‘A fantastic debut novel.’ Annie

🗓📖 Book Tour Stop 📖🗓

The Tears of Monterini by Amanda Weinberg
Publication Date: May 1, 2021 - Place it on your Calendar!

Description from Publisher...
“Monterini, Italy. 1921. Yacobo Levi, an intellectual dreamer, works in the family bookshop. Angelo Ghione, a contadino, makes good wine by singing to the grapes. Lifetime best friends, their Jewish and Catholic families live side by side amidst a backdrop of village communal life, Etruscan tales and the growth of Benito Mussolini.

Born on the same day, their children grow up and fall in love. When the 1938 racial laws are passed, the love between Bella and Rico thrives amidst and perhaps because of the fear and uncertainty. When Angelo discovers their liaison he suggests they marry but life is complicated and tensions simmer beneath the surface of love and friendship. When war is declared on the day of Bella's wedding to Michele a fellow Jew, the peaceful village they live in is torn apart, and the Levis find themselves displaced and fighting for their lives. Will life ever be the same again?”

Thank you to @reddoorbooks and Red Door Press for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and for the copy of the book in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
I was sad to see the story end. I was really connected to the characters, in tuned with their developments, and I wanted to know what happened next. I really appreciated the Italian background, even though in a fictional village, as I have not read any historical fiction based there. Through the author’s amazing descriptions I could imagine the village, the vineyards, felt the weather and was swept away during an important watershed moment in Italy’s history. I was absorbed in Rico and Bella’s friendship and their respective fathers’ friendship. The book was an emotional read that told a compelling story of prejudice, racism, love, friendships and loyalty. This book has become one of my favourites. A fantastic debut novel.

Read the original review.