her prejudices (except for DV - he was still a talentless hack until his last manuscript which won't be published, that perception was correct). The Lucy Stark that returns to America is an awakened one eager to engage life that she had hidden away from so for so long. As Mr. Strether says "Live you all you can, it's a mistake not to."
Martin specifically alludes to Henry James in several instances. This should make the astute reader think there is something more than a ghost story going on. Because with James' ghost stories, there is always something else going on - specifically with the character interacting with the ghost. Also there is James' great theme of the innocent American encountering old and corrupt Europe. And, oy, is that there.
The main character of the story, Lucy Stark (a Jamesian name like Isabel Archer or even Edith Wharton's Lily Bart) is a dogsbody for a hack popular writer DV (we never learn his first name, his last name is Vandam - "of the damned?"). DV decamps to a farmhouse in Tuscany to write his next novel. The villa of the farmhouse houses an ancient Italian family with a spectre for a patriarch. We have officially entered Gothic novel territory.
In the prologue (and this isn't really a spoiler - hence no alert), DV is medicating his writer's block with bourbon and encounters a ghostly apparition in the driveway outside. He follows the shade and dies a very Dantean death. Lucy is called over from the states as an ambassador (The Ambassadors) to deal with what needs to be done.
During her stay, the theme of the novel turns. Readers might expect hauntings and melodrama - and there are hints of that. But the Italian Fever that Lucy literally and figuratively falls under is one of self-discovery that shocks her out of her safe life. Her assumptions on characters she once respected and those who she didn't are reversed - waking her up to her prejudices (except for DV - he was still a talentless hack until his last manuscript which won't be published, that perception was correct). The Lucy Stark that returns to America is an awakened one eager to engage life that she had hidden away from so for so long. As Mr. Strether says "Live you all you can, it's a mistake not to."
July 12, 2017
Loved the book, could not put it down
Italian through and through, mystery, food, customs, of course the beautiful sprinkling of the language throughout was fascinating as well. Loved Lucy and of course other characters in book, kept me wondering what happened until surprise ending.
Italian through and through, mystery, food, customs, of course the beautiful sprinkling of the language throughout was fascinating as well. Loved Lucy and of course other characters in book, kept me wondering what happened until surprise ending.
May 5, 2012
This book is such a fun read. The characters are interesting and quirky and it's full of plot twists. I loved it.
April 11, 2017
Begins promisingly, with the death of a bestselling author, by misadventure it would seem, one night n Italy. His employee, disdainful of his writing, goes to Italy to clear up his affairs and falls into an adventure. Early on, there is a certain Northanger Abbey, Castle Otranto thing going on. The civilised woman plunged into a Latin gothic scenario, fueling ever more febrile imaginings. Or perhaps there are good reasons to harbour misgivings. Perhaps, but just as quickly the pot goes off the boil. Our heroine falls ill, a device which serves more to lengthen the narrative than progress it. Emerging from the fever, the story has changed into a tame and tepid romance. More than halfway through, there is still no advance on the 'plot'. As for the characters; an insipid woman stumbling between cardboard cut outs. Frankly, I couldn't give a damn. Rather unfortunate that Valerie Martin ridicules a bestselling author, albeit a fictional one, as she fails to provide any evidence that she has mastered the craft.
July 20, 2013
When Lucy Stark's employer DV the famous author dies mysteriously in Italy she has to go and sort out his effects and take care of all his unfinished business, along the way she meets and has an affair with a local but very unsuitable man Massimo and then has suspicions as to DV's death and his way of life in Italy, this is not helped by the sinister villagers and also the hasty disappearance of DV's mistress, the artist Catherine Bultman.
Can Lucy who is thrown in at the deep end unravel all the mysteries and finally lay to rest DV and the entanglements of his life or will everything prove too much for her to handle?
Exciting and fast paced and blends history, art, mystery and romance together very well to combine all the essential elements for a great read.
