Giulia Goes to War (Legacy of Honor Series) by Joan Leotta

Looking for a gift for a hyphenated Italian tween or teen? Or know an adult who enjoys clean historical fiction featuring hyphenated Italians? If yes, then this series of novellas may be for you. The author has four books in her Legacy of Honor Series, each featuring hyphenated Italians serving in a war effort for the United States of America.

Volume One: Giulia Goes to War is about a young first generation Italian-American during World War II. She wants to join in the war effort just like her two brothers who are in the military, and her parents who work on the home front collecting resources for the military equipment factories.

Giulia gets what she wants when she starts work at a plant near home, but then she gets much more than she bargained for with a love interest and an adventure that involves national security.

The love story between two people from very different backgrounds shows up the conservatism of the era (1943+) when like married like, and the twain did not mix. Other social elements of the era come through too, like the sexism, segregation, patriotism, entertainments, communication, and marriage traditions.

The book is rich with historical detail but it never bogs the story down. The author has a clear, clean and polished writing style. Her warmth and understanding of the immigrant experience shines through. She has a clear loves of Italian culture.

This book, and the others in the Legacy of Honor Series, should appeal to tweens, teens and adults who like clean romances set in the past, enlivened by some intrigue and adventure. If you are a hyphenated Italian, you should enjoy these books even more. I think they would make a great gift for young ladies who like to learn more about history through fiction.

Legacy of Honor Series:

• Volume One: Giulia Goes to War
• Volume Two: Letters from Korea
• Volume Three: A Bowl of Rice
• Volume Four: Secrets of the Heart

Volume One: Giulia Goes to War

From the book's description:

Wartime work draws Giulia DeBartolo out of her close Western Pennsylvania family into a world of intrigue, spies and new friends in Wilmington, North Carolina's shipyard building Liberty ships. Giulia soon discovers supporting the war effort can include fun evenings like dancing with young servicemen at the local USO. It is at one of these dances she meets John O'Shea, an unsuitable suitor according to her old-fashioned parents.

As they grapple with the problems of their own budding relationship, John and Giulia encounter a Nazi spy tasked with blowing up part of the Wilmington shipyard. Saving the shipyard from the spy may prove easier than convincing her parents to let her marry John. Giulia must decide what it means to be a good daughter while still following her own heart.

Volume Two: Letters From Korea

From the book's description:

Sal sends Gina (Giulia's sister) newsy letters from Korea and in turn, Gina's talk about Matt's daily flower gifts. Will her ploy make Sal realize he loves her, or backfire on her and discourage him?

The situation becomes more complex when Sal meets a Korean widow with a young child who offers to teach Sal, a pharmacist, the herbal cures of Korea. Of course, Gina is jealous. The relationship between Gina and Sal is about to take a turn for the worse when Sal loses his leg in a bombing attempt to free one of the North Korean prisoners.

At home, Gina finds that someone has made her the scapegoat for stolen files from the Salk polio research project where she works. Fortunately for the two of them, they have a Legacy of Honor in their families they can rely on to help them overcome their difficulties and maybe their own stubbornness about each other as well.

Volume Three: A Bowl of Rice

From the book's description:

Anna Maria O'Shea (Giulia's daughter) became a nurse to continue her family's Legacy of Honor.

In choosing to stick to her commitment to service she looses her long-time college love. The pain of war is stronger than her private heartache.

Is Mark, the handsome physician, the balm her soul needs? Or is it George who will claim heal her wounds with a love that transcends war and the pain she sees all around her?

Volume Four: Secrets of the Heart

From the book's description:

In the middle of the night in January, 1865, two Union soldiers set out on a reconnaissance mission just before the battle of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Rinaldo DeBartolo wants to finish the mission and to return to Italy and his sweetheart, Emilia. When he and his partner, Walter discover hidden gold, a trail of secrets begins.

That trail winds through the Italian unification, two world wars and a tangle of immigration to reach into Rome Italy in the 1990s at the time of Desert Storm. There the descendants of the American De Bartolo family meet Rinaldo's descendants.

