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emckeon1002's review
5.0
As tragic as it is, I really enjoyed this novel. Part of my enjoyment is that a good portion of the literary geography of the story is set in the four blocks immediately North of my house. Rafala is a gifted storyteller, and I'm sure some of my enjoyment is seeing my town in a different light, and getting an understanding of my neighbors who have deep roots in Melilli Sicily. For those who don't live in Middletown CT, you will be surprised by the exotic rituals of the Nuri, and the devotion to the soldier saint, Sebastian. A truly sad, but satisfying tale of immigration, memory, love, war and redemption.
gasoline_allie's review against another edition
5.0
Maybe it’s more of a 4.5 than a 5—David’s fate should not have been spoiled by the blurb on the back, Vincenzo’s commitment to Raphael’s family didn’t make much sense to me, nor did his relationship with Tony—but I loved it, so 5 stars it is.
This is a beautifully written story about family secrets, violence, and the legacies sons inherit from their fathers. Each narrator has a distinctive voice, and every setting is vividly imagined and portrayed. It was just a pleasure to read.
This is a beautifully written story about family secrets, violence, and the legacies sons inherit from their fathers. Each narrator has a distinctive voice, and every setting is vividly imagined and portrayed. It was just a pleasure to read.
cawhite's review against another edition
3.0
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway, which is the reason I finished it. It was a bit hard to get into, but once I did, I found the story of the Sicilian family, their trauma and move to the US very compelling. The writing I didn't enjoy so much. The author writes beautiful, descriptive sentences, which at first I found enjoyable, but it soon seemed like he was "trying too hard", and became annoying. I understand that some people enjoy this style of writing, but for me it distracted from the story line. I felt that I had to wade through his never ending vivid descriptions in order to find the story line again. I believe the author has an important story to tell, but the writing was not my cup of tea.
hannah_dillard's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book! It’s historical fiction with several generations of a family. It explains how decisions and consequences interact, and how decisions can change consequences.
lpharr14's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
honeybeeleereviews's review against another edition
3.0
This one defiantly starts off as a slow burn. You start the story following David a young boy growing up in little Italy New York in the 1930s. This is a multiple generation story that goes in reverse. You start off following David but towards the end you follow his fathers story and then his aunts story. As the story goes you learn that David’s father’s past is a long complicated one that h e is not open to speaking about. The first 3/4 of this book are focused on David and him dealing with this bully that seems hellbent on making Davids life miserable. The last quarter of the book you get a look from David’s Fathers side and finally a look at his troubled past in Italy. The book doe pick up after it gets to David’s fathers side of the story so I suggest saying with the book until the end. The ending is what makes the slow burn parts of the book worth it.
ktickle's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
As a Sicilian American, I really wanted the plot to be better. While I loved the themes of the book, I thought the execution lacked in comparison.
If the POV’s of David, Sal and Vincenzo were interwoven and we learned the history as we read on, the book would be much less boring. It was almost a shock to read Vincenzo’s POV, specifically because his history never seemed as important as Salvatore/Nella/David. This would also have helped pacing for me. When the histories of Sal and Enzo came up, both dragged on, and while needed to understand the whole story, having those chapters spaced out would have made a better reading experience (both for pacing and excitement).
As a Sicilian American, I really wanted the plot to be better. While I loved the themes of the book, I thought the execution lacked in comparison.
If the POV’s of David, Sal and Vincenzo were interwoven and we learned the history as we read on, the book would be much less boring. It was almost a shock to read Vincenzo’s POV, specifically because his history never seemed as important as Salvatore/Nella/David. This would also have helped pacing for me. When the histories of Sal and Enzo came up, both dragged on, and while needed to understand the whole story, having those chapters spaced out would have made a better reading experience (both for pacing and excitement).
jessicaaaaaaa's review against another edition
4.0
This absolutely gorgeous story begins with the struggle of an 80s child of immigrants to communicate with his dad and weaves its way back in time to reveal the family secrets and tragedies that started it all. It's an intergenerational story about heartache, loss, belonging, and redemption. This one lost a star for some implausible plot points.
kino's review against another edition
4.0
I'd give this more of a 3.5. After David's story ended and it went to his father's perspective, I didn't feel as attached. I was, however, interested in Vincenzo's story and I would have liked to spend more time with him. Aside from that, I did like how the myth unfolded and the stories wove together.