Can Lucy who is thrown in at the deep end unravel all the mysteries and finally lay to rest DV and the entanglements of his life or will everything prove too much for her to handle?
Exciting and fast paced and blends history, art, mystery and romance together very well to combine all the essential elements for a great read.
May 27, 2020
"You are so suspicious, Lucia. What is it you are suspicious of? Do you think something happened here in our little corner of the world, something out of the ordinary?"
"Maybe," she confessed. "Maybe I do."
Valerie Martin, Italian Fever
"Beauty is a cruel mother, Lucy thought sleepily. She draws us in and then rejects us. Irresistible, unobtainable."
"Maybe," she confessed. "Maybe I do."
Valerie Martin, Italian Fever
"Beauty is a cruel mother, Lucy thought sleepily. She draws us in and then rejects us. Irresistible, unobtainable."
September 3, 2007
I don't remember many details of this book, except that I enjoyed it and it left me with a favorable impression of Valerie Martin. Wish I could tell you more.
May 7, 2019
This story opens with an American writer ensconced in a farmhouse in the middle of Italy, chasing (what we presume is) a ghost in the middle of the night, and then his subsequent fall into death. His assistant, the main character Lucy, flies to Italy to take care of the funeral and paperwork. She is quickly embroiled in a love affair with a married man who helped her through a trippy three-day fever where she presumably sees the same ghost as the dead writer and then the ghost of the writer himself. But that's not where the creep factor ends. Whilst looking through her boss's rooms, she discovers certain dubious things left behind by his missing girlfriend. This, coupled with some interesting side characters, kept me intrigued in this murder mystery/ ghost story/ holiday romance. However, though there is certainly enough creep factor woven into this story to make for a great ghost story, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. There was elements of mystery, and there was even a ghost or two (I think), but there wasn't exactly much of a plot.
That being said, I really enjoyed reading this even though I had a few frustrations... Mostly Lucy trying to figure out the mystery, or the non-mystery as the case may be. She had to be told "clues" and naively believed them all, and even then she interpreted them wrong so the whole mystery was based mostly on miscommunication. Another thing which bugged me about her character was her tendency to trust entirely the wrong characters based on how beautiful they look and how attentive they were to her. Her prejudice against Antonio for example - she didn't like, trust, or warm up to him because he wasn't conventionally good looking or as charming as the (so depicted) average Italian man. And then there's handsome, muscular Massimo who she trusts completely. All heroics and charm who she falls in love with (sigh) and is of course a massive pretentious prick (what a shock!).
After writing this all out, I can't fathom why I enjoyed it so much. Must have been the combination of a great setting, interesting characters, and just enough intrigue.
That being said, I really enjoyed reading this even though I had a few frustrations... Mostly Lucy trying to figure out the mystery, or the non-mystery as the case may be. She had to be told "clues" and naively believed them all, and even then she interpreted them wrong so the whole mystery was based mostly on miscommunication. Another thing which bugged me about her character was her tendency to trust entirely the wrong characters based on how beautiful they look and how attentive they were to her. Her prejudice against Antonio for example - she didn't like, trust, or warm up to him because he wasn't conventionally good looking or as charming as the (so depicted) average Italian man. And then there's handsome, muscular Massimo who she trusts completely. All heroics and charm who she falls in love with (sigh) and is of course a massive pretentious prick (what a shock!).
After writing this all out, I can't fathom why I enjoyed it so much. Must have been the combination of a great setting, interesting characters, and just enough intrigue.
August 7, 2007
I'm not one for ghost stories, especially when living alone, but this one was more or less worth it. I wouldn't even really describe it as a ghost story, since it's just as much about the narrator's self-discovery, but the ghost factor is pretty major so if you're very easily spooked, I wouldn't recommend it.