Kathy Ann, the youngest of the clan is working a gap year as a journalist. Her writing endeavors and the family's reunion become complicated by romance, stolen art, and the discovery that not all secrets, even family secrets, are good ones.

Please visit the author's website/blog.

For information on Italians in Pennsylvania. 

This book is available for those who want to know more about Italians of Northeastern Pennsylvania (by Stephanie Longo)

From the book's description:

Every Labor Day weekend, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Courthouse Square in Scranton for the largest ethnic festival in northeastern Pennsylvania: La Festa Italiana. The Italians of this region have been proudly celebrating their heritage since their arrival in this country with traditional festivals, including La Corsa dei Ceri in Jessup and Dunmore’s procession in honor of St. Rocco. Using vintage and recent photographs, Italians of Northeastern Pennsylvania shows how the Italian immigrants to this area, some of whom arrived with little more than the clothes on their back, became well-respected community leaders. Through hard work and dedication, they have made northeastern Pennsylvania into an area that defines the term “ethnic pride.”

Sent to the Devil (Lorenzo Da Ponte Mystery) by Laura Lebow

Sent to the Devil is book two in the traditional mystery series set in Vienna, Austria, in the late 1700s, featuring amateur detective Lorenzo da Ponte, the Venetian poet and opera librettist who worked most famously with Mozart on several of his most famous operas. The book is set two years after the previous book, Figaro Murders, the first book in the series. 

The Mozart-Da Ponte opera Don Giovanni, the Italianized story of Spanish Don Juan, is the work that keeps Da Ponte busy in Sent to the Devil, along with his other work as the official Poet of the Court Theatre in Vienna.  We get a good feeling for what that work entails under the Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and working with artists like Mozart.

Mozart and I were busy adapting our work to the more sophisticated tastes of the imperial capital.

Lorenzo da Ponte (1749-1838)

The books in the Lorenzo da Ponte Mystery Series to date are:

1. Figaro Murders (reviewed on this site)
2. Sent to the Devil

Sent to the Devil, like its predecessor, puts the reader on the streets of Vienna in that era, in this case in the year 1788.  We move through squares, churches, offices, alleyways and avenues with Da Ponte as he investigates gruesome serial killings that are vaguely reminiscent of the horror-crime movie Seven.  Da Ponte is called in to help, due to his link to one of the victims, and because he was very helpful resolving the case detailed in the first book, Figaro Murders.

The author has done her research on Da Ponte and the period, place, people and operas, and used that research well in her book.  Da Ponte published his diaries late in life, so we know much about him and his character.  From what I can see, the author stays true to life for the man's character.

He was clever, but not particularly daring, a combination of traits that probably helped him lead the long and safe life he lived in a period of history that was not without its dangers.  This story takes place during a time of war with the Ottoman Empire, and the clampdown on some freedoms in Vienna creates problems for Da Ponte.

Da Ponte comes across as a caring man, loyal to his friends and patrons.  He also has an eye for pretty young ladies, which plays a part in this story, bringing Da Ponte's humanity to the fore.  The fact that he grieves for the loss of one dear friend in the book, and celebrates the arrival of another dear friend, Casanova, a real life Don Giovanni, for a visit, helps us to see Da Ponte as a real human being.

Casanova is described as a mature letch who shows flashes of his reputed charm with women throughout the book.  The author has clearly read the autobiography written by Casanova late in life, and she uses some of that material to flesh out her fictional Casanova.  To be honest, read through modern eyes, Casanova's book shows his very modern attitude toward women, marriage and sexual freedom.  Those freedoms are important to the story.  

Freedom is a theme throughout Sent to the Devil, which is only right, since it was a battle cry for many revolutions and revolutionaries throughout the world at that time.  The struggle was between church control over society, imperial control over society, and control by democratically chosen officials in a republic.

The Enlightenment movement pushed for a modern, rational form of government, with freedom of thought, speech, association, and personal responsibility to make personal choices.  Da Ponte's quiet embrace of those ideas hint at his future life in the United States.

