Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini's racial laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice in 1943, she must flee the city to save her life.
Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh Nazi reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent anti-fascist activities threaten to tear them apart.
Decades later in London, while sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.
Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots. There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.
A heart-breaking page-turner, based on actual events in Italy during World War II.
My Review
Sometimes, I pick up a book to read and am not entirely sure if I will like it or not. Sometimes, I pick it up knowing I will love it and get stuck into reading with incredibly high expectations. I went into this book like the latter, and my expectations were met every second of the way, or indeed, with every page.
Lidia’s hopes and dreams are dashed when she is expelled from university simply because she is a Jew. As the war progresses and her safety in Venice slips away, she leaves, walking away from everything she has ever known and loved. Her sheer determination to keep putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what she encounters, is truly inspiring. She is such a brave woman, and, although her life is far from easy, she seems to take all the changes, such as exchanging books for a gun, in her stride.
Charlotte lives more in the modern-day, in 2010. Her goal is not survival, but finding out about her Gran’s past, for her Gran never spoke of her life before she travelled to England. As Charlotte digs deeper, the things she finds out shock her. I loved watching her fall in love with Venice, and the people in it, especially the owner of the hotel she is staying at, Alex.
This book is incredibly gripping, and the writing has that certain spark that makes it next to impossible to put down. I didn’t want to stop reading, and I was disappointed when I had finished it and had no more pages left to read. This book should be on your to-read list.
Buy this Book (and you really should)
This book is available for free with #KindleUnlimited subscription.
Siobhan Daiko
Social Media Links:
Website • Twitter • Publisher Facebook • Author Facebook • LinkedIn • Instagram • Pinterest • BookBub • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
I am so glad you enjoyed The Girl From Venice. Thank you so much for hosting today's tour stop.
ReplyDelete