Personal reading selection:
Now that it is the weekend, I can find some time to read for relaxation and a bit of escape. As I've previously blogged, my favorite current author is Adriana Trigiani. Her style of writing simply takes me away as I fall deeper into her beautifully woven stories. Currently, I am reading Ms. Trigiani's latest book, The Shoemaker's Wife. I had to force myself to put the book down long enough to share my thoughts on my blog. When I began to read this book, I soon realized I could not wait until I finished to share my thoughts.
From the opening paragraph, "The scalloped hem of Caterina Lazzari’s blue velvet coat grazed the fresh-fallen snow, leaving a pale pink path on the bricks as she walked across the empty piazza. The only sound was the soft, rhythmic sweep of her footsteps, like hands dusting flour across an old wooden cutting board." (Trigiani, Adriana (2012-04-03). The Shoemaker's Wife (p. 3). Harper Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.), my mind's eye immediately painted the description, and I was once again captivated by the richness of this author's written words. The similes and metaphor's used in the magic of Ms. Trigiani's writing continue as more characters are introduced. Ciro and Eduardo Lazzari are brothers and the sons of Caterina. Their story unfolds as the brothers soon find themselves left to live in a convent with nuns, the sister's of San Nicola. Ciro quickly becomes the main character, and the nun's add warmth to the novel as they gently scaffold the direction that the story soon takes. The Italian Alps set the stage for another enchanting novel.
I soon realized that, as is the magic of Ms. Trigiani, the story follows two families, the Lazzaro brothers, and the Ravenelli family. Marco Ravenelli enters the story simply as the cart driver who takes the grieving mother, Caterina, and her boys to the convent. After leaving her boys with the sisters of San Nicola, Marco carts Caterina away. The foreshadowing becomes apparent later in the novel as I went back to read the following description:
"As she rode off, he saw the frame of her collar and the back of her neck, straight as the stem of a rose. Soon she became a blue blur in the distance as the cart turned toward the entrance road to the Passo Presolana." (Trigiani, Adriana (2012-04-03). The Shoemaker's Wife (p. 19). Harper Paperbacks. Kindle Edition.)
The scene describes Ciro watching as his mother continues on and leaves her sons. As the story of the Ravenelli family unfolds, Enza, Marco's daughter, soon becomes an important character in the story as she and Ciro's paths cross. Family love and loss become the threads that weave their stories together.
A turning point in the story revolves around the priest, Don Raphael Gregorio and Ciro. As I read, my thoughts went back to another book from many years ago, The Thornbirds a 1977 best-selling novel by Colleen McCullough, an Australian author. I don't want to go into too much detail about what occurs as I don't want to give away what I feel is a major turning point in the story. However, I would love to read what others are thinking as they enjoy this novel.
This leaves me to where I put the book down long enough to blog some of my thoughts. I am ready to begin part II of the novel. I will blog more as I get deeper into the story. I hope others that are reading this novel will leave comments and share their thoughts as they go on this magical reading journey. If you've not yet experienced the richness of Adirana Trigiani's writing, I highly recommend this book. If you are looking for a wonderful holiday gift for a reader on your list, this novel would be that gift! Here is the link for the author's official website: http://www.adrianatrigiani.com/
Happy reading and I look forward to reading your comments!
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