Casanova acts as a sounding board for Da Ponte in Sent to the Devil, as the Court Poet attempts to figure out why people are dying, and to stop the killer before he kills again.  The mystery is more complex in this second book in the series, but there are many more killings, and they are rather gruesome.  There are also adult scenes and some sexual situations.

The author writes with lovely grammar and punctuation in quality English helped by quality editing.  Much of the narration is in the first-person from Da Ponte's point-of-view, but there are also sections in third-person limited narrative style when Da Ponte is not in the scene.

There is an interesting Postscript that explains some of the history that the author used or abused in the writing of Sent to the Devil.  All in all, this series is quality reading for lovers of traditional mysteries set in the past.  It will be of especial interest to opera lovers.  If you've read some of Da Ponte's books, or Casanova's autobiography, you should find Sent to the Devil even more entertaining.

From the book's description:

In 1788 Vienna, Court Poet Lorenzo Da Ponte is putting some finishing touches on the libretto for the premiere of his new opera with Mozart, Don Giovanni. A huge success when it debuted in Prague, the Emperor has decreed that it shall be performed in Vienna. But Joseph II is off prosecuting a less-than-popular war against the Turks, and the city itself is in a bit of turmoil. There are voices protesting the war, others who see Turks around every corner.

Da Ponte, however, just wants to do his work and enjoy life. Alas, these simple desires aren't to be easily fulfilled. First, he's been getting a series of mysterious coded notes from unknown hands, notes that make no sense to him. Then his old friend Alois, a retired priest and academic, is viciously murdered and strange symbols carved into his forehead. Summoned to the police bureau, Da Ponte learns that Alois's murder was not the first. Determined to help find his friend's killer, Da Ponte agrees to help with the secret investigation.

Caught in a crossfire of intrigue both in the world of opera and politics, Da Ponte must find the answer to a riddle and expose a killer before he becomes the next victim.

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

 

Please visit the author's website.

If you are interested in knowing more about the real Lorenzo da Ponte, here are two interesting links:

 Wikipedia Page for Lorenzo Da Ponte

An article about Lorenzo da Ponte at The New Yorker magazine, which talks mostly about how Da Ponte introduced opera to The United States.

Direct link to the article at The New Yorker website 

Casanova's autobiography-memoirs is in the public domain, and is for adults only, about as racy as Boccaccio's stories.  Here are links to download pages for FREE e-book versions of the book, from Project Gutenberg, the Internet's oldest free public domain e-book site: 

Venetian Years: Memoirs Volume 1 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

To Paris and Prison: Memoirs Volume 2 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

The Eternal Quest: Memoirs Volume 3 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

Adventures in the South: Memoirs Volume 4 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

In London and Moscow: Memoirs Volume 5 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

Spanish Passions: Memoirs Volume 6 of 6 - FREE e-book download page

Mission Rome Scavenger Hunt Adventure by Catherine Aragon

This very clever book of roughly 60 pages is a perfect gift to give a child traveling to Rome, Italy.  It will keep them happily occupied as they visit Rome's most famous sites, and they'll come home knowing a lot about what they've seen.  Accompanying adults are the "case officers" for the "intelligence operative" child.

The child earns points for locating things shown in the book (lots of photos) which are also explained succinctly.  I liked that the child did not compete against the other "intelligence operatives" but instead competed against him/herself, to qualify with enough points to get "hired" for the job after the "test" was over.

There are also Special Missions too, which are designed to encourage the child to try new foods, to learn to speak some Italian, and to understand the money and culture and history better.  All in all, I could see the teacher behind it all, and I heartily approve!

While it is sold as an e-book, I think the paperback is the best option, since the child is supposed to fill in information along the way, and it can make a nice souvenir later in life to recall their trip.

From the book's description:

Planning to travel to Rome with kids? Want to ensure your young explorers get the most out of their travel experience in the Eternal City ? Then, you've come to the right place! 

Mission Rome guides your young travelers through the famous sights of the Eternal City, engaging them in an exciting scavenger hunt as you explore Rome's landmarks together as a family.