To make a long story short, a woman is unexpectedly called to Italy--Tuscany of course, because that's the only province in Italy--to deal with her employer's accidental death. There she gets sick and is cared for by her handsome, married translator, discovers a mystery involving (of course) an old villa and aristocratic family, follows ghosts around, and (I can relate) tries to tour with an injured ankle. As a result, she returns home with a much more realistic view of her own character. The author apparently couldn't decide if it was to be about a ghost or about an American's misadventures in Italy, so there's something in it for both of those camps. An enjoyable diversion, especially for a quick reader or someone with a little too much time on his hands.
To make a long story short, a woman is unexpectedly called to Italy--Tuscany of course, because that's the only province in Italy--to deal with her employer's accidental death. There she gets sick and is cared for by her handsome, married translator, discovers a mystery involving (of course) an old villa and aristocratic family, follows ghosts around, and (I can relate) tries to tour with an injured ankle. As a result, she returns home with a much more realistic view of her own character. The author apparently couldn't decide if it was to be about a ghost or about an American's misadventures in Italy, so there's something in it for both of those camps. An enjoyable diversion, especially for a quick reader or someone with a little too much time on his hands.
July 8, 2008
Terrible doesn't even begin to describe this book. Sleep-inducing, maybe. After a promising few pages, I kept reading until I got to the point that I felt I had to finish it even though I was hating it. I suppose I just kept waiting for it to improve and sadly, it did not. The last 30 or so pages were skimmed just to try and make sense of the plot.
The characters were unlikeable and the plot was thin. I was hoping that at least the description of the book's Italian setting would make this a worthwhile read, but the country gets shortchanged as well.
I read something that compared this book to the work of E.M. Forster. This novel in no way resembles anything close to Forster, other than the geographic location and the fact that the main character is a woman abroad.
The characters were unlikeable and the plot was thin. I was hoping that at least the description of the book's Italian setting would make this a worthwhile read, but the country gets shortchanged as well.
I read something that compared this book to the work of E.M. Forster. This novel in no way resembles anything close to Forster, other than the geographic location and the fact that the main character is a woman abroad.
October 13, 2019
Italian Fever is an interesting adventure in arts, Tuscany, history and love. Based close to Rome our heroine does the best she can to clean up after her deceased employer, a popular American writer who has made millions with his mediocre talent. In the course of preparing the dead man's papers and personal belongings for a return to the USA, many questions arise for which there seems to be scant interest and fewer answers.
October 11, 2012
Charming, if a little cliche` saturated; the author seems undecided whether she was writing a ghost story or a romance. Characters are intriguing, landscape believable, sketches of farmers most interesting.
February 23, 2016
Read this immediately after reading Martin's "Property", which was fabulous. Really disappointed with this novel; didn't enjoy plot, writing style or any of the truly awful characters. Got absolutely nothing from this book at all.
April 6, 2016
I'm not sure that I absolutely "got" this novel but there were moments of beautifully informed insight into the passions of a plain, good heartewoman. It was original and well written and that was enough to keep me engorssed in the story.
September 23, 2009
After I finished this book, I thought "Why did I read the whole thing?" I don't have an answer. What a ridiculous story.
May 28, 2017
enjoyed its being candid and simple, the tour it gave of rome and tuscany, and its comments on art and writing
October 15, 2025
An interesting mix between mystery, romance, and maybe a paranormal thriller or psychological mind-bending unreliable narrator type of story? There was no actual resolution of the original mystery, but there were enough answers for Lucy to be satisfied. A quick and honestly very mid love affair. I've had one-night-stands more exciting than the love affair in this book. But, nonetheless, it is a very cute, cozy, mysterious, romantic Italian adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it despite the confusing plot. Though... the title says it all? Did anything in this book actually happen? Or was it all just an Italian fever? Who knows.
"That kiss, that kiss. It would recur in her imagination with all its power and mystery intact whenever she read words like voluptuous, passionate, sensuous, for the rest of her life. Or so she thought as she lay quietly in her bed that evening, examining it with the care and precision of a jeweler setting a precious stone."
