I was excited for this book because my mom was born in Italy near Naples where Amerigo grew up and I thought I'd connect more to the story, but it was just okay to me. The story is narrated by Amerigo, a seven year old, so while the young voice was charming at times, it was also hard to piece together what was actually happening through his naïve lens. I don't know much about the actual history this book was based on, so I wish the story did more context setting around the fascists and what Italy was facing after the war.
I did like seeing Amerigo grow as he adjusted to life in the north and navigated his conflicting feelings of loyalty to his biological family and his adoptive family. The last third flashes forward 50 years and the ending feels rushed like it's trying to cram in too many concluding details.
If you enjoy historical fiction and are more familiar with Italy's post-WWII history then this story may be up your alley.
I did like seeing Amerigo grow as he adjusted to life in the north and navigated his conflicting feelings of loyalty to his biological family and his adoptive family. The last third flashes forward 50 years and the ending feels rushed like it's trying to cram in too many concluding details.
If you enjoy historical fiction and are more familiar with Italy's post-WWII history then this story may be up your alley.