Say "arrivederci" to a trip filled with the stress of keeping everyone entertained. Instead, say "buongiorno" to a memorable family vacation - and to your children excited to discover the wonders of Rome with you, with this book as their guide.

Imagine, not only will your kids want to sightsee; but together you'll uncover the intriguing histories of sights like the Pantheon, Roman Forum, Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, and many more.

Not your typical travel guide, Mission Rome ensures a fun vacation for everyone with a captivating, spy-theme scavenger hunt packed with fun activities and the fascinating stories behind the city's landmarks.

Mission Rome is a must-have book for kids visiting Rome, Italy!

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

I suggest a visit to the publisher's website where they offer extras and after "mission" support, like a certificate for the child.  They also offer bulk discounts on orders of the paperback books. I've reviewed their Mission Florence book too.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, the author of the crime-romance novel THE HAGUE, a traditional murder mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

A Song for Bellafortuna by Vincent LoCoco

The subtitle of this book is An Inspirational Italian Historical Fiction Novel, and it is that, as well as being a clean fiction coming-of-age novel suitable for tweens, teens and adults.  It is also a celebration of Italian opera.

In 1898, the world of opera was at its height of glory with new operas written regularly.

The story pauses at times to provide the reader with small histories of operas that appear in the book.  Even some of the librettos are reproduced for the reader.  And a choral work plays an important part in the story, just as it did in Italy's history.

The story begins in Sicily in 1897 and follows a young man along his life's path that is filled with love for his village, his father, and for opera.

Giuseppe's early years were filled with music, love and happiness.  He enjoyed a carefree life living in Bellafortuna raised by a loving family:  his father, Antonio, and his grandmother, Mamma Lucia.

Like all good coming-of-age novels, the protagonist, Giuseppe, discovers love and life and makes a momentous decision that changes his life forever, but in this novel Giuseppe does it all to a subtle accompaniment of operatic music.

The author brings to life a time when opera was part of every Italian's daily life.  As the author says:

Musica, and especially opera, can touch a person's soul in a way that nothing else can.  ...  It can bind the listening audience together.

The author paints a picture of the era before motorcars, when agriculture provided the most employment.  One gets the feeling of the slower pace of life.  Journeys take longer.  Distances feel greater.

Giuseppe's father, Antonio, treats his son to many trips, having the boy join him on business trips all over Italy, to places like Milan, Florence, Rome, Palermo.

...father and son would make their way back home to Sicily.  Giuseppe would be filled with the sights and sounds of Italy and his father's wisdom, and Antonio's wine store filled with the purchases he made while away.

Through his journeys Giuseppe gets an education that is greater than the other villagers.  He sees a bigger world where things change or are better than where he lives.  This inspires him to try to help his fellow villagers.

The author has a stylized voice, giving the book a fairytale feeling.  He uses very formal dialog, perhaps trying to better convey the era to the reader.  There are Italian words in the text to remind the reader that everything they are reading is actually happening in Italy and in Italian.

There is a strong moral message in the book.

Never be afraid to stand up to the powerful.  The alternative is fear and degradation.

The only thing I missed was an Afterword to explain what in the novel was history and what was invention.  Some of this was explained in the book itself, but a little more at the end would have been lovely.

This is a gentle coming-of-age story with a happy ending.  A young boy grows up to be an inspiration to his friends and family, and even his enemies.  He discovers love and a purpose for his life.  This is a clean novel suitable for tweens, teens and adults.  If you enjoy Italian opera, or are curious about it, this book will have a special appeal for you. 

From the book's description:

SHORT LIST FINALIST IN THE WILLIAM FAULKNER-WILLIAM WISDOM WRITING COMPETITION

A Song for Bellafortuna is an inspirational Italian Historical Fiction novel concerning a young man’s desire to free his Sicilian village from the domination of one family’s long reign.

For years, the beautiful, yet secluded, hilltop village of Bellafortuna, Sicily, was a great producer of wine and olive oil. The entire village prospered. However, after the arrival of the Vasaio family, production dwindles and the villagers soon find themselves in crushing debt to the Vasaios.