'He was standing at the stove in the kitchen, stirring a pan of fragrant olives and tomatoes with one hand while he held the telephone to his ear with the other. When Lucy pulled out the chair from the table, she startled him. He turned around, looking angry, then, seeing her, he smiled, the anger vanishing. He said a few words into the phone. She understood "Ora devo riattaccare"-"I must hang up now." Then he closed the phone and laid it on the table, giving it a last impatient shove, as if he expected it to bite him. "You are up," he observed. "And walking about on your own." "I'm cured," she said, She didn't add the hyperbolic corollary that sprang to her mind-I've been cured by your kiss-though she knew he might read it in her eyes if he cared to.'
"Though she admired his body, it was immediately obvious that she could not be more gratified by it than he was. All modesty was banished from their coupling because it was so evidently unnecessary. His body was a gift to her, and everything about hers interested him. He was determined to know everything that could be known about it. He reminded her of a man who has purchased an expensive and complicated new automobile; he wanted to maintain it perfectly in order to run it hard and fast."
"How could he know her so well in bed and so little outside of it?"
'She pulled the covers up around her chin and stretched out languorously, noting with pleasure and very little surprise the soreness in her hip sockets and across her shoulders. "I've been rearranged," she said dreamily.'
'"But I am not a god." He unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off, and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She kissed his cheek, bit his ear, wrapped her arms around his bare shoulders.
"That's okay," she said. "Because I am not a saint."'
"Beauty is a cruel mother, Lucy thought sleepily. She draws us in and then rejects us. Irresistible, unobtainable."
"That kiss, that kiss. It would recur in her imagination with all its power and mystery intact whenever she read words like voluptuous, passionate, sensuous, for the rest of her life. Or so she thought as she lay quietly in her bed that evening, examining it with the care and precision of a jeweler setting a precious stone."
'He was standing at the stove in the kitchen, stirring a pan of fragrant olives and tomatoes with one hand while he held the telephone to his ear with the other. When Lucy pulled out the chair from the table, she startled him. He turned around, looking angry, then, seeing her, he smiled, the anger vanishing. He said a few words into the phone. She understood "Ora devo riattaccare"-"I must hang up now." Then he closed the phone and laid it on the table, giving it a last impatient shove, as if he expected it to bite him. "You are up," he observed. "And walking about on your own." "I'm cured," she said, She didn't add the hyperbolic corollary that sprang to her mind-I've been cured by your kiss-though she knew he might read it in her eyes if he cared to.'
"Though she admired his body, it was immediately obvious that she could not be more gratified by it than he was. All modesty was banished from their coupling because it was so evidently unnecessary. His body was a gift to her, and everything about hers interested him. He was determined to know everything that could be known about it. He reminded her of a man who has purchased an expensive and complicated new automobile; he wanted to maintain it perfectly in order to run it hard and fast."
"How could he know her so well in bed and so little outside of it?"
'She pulled the covers up around her chin and stretched out languorously, noting with pleasure and very little surprise the soreness in her hip sockets and across her shoulders. "I've been rearranged," she said dreamily.'
'"But I am not a god." He unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off, and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. She kissed his cheek, bit his ear, wrapped her arms around his bare shoulders.
"That's okay," she said. "Because I am not a saint."'
"Beauty is a cruel mother, Lucy thought sleepily. She draws us in and then rejects us. Irresistible, unobtainable."
October 17, 2024
The Italian Fever by Valerie Martin
If I could describe this book in one word it would be anticlimactic. Described as part mystery, part romance, and part ghost story I would say that's not entirely accurate. The first few chapters as well as the last chapter were actually quite enjoyable. But the middle was like watching paint dry I only kept reading because I was hoping to get a satisfactory end. Which I kind of did and kind of didn't. Lucy has come to Italy to settle her now deceased boss's, DV, affairs. There she meets DV's landlords, the family, and her guide/translator assigned to her by the publishing company of her boss. She ends up getting severe food poisoning and is taken care of by her guide. What ensues is a barely-there ghost story, the most passionless "love" affair I've ever read, art history and bizarrely specific details of irrelevant scenes, including an inappropriate description of how a woman's breasts looked in her wedding dress. Like...just...why?
