Member Review

Cover Image: The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna

Pub Date:

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.
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