Only one family in the village remains outside the control of the Vasaios, but the reason haunts Antonio Sanguinetti every day of his life. Antonio is determined to erase this legacy by offering financial and emotional support to his fellow villagers.

He introduces them to the choral song from Verdi’s opera, Nabucco, which becomes the rallying cry for the villagers and offers them hope for a better life.

When Antonio’s only son, Giuseppe, discovers his family’s past, he becomes determined to take on the Vasaios and remove them from power. Led by the young Giuseppe, a plan is hatched that could result in either complete freedom for the villagers, or if it fails, forever solidifying the Vasaios’ control.

Find out what happens in A Song for Bellafortuna, a sweeping epic historical fiction tale of love, drama, sacrifice, and redemption, set among the beautiful landscape of Sicily.

The book's trailer:

Here are links to the book and to another novel by this author (reviewed on this site) at Amazon.com:

  

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, the author of the crime-romance novel THE HAGUE, a traditional murder mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

No Place Like Rome (Lexi Carmichael Mystery) by Julie Moffett

If you are fan of Kathy Reichs's Bones series, you may enjoy this younger version, of sorts.  Lexi Carmichael of the Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series, is not a mature Asperger medical examiner like Bones, she's a twenty-five-year-old Asperger computer security expert.

Part of the reason I loved hacking was that I could lose all connection to the real world.  Sometimes I had trouble navigating the real world.  My virtual world was my zen, my center.

Here is fun 30 second intro to the series and to the character of Lexi Carmichael:

The author inserts much humor into her books, and a lot of it comes from Lexi's social misunderstandings, which can lead to physical altercations.  When the series begins, Lexi works for the U.S. government's National Security Agency.  As the series progresses, she leaves the NSA for the private sector.

I've read only one book in the series, No Place Like Rome, the book that brings Lexi to Italy, along with a hot-stuff Italian-American special agent nicknamed Slash:  "Mystery and enigma all rolled into one".  Luckily Slash, a recurring series character, is loaded with bucks, so the trip is first-class all the way.

We're just a three-minute walk to the Vatican...a beautiful suite...you could see St. Peter's Basilica from the window.

Italy's touchy-feely culture mystifies Lexi.  This is shown to the extreme when she meets Slash's Italian grandmother.  Italy's often overly demonstrative emotions are actually a good thing for an Asperger.  Lots more clues are present for them to pick up on what is going on behind the facial masks they see.

...there was an awful lot of kissing going on lately.  Hands, cheeks and mouth.  I guess it was some kid of Italian thing.  Seeing as how I would be in Italy for an extended period of time, I supposed I'd better get used to

it, although it sure did confuse the heck out of me.

Lexi is not the swiftest in deciphering people, so she is unaware of just how much the men in her life adore her.  Yes, I said MEN.  They find her social awkwardness endearing.  The colloquial, slangy first person monologue/narration drops hints for us to pick up about this, but most of them are over the head of clueless protagonist Lexi.

I'm a geek first-class.  My name is Lexi Carmichael and I'm a mild-mannered twenty-five-year-old...[with a] new mantra in my life--accept and embrace change...

Lexi is more than an Asperger computer geek, she is also mildly neurotic.  To help smooth her way in life, she relies heavily on her best female friend, Basia.

...I was beyond thrilled Basia would be coming.  She was my eyes and ears in social situations and the way things were headed with Slash, I was desperate for her guidance.

The book presents the problem/mystery well, and includes us in much of the computer security work, leading up to an exciting finish.  There are a few typos, some repetitiveness, and a bit of playing fast and loose with history, all things that may be fixed in later editions. 

The series is a quick, light read, with plenty of laughs, and with an appeal that may be greatest for young/new adult readers.  There are six books to-date, with more in the works.

The books in the Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series:

• No Money Down (novella prequel to series)
• No One Lives Twice
• No One To Trust
• No Place Like Rome
• No Biz Like Showbiz
• No Test for the Wicked

Here are direct links to all the books in the series at Amazon.com:

The author also has an historical romance series in print.  Here are links to those books, in case you are interested.