Honestly it felt like this book was written by two different people. The beginning promised a book of mystery, ghosts, and possibly murder. The ending wrapped it up with self-reflection and kind of an open ending with the ghost. The middle was boring, uninspiring, unrealistic, and inconsistent. At one point our main character could barely get out of bed without assistance but just a few hours later had enough energy and stamina for satisfying sex. If you've ever been as sick as what was described in the book you'd know there's no way that would be possible. Scenes that ended up not being relevant at all were described in great detail while important essential scenes to the plot were glossed over. The love-interest was 2-dimensional and I really struggled to understand why both characters entered into this affair as he is a married manband there absolutely NO chemistry between them. The main character is overly judgemental of those around her and has no remorse for having an affair with a man who has a wife and kids. There were absolutely zero repercussions for their bad behavior.
Not a whole lot happened in this book, either. I thought it was going to be maybe some kind of murder/mystery with a touch of paranormal, perfect for an October read. But half the book was spent on an affair that lacked passion, drive, and motive. The other half is spent chasing after the latest ex of the now deceased boss. The ghost story is kind of squeezed in there without much thought except at the very end.
I have to give this 2.5 stars.
If I could describe this book in one word it would be anticlimactic. Described as part mystery, part romance, and part ghost story I would say that's not entirely accurate. The first few chapters as well as the last chapter were actually quite enjoyable. But the middle was like watching paint dry I only kept reading because I was hoping to get a satisfactory end. Which I kind of did and kind of didn't. Lucy has come to Italy to settle her now deceased boss's, DV, affairs. There she meets DV's landlords, the family, and her guide/translator assigned to her by the publishing company of her boss. She ends up getting severe food poisoning and is taken care of by her guide. What ensues is a barely-there ghost story, the most passionless "love" affair I've ever read, art history and bizarrely specific details of irrelevant scenes, including an inappropriate description of how a woman's breasts looked in her wedding dress. Like...just...why?
Honestly it felt like this book was written by two different people. The beginning promised a book of mystery, ghosts, and possibly murder. The ending wrapped it up with self-reflection and kind of an open ending with the ghost. The middle was boring, uninspiring, unrealistic, and inconsistent. At one point our main character could barely get out of bed without assistance but just a few hours later had enough energy and stamina for satisfying sex. If you've ever been as sick as what was described in the book you'd know there's no way that would be possible. Scenes that ended up not being relevant at all were described in great detail while important essential scenes to the plot were glossed over. The love-interest was 2-dimensional and I really struggled to understand why both characters entered into this affair as he is a married manband there absolutely NO chemistry between them. The main character is overly judgemental of those around her and has no remorse for having an affair with a man who has a wife and kids. There were absolutely zero repercussions for their bad behavior.
Not a whole lot happened in this book, either. I thought it was going to be maybe some kind of murder/mystery with a touch of paranormal, perfect for an October read. But half the book was spent on an affair that lacked passion, drive, and motive. The other half is spent chasing after the latest ex of the now deceased boss. The ghost story is kind of squeezed in there without much thought except at the very end.
I have to give this 2.5 stars.
June 30, 2024
I expected a book good for escapist summer reading and found all those pleasing aspects, but the book was more.
The good: Lots of things, but especially characters. Lucy (Lucia), Antonio, Catharine, and Massimo are memorable.
The main reason this book exceeded my expectations is that main character Lucy goes beyond the lower levels of self-discovery during her time in Italy. As anticipated, she uncovers previously unknown appetites for food, sex, and life, but also, after time and events, admits that her early impressions should not always be trusted. She finds herself foolish, impressionable, and not a good judge of character, whereas her previous self-opinion included being practical, aloof, and principled.
