When does a young lady become a woman, or, better put, what happens to a young lady that makes her earn this status, that is what we find when reading Gudrun Cuillo's new release, Casalvento: House of the Wind- in my humble opinion. Cuillo's book is not one where the main character, Erika Germoglio, comes of age or losses her innocence (although the latter may be a small part of the story), but one where she gains her first small part of the knowledge and wisdom about the truth of the people of the world and in her life, what is truly important, and how to go on despite many broken hurdles. Plus, Erika learns what she can do on her own, even though she never had anyone doing anything in her life other than stand by her side. Readers learn quickly that the poor girl was more alone before she was literally, truly alone- when she is rid of her nefarious fiancee. Embracing womanhood, embracing what was and what can be because of it, that is what I found when reading Casalvento: House of the Wind.
When Erika receives the call that a grandfather in Italy she didn't know had died, that he left her an inheritance comes as a large surprise to the young woman. And when she gets to the country, she finds two large estates that produce wine and pleasure for those who travel to stay there. And as she stays on and learns more about the business, Erika wonders more and more about the family she never knew.
What I loved as a reader about Cuillo is that through Erika readers learn a lot about wine, specifically, Italian wine. Even as a rare social drinker I found the information that was interspersed with the story interesting and something I wanted to know about. The author keeps the knowledge entertaining- never too much or too little. So as Erika learns about her grandfather's Italian wine, so do readers. Also, as Erika is taken in by her grandfather’s family, the family he made after he left America, so is Erika, along with readers. It is very much a story about what can be made out of life after things are lost, after losing everything, really. Because, as we see here, with Erika, there is always something left to make a life for yourself.
Sadly Erika had been left alone young when her parents were killed in an accident. The only person she has had in her life that has remained constant is her boyfriend of many years Craig, who recently proposed and asks her to set the date for their wedding. However when her grandfather passes and she leaves Craig to his own devices, she finds more out than she ever wanted to about the man she is to marry. When she returns to Italy, they split for a time. As a reader, personally, I was hoping forever.
However in Italy Erika soon finds out about a provision in her grandfather's will- that Erika must stay on the estate and in the country for almost half a year before she can sell any of the property. But when her grandfather's lawyers begin to deliver the many letters he wrote to her before his death, Erika begins to learn about a family story that has been long dead, one that changed the course of her life, long before she was born.
After all Erika learns in Italy, in the letters from her grandfather, the last link Eirka has on earth to family (sadly, are letters), will she stay and embrace a culture that was once alien but feels so much now, like home? The book isn’t without its villains as there are a cast of characters who want the property, think it should have gone to them before the American granddaughter- will Eirka let herself be chased away from the only place she has a connection to family?
Casalvento: House of the Wind is about an Italian American immigrant who started a family and then went home to Italy, having to leave behind what was in America. Then, his granddaughter is left all that he made in his country, and with no family of her own living, is left his story, his life. She leaves America to learn it and may stay. If this isn’t enticing enough to have you pick up a copy, there is also the Italian love interest, a man who was her grandfather's right hand man, who becomes a large part of Erika’s life, and maybe her heart. As part Italian American myself (through my father’s father), the story really spoke to me as I think it will many others who have relatives from Italy or other countries!
It was- very Happy Reading!
When Erika receives the call that a grandfather in Italy she didn't know had died, that he left her an inheritance comes as a large surprise to the young woman. And when she gets to the country, she finds two large estates that produce wine and pleasure for those who travel to stay there. And as she stays on and learns more about the business, Erika wonders more and more about the family she never knew.
What I loved as a reader about Cuillo is that through Erika readers learn a lot about wine, specifically, Italian wine. Even as a rare social drinker I found the information that was interspersed with the story interesting and something I wanted to know about. The author keeps the knowledge entertaining- never too much or too little. So as Erika learns about her grandfather's Italian wine, so do readers. Also, as Erika is taken in by her grandfather’s family, the family he made after he left America, so is Erika, along with readers. It is very much a story about what can be made out of life after things are lost, after losing everything, really. Because, as we see here, with Erika, there is always something left to make a life for yourself.
Sadly Erika had been left alone young when her parents were killed in an accident. The only person she has had in her life that has remained constant is her boyfriend of many years Craig, who recently proposed and asks her to set the date for their wedding. However when her grandfather passes and she leaves Craig to his own devices, she finds more out than she ever wanted to about the man she is to marry. When she returns to Italy, they split for a time. As a reader, personally, I was hoping forever.
However in Italy Erika soon finds out about a provision in her grandfather's will- that Erika must stay on the estate and in the country for almost half a year before she can sell any of the property. But when her grandfather's lawyers begin to deliver the many letters he wrote to her before his death, Erika begins to learn about a family story that has been long dead, one that changed the course of her life, long before she was born.
After all Erika learns in Italy, in the letters from her grandfather, the last link Eirka has on earth to family (sadly, are letters), will she stay and embrace a culture that was once alien but feels so much now, like home? The book isn’t without its villains as there are a cast of characters who want the property, think it should have gone to them before the American granddaughter- will Eirka let herself be chased away from the only place she has a connection to family?
Casalvento: House of the Wind is about an Italian American immigrant who started a family and then went home to Italy, having to leave behind what was in America. Then, his granddaughter is left all that he made in his country, and with no family of her own living, is left his story, his life. She leaves America to learn it and may stay. If this isn’t enticing enough to have you pick up a copy, there is also the Italian love interest, a man who was her grandfather's right hand man, who becomes a large part of Erika’s life, and maybe her heart. As part Italian American myself (through my father’s father), the story really spoke to me as I think it will many others who have relatives from Italy or other countries!
It was- very Happy Reading!