Please visit the series' website, or the author's website.  She is present on Facebook and Twitter.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

What Happens in Tuscany by T.A. Williams

Looking for a book to gift to a young woman going out into the world on her own for the first time?  What Happens in Tuscany is a New Adult novel that attempts to teach young women useful life lessons in the guise of a contemporary romance novel. 

Katie has to teach Victoria about modern life.  That is the premise that allows the author to include all sorts of lessons for young women today.  Katie herself is an example of how to behave, as she tries to recover from a bad romantic breakup, and to set her sights on her future.

The story is set in England (the first third) and in Tuscany, Italy.  The major characters are English, which may have contributed to the one problem I noticed with the life lessons.  The lessons did not warn against excessive alcohol consumption, a major social problem in Britain for the young people, possibly because it is accepted as socially normal.  Be aware that social and cultural references are English, which might confuse some U.S. readers.

So, what life lessons might your young woman receive from this book?  Here goes:

• Managing personal finances
• Personal and social responsibilities
• Moral decisions
• Sexual mores
• Social situations including flirting, dating, physical love, relationships
• Dealing with pain, anger, jealousy, envy, and life's setbacks
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Educational choices and job prospects
• Acceptance of our parents as flawed
• Dealing with loss, and the death of parents
• Compassion and kindness and tolerance of differences

There is a very thin plot to encompass all those lessons.  To be honest, the plot would not likely be enough to entertain a grown woman; it would be too dull.  But a young woman might find the book engrossing, especially since a new hunky guy enters the picture every few chapters. 

While sometimes promoted as a romantic-comedy, I think that is misleading, and there is very slight humor in the book.  It reads more like a British soap, with the happenings of the young women progressing like episodes.   

Victoria is super-wealthy, so we are treated to the fantasy of what it might be like to have so much money, and to the truth that expensive Italy is so much nicer if you are rich.

It was a magnificent Florentine Villa...huge...ancient grove of trees...balustraded terrace...

You get the idea.  There is also lots of shopping with unlimited debit cards. 

I'm not sure young adults or new adults would buy the book for themselves, but it might make a wonderful gift for a loved one.  If you are worried about the book pushing morality you don't approve of onto your impressionable young reader, you should know that the author goes out of the way to stress that everyone has to choose their own moral road in life. 

With that said, it is true that Katie and Victoria are modern women with money, freedom, and that they are seemingly magnets for hunky men.  The young women have access to reliable birth control but that is something that is skirted around and hinted at, and left to the reader to decide what is right for herself. 

I can't help but think the book is lacking in lessons concerning sexually transmitted diseases, since that is the most valuable lesson a new adult should have, but perhaps the publisher thought that was one lesson too far for this new adult novel disguised as a contemporary romance.

From the book's description:

From rainy England…

Katie never imagined her life was perfect. But when she finds herself on a rainy street, soaked to the bone and with only a cheating boyfriend and a dead-end job keeping her in town, she knows something has to change.  Which is what leads her to Iddlescombe Manor, to be companion to Lady Victoria Chalker-Pyne – the only 25 year old Katie’s ever met who hasn’t heard of Twitter, thinks camisoles are de rigueur, and desperately needs an education in the 21st century!

…to the Tuscan sun!

But it wouldn’t be an education without a summer holiday – and where better than Tuscany? Decamping to Victoria’s family villa, it’s soon clear that the valley really does have it all: sun, sea…and some seriously gorgeous neighbours. The only question is: when the weather’s this hot, the wine is this smooth and the local men are this irresistible…will Katie ever want to make the journey home?

Don’t miss deliciously funny romance What Happens in Tuscany… the perfect escape for fans of Fern Britton and Veronica Henry.

Here is a direct link to the book at Amazon.com:

When Alice Met Danny is a fun book by the same author.

  

Here's the book's description:

What's in a name?

Devastated after losing her job, eternal pragmatist Alice leaves London for a new start in Devon. It’s there that she meets Danny.

Then she meets another Danny.

