It’s such a pleasure today to be joining the blog tour for The Girl from Venice by Siobhan Daiko, and sharing my review. Published on 12th June by Boldwood Books, it’s now available as an ebook (free via Kindle Unlimited), in paperback, and as an audiobook. Thank you, as always, to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for the invitation and support, and to the publishers for my advance reading e-copy, provided via netgalley.
The last time I shared a review of one of Siobhan’s books it was the independently published The Flame Tree – and I really loved it, a convincing and very moving romance set in Hong Kong during the Second World War, a fascinating slice of history, coupled with the most wonderful story-telling (you can read my review again here). And now she’s part of the Boldwood family – writing historical fiction set instead in Italy, and I’m very much looking forward to reading more of her books. So – let’s take a closer look at the first…!
From award-winning author Siobhan Daiko comes an epic novel of love, betrayal, and finding where you truly belong.
1943
Lidia De Angelis has kept a low profile since Mussolini’s laws wrenched her from her childhood sweetheart. But when the Germans occupy Venice, she must flee the city to save her life.
Lidia joins the partisans in the Venetian mountains, where she meets David, an English soldier fighting for the same cause. As she grows closer to him, harsh German reprisals and Lidia’s own ardent patriotic activities threaten to tear them apart.
Decades later
While sorting through her grandmother’s belongings after her death, Charlotte discovers a Jewish prayer book, unopened letters written in Italian, and a fading photograph of a group of young people in front of the Doge’s Palace.
Intrigued by her grandmother’s refusal to talk about her life in Italy before and during the war, Charlotte travels to Venice in search of her roots, There, she learns not only the devastating truth about her grandmother’s past, but also some surprising truths about herself.
This was a dual-time story so well told, the wartime thread superbly researched and delivered, the present day story woven in quite perfectly – I was gripped from the opening pages and, once more, very much enjoyed the author’s writing.
In 1943 Venice, Lidia – a young Jewish woman – is no longer able to continue her medical studies as the Nazi threat intensifies. Her doctor father was convinced they would be safe, but finds himself arrested – and Lidia flees the city to a place of safety, later choosing to join the partisans in the mountains of the Grappa, supporting their resistance effort. It’s a story of hardship, danger and immense bravery – and becomes a compelling love story too, when she meets David, a British soldier who arrives to help their mission.
In 2010, Charlotte is mourning the loss of her beloved grandmother – she was always aware she had Italian roots, but it was a time she always refused to talk about. Going through her belongings, she finds a photograph, some unopened letters in Italian, and a Jewish prayer book – and decides to travel to Venice, and later into the mountains, in an attempt to discover more about her grandmother’s secret past.
The story-telling is quite excellent, the whole narrative perfectly paced as it moves between the past – vividly drawn, and an entirely gripping story with such well-drawn characters – and Charlotte’s discoveries in the present day. The balance is perfect too – while Lidia’s story understandably predominates at times, Charlotte’s journey to understanding (with a touch of her own romance along the way) is so well handled and the shifts between past and present are comfortable and seamless. And it’s an immensely emotionally engaging story, with a few real surprises along the way – one of those wonderful books that swept me away into the world the author created, the pages effortlessly turning ever faster.
It’s quite difficult for a book to stand out when wartime stories proliferate, but this is one that most certainly does – while being caught up in the experiences of the individuals at the story’s core and the harsh realities of life for the partisans, I learned a great deal about the whole Italian wartime experience. Highly recommended – and I’ll look forward to reading more from this talented author.
About the author
Siobhan Daiko writes powerful and sweeping historical fiction set in Italy during the Second World War, with strong women at its heart. She now lives near Venice, having been a teacher in Wales for many years.
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