There are descriptions of Rome, the countryside, architecture, and art that are worth reading again. Lucy’s thoughts when seeing Bernini’s sculptures are fantastic, exceptional, and sent this reader to the computer to look at photos of his work.
There is a well-written love affair.
The not-so-good: the story begins with a mystery. Lucy is called to Italy to deal with the death of a writer she edited. It seemed to this reader that the novel began as a mystery with the characters’ involvements as secondary, but became the opposite. A mysterious “ghost” and details of the death begin the book and then a resolution of sorts (not a satisfactory resolution) is tacked onto the end. At times it succeeds in being “creepy.”
The nice detail: The title has at least 2 meanings, a literal one and the trope of losing oneself –or rather finding oneself- in Italy’s culture of romance, art, and history. In Italy one is supposed to indulge in the richness and fullness of life.
Quotes: He held out his hand, which she took briefly, for it was so cold and limp, it offered nothing in the way of greeting but seemed, rather, to have been extended to inform her of his acquaintance with and indifference to the ordinary forms of courtesy.
The good: Lots of things, but especially characters. Lucy (Lucia), Antonio, Catharine, and Massimo are memorable.
The main reason this book exceeded my expectations is that main character Lucy goes beyond the lower levels of self-discovery during her time in Italy. As anticipated, she uncovers previously unknown appetites for food, sex, and life, but also, after time and events, admits that her early impressions should not always be trusted. She finds herself foolish, impressionable, and not a good judge of character, whereas her previous self-opinion included being practical, aloof, and principled.
There are descriptions of Rome, the countryside, architecture, and art that are worth reading again. Lucy’s thoughts when seeing Bernini’s sculptures are fantastic, exceptional, and sent this reader to the computer to look at photos of his work.
There is a well-written love affair.
The not-so-good: the story begins with a mystery. Lucy is called to Italy to deal with the death of a writer she edited. It seemed to this reader that the novel began as a mystery with the characters’ involvements as secondary, but became the opposite. A mysterious “ghost” and details of the death begin the book and then a resolution of sorts (not a satisfactory resolution) is tacked onto the end. At times it succeeds in being “creepy.”
The nice detail: The title has at least 2 meanings, a literal one and the trope of losing oneself –or rather finding oneself- in Italy’s culture of romance, art, and history. In Italy one is supposed to indulge in the richness and fullness of life.
Quotes: He held out his hand, which she took briefly, for it was so cold and limp, it offered nothing in the way of greeting but seemed, rather, to have been extended to inform her of his acquaintance with and indifference to the ordinary forms of courtesy.
May 21, 2021
Actually I enjoyed this book just for what it is...a kind of dolce for the woman who loves anything Italian...as I do! The plot was interesting, and took a few turns that kept me reading. It was fun to try to figure out who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. The ending was satisfying.
But Lucy's completely unexplained illness and the multiple chapters describing her vomiting, fever dreams, hallucinations, night sweats, and other miserable symptoms were way too long and detailed. Why did we need to know she had her period and that the handsome, suave, caring, gentle, but deceitful Italian hero Massimo put a pad between her legs while she was near comatose with fever? Ugh.
But hey, if I were sick, I'd be delighted for Massimo to sponge my fevered brow, feed me broth, and wrap me in blankets to keep me warm when I had chills! Then make love to me in Tuscany and Rome! Are you kidding?
Did I mention the ghost?
So tell us what caused her Italian fever, and do some hard editing of the sick bed scenes, and let the story stand on its own. I might have given it an extra half star. The author's skill was apparent. The editor's was not.
I needed a paperback to read on an airplane trip to the west coast and this fit the bill. Plus I had visited Sansepulcro and Rome, and that made the book more fun for me. If you like all things Italian, then you will probably enjoy this as a fun diversion or a beach read.