And then she meets Daniel – Danny to his friends…

In fact, there seems to be a Danny at every turn! Her neighbour’s a Danny; there’s little baby Danny; there’s a vicar, a windsurfer, even a dog called Danny! And whether it’s laughter, comfort, a flutter of romance or a walk along the beach, they each bring something special to Alice’s new life.

You might say it’s a coincidence. Alice certainly would… at first! But when she suddenly risks losing not just one Danny, but all of them, she begins to wonder: might there be more in a name than she ever guessed?

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.

Lost in the City of Flowers (History of Idan Series) by Maria C. Trujillo

Lost in the City of Flowers is one of those modern young-adult novels in which the only thing young-adult in it is the protagonist.  The writing is complex, and the themes and events are quite grown-up.  The teenaged female protagonist is transported back 544 years to Renaissance Florence, Italy, when young girls were sexual toys for men.

The writing in Lost in the City of Flowers is lyrical and prosaic, but not really convincing as a first person narration by the fourteen-year-old Violet.  The reader just needs to suspend their disbelief and go with it:

With the help of curiosity, clumsiness, and a tunnel, I had lost myself in Italy and in time.

Violet encounters historical personages:  

• Leonardo da Vinci
• Giuliano de' (annoyingly minus the necessary de') Medici
• Lorenzo de' Medici
• Botticelli
• Verrocchio
• Salai (out of his real time)
• Perugino
• Lippi

There is much in the book for fans of historical fiction.  The era's philosophy, geography, politics, customs, fashions, food come to life.  For fans of art history there are references to well-known stories relating to famous Italian Renaissance artists. 

The book is divided into three parts, each part charting a major event for Violet.  As the danger for Violet grows, she gives into temptations of ego and comes face to face with powerful people in the past.  Powerful people wish to control and dominate, and Violet's exciting adventures come because of them.

There are some punctuation and editing errors, but not many.  The map is too small, and does not accurately depict Medieval Florence.  The Prologue, while attention-grabbing, is not about the protagonist, and feels, with hindsight, a writer's trick. 

The first person narration by Violet, is written with some hindsight, when she returns to New York City, after her adventure is over.  This ruins the major suspenseful element in the story:  will Violet be able to return to her time?  We know that she does, from the start, because of the narrative form, so an omniscient narrator or third-person limited might have been a better choice.

Violet encounters romance and adventure in the past.  She also makes friends and experiences great sadness and some trauma.  The ending comes too quickly, so we cannot explore how her experiences have changed her, or how they have helped her grow up.  For a coming-of-age novel, that is strange.  The stage is set at the end for more time-traveling adventures in what the author calls the History of Idan Series, so perhaps we will see Violet's growth in the next book?  I hope so.

From the book's description:

Viola has always felt like she doesn’t belong.  With her mother halfway around the world, her sister away at school, and her father as her only friend, she keeps to herself and only dreams of becoming an artist.  The last thing a lonely fourteen-year-old girl wants for her birthday is to spend time with an old woman she doesn’t even know.  And she certainly doesn’t want to travel 544 years back in time to a place she’s only read about in books.

Armed with Idan, a mysterious pocket watch, she must navigate the perilous city to find a way home before she falls victim to the threats of Lorenzo the Magnificent.  For a girl that has a hard time meeting people, Viola manages to befriend the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci and gain the affections of the handsome Giuliano de' Medici.

To get back home Viola must find her voice and tap into her artistic abilities while she works in an artist’s workshop and encounters the enchanting work of some of the Renaissance’s most amazing artists.

This PBS documentary about the birth of the Italian Renaissance under the Medici family is a bit violet at times, but is an interesting recreation of the era in Lost in the City of Flowers.

Here are direct links to the book at Amazon.com:

Please visit the author's website which includes her blog.

This review is by Candida Martinelli, of Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site, and the author of the cozy-murder-mystery novel AN EXTRA VIRGIN PRESSING MURDER, and the young-adult/adult mystery novel series THE VIOLET STRANGE MYSTERIES the first book of which is VIOLET'S PROBLEM.