‘The author wrote this story so beautifully and tackled the subject matter so poignantly’ Review by @bookishreadsandme

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 ⁣
Today is my day on the blog tour organised by @reddoorbooks celebrating the release of this wonderful debut.⁣
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Synopsis⁣
Yacobo Levi, an intellectual dreamer, and Angelo Ghione, a contadino farmer are best friends. Their Jewish and Catholic families live side by side amidst a backdrop of village communal life, Etruscan tales and the rise of Benito Mussolini. Born on the same day, their children Bella and Rico, grow up and fall in love. With the declaration of the racial laws in 1938, tensions simmer beneath the surface of love and friendship. When war is finally declared, their peaceful village is torn apart and life will never be the same again. ⁣
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My Thoughts⁣
This was such an emotional read! The author wrote this story so beautifully and tackled the subject matter so poignantly. You can see how much research must have gone into this book to help readers understand the impact the war had on the people of Italy in these small villages.The parts with the German occupation was just heart breaking to read and how the author described the terror and nerves the villagers were feeling. To have to abandon the people they love was just so sad and tragic.⁣
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The descriptions of the village with its sights, sounds and smells was just perfection. I imagined myself sitting in the cobbled streets, in the sunshine overlooking the olive trees drinking a coffee and eating a cornetti. The style of writing was exquisite. ⁣
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I loved the spiritual elements based on the Etruscan people of the past. It brought so much of an ethereal atmosphere to parts of the story. The sightings of Tanaquilla that Bella experienced was so intriguing to me. I would have loved to have learned more about her in the book. ⁣
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All the main characters in this book were written with so much depth. The love between the families and the local community shone throughout each page of the book. This is a tale of love, friendship, war and betrayal. I think fans of The Nightingale would really enjoy this book. See my blog for a full review. ⁣
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Thank you to @reddoorbooks and @amandaweinbergauthor for the book and letting me be part of the tour.

Read the original review here.