But Lucy's completely unexplained illness and the multiple chapters describing her vomiting, fever dreams, hallucinations, night sweats, and other miserable symptoms were way too long and detailed. Why did we need to know she had her period and that the handsome, suave, caring, gentle, but deceitful Italian hero Massimo put a pad between her legs while she was near comatose with fever? Ugh.
But hey, if I were sick, I'd be delighted for Massimo to sponge my fevered brow, feed me broth, and wrap me in blankets to keep me warm when I had chills! Then make love to me in Tuscany and Rome! Are you kidding?
Did I mention the ghost?
So tell us what caused her Italian fever, and do some hard editing of the sick bed scenes, and let the story stand on its own. I might have given it an extra half star. The author's skill was apparent. The editor's was not.
I needed a paperback to read on an airplane trip to the west coast and this fit the bill. Plus I had visited Sansepulcro and Rome, and that made the book more fun for me. If you like all things Italian, then you will probably enjoy this as a fun diversion or a beach read.
January 6, 2020
O livro passa-se em Itália, mais propriamente em Ugolino, no seio das habitações da família Cini.
Um escritor morreu e sem entender o porquê e como disso ter acontecido, a sua assistente foi em busca de respostas.
No livro encontramos referências históricas, de arte, referindo-me mais especificamente à pintura e escultura.
É um livro que nos conta a história de alguém que foi em busca de ideias criativas para escrever, encontrou o amor e depois teve que viver com o ressentimento de o perder, delirando construiu uma história inspirada num acontecimento passado.
Um escritor morreu e sem entender o porquê e como disso ter acontecido, a sua assistente foi em busca de respostas.
No livro encontramos referências históricas, de arte, referindo-me mais especificamente à pintura e escultura.
É um livro que nos conta a história de alguém que foi em busca de ideias criativas para escrever, encontrou o amor e depois teve que viver com o ressentimento de o perder, delirando construiu uma história inspirada num acontecimento passado.
February 1, 2021
I read this book for a bit of armchair travel and in that regard, it didn’t disappoint. The descriptions of Tuscany were gorgeous and I could see the house and Italian countryside setting clearly in my mind.
The promise of a thriller was largely unfulfilled, but it had the makings of one. Would have loved to see more developed characters or more twists and turns. It wasn’t really a satisfying ending, but it was in line with my expectations.
The promise of a thriller was largely unfulfilled, but it had the makings of one. Would have loved to see more developed characters or more twists and turns. It wasn’t really a satisfying ending, but it was in line with my expectations.
April 12, 2019
Lucy works for a popular but untalented writer and travels to Italy to wind up his affairs when he dies. This book was good in parts, I particularly liked Lucy's views on her employer's books, and the wooing of Lucy by Massimo whos job is to look after her in Italy. But there was too much of the plot where I was completely lost or did not enjoy.
November 21, 2019
The author drags out several feminine stereotypes and implants them into the unfortunate Italy, proving how pitiful Americans are. Despite having a dense brain and not much intuition, our sprightly heroin manages to leave without making a complete, total fool of herself. Good for improving your Italian.
September 18, 2020
If you believe in ghosts then mostly this novel makes sense but it is not totally satisfying. The ghost that begins the novel is never resolved in a way that is organic to the main character. Still I mostly enjoyed this novel with its discussion about art and its setting in Tuscany and Rome.
November 3, 2023
Not much of a story. No intrigue, no adventure, no conflict to be resolved. Although set in Italy, it could’ve been set anywhere. I give a star to myself for having read it to the end (although there really wasn’t an end there, simply the last page). Basta!
March 25, 2017
Real potboiler, with language leaning heavily toward cliches (especially when dealing with the heroine's love affair) and a number of different plot strings which don't intermesh very well.
March 9, 2018
I knew it was a romance going in to it and I should have stopped there.
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