Member Review
Review by
Erin K, Reviewer
I love a good epic novel, and this historical fiction story had a lot to chew on. It follows the long life of Stella Fortuna, from her childhood living in a small village in Italy to her adulthood as an immigrant in America. Throughout her life, Stella survives several near-death experiences (which gives this book a little bit of a magical realism flair).
Grames is super adept at creating authentic characters and her female characters (especially Stella and her mother, Assunta) make the story feel intensely intriguing and readable. I never felt my interest lag during the entire book - there's plenty of drama to keep any reader's interest even though it's a tad long.
The only downside for me was with the ending. There were a few aspects that felt under-developed to me. By connecting to the characters through their whole lives, I wanted a little more closure in their later years. Otherwise, I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for something meaty to dive into.
Grames is super adept at creating authentic characters and her female characters (especially Stella and her mother, Assunta) make the story feel intensely intriguing and readable. I never felt my interest lag during the entire book - there's plenty of drama to keep any reader's interest even though it's a tad long.
The only downside for me was with the ending. There were a few aspects that felt under-developed to me. By connecting to the characters through their whole lives, I wanted a little more closure in their later years. Otherwise, I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for something meaty to dive into.
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