The Light in the Ruins
ToriBaby says:
One of my book clubs read this title this month. It's a mystery set in Tuscany during the waning days of World War II, alternating with present times. A serial killer is targeting members of the Rosati family, whose villa was the setting for interchanges between the Nazis and both Fascist Italians and the Italian resistance. Although there are many books that depict the heroism of the French resistance this one focuses on Italy. There are threads of art intrigue, as a son of the R...osatis is employed by a museum where Nazis are interested in expropriating local treasurers for the Fuhrer. The plot turns on the eighteen year old daughter of the Rosatis who falls in love with a Nazi officer. There is an Etruscan tomb on the estate and the Nazi art experts are interested in it because they are looking for a link between the Etruscans and the Aryan race. The detective assigned to the case has a history of her own for she was a member of the Italian resistance and was, in fact, burned and sheltered in the same Etruscan caves. As the killer advances his unknown agenda, details of those days are revealed. Reminiscent in some ways of Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient," also set in the dreamy ruins of Northern Italian. Lots of secrets and moral choices that author Chris Bohjalian especially likes to explore since he first became famous with his novel "Midwives." A good read, hovering between genre mystery and a literary novel.
damien says:
Great Book! Definitely a good book for any Historical Fiction Lover. I was a little unimpressed with who the killer turned out to be. I felt that the story was going in a different direction, and then we found out who the killer was and the the book was over. I thought that the family was killed because of the way they treated people and their position during the war. Then it turned out to be revenge. I was prepared for this big ending and there wasn't one.MoreLess
One of my book clubs read this title this month. It's a mystery set in Tuscany during the waning days of World War II, alternating with present times. A serial killer is targeting members of the Rosati family, whose villa was the setting for interchanges between the Nazis and both Fascist Italians and the Italian resistance. Although there are many books that depict the heroism of the French resistance this one focuses on Italy. There are threads of art intrigue, as a son of the R...osatis is employed by a museum where Nazis are interested in expropriating local treasurers for the Fuhrer. The plot turns on the eighteen year old daughter of the Rosatis who falls in love with a Nazi officer. There is an Etruscan tomb on the estate and the Nazi art experts are interested in it because they are looking for a link between the Etruscans and the Aryan race. The detective assigned to the case has a history of her own for she was a member of the Italian resistance and was, in fact, burned and sheltered in the same Etruscan caves. As the killer advances his unknown agenda, details of those days are revealed. Reminiscent in some ways of Michael Ondaatje's "The English Patient," also set in the dreamy ruins of Northern Italian. Lots of secrets and moral choices that author Chris Bohjalian especially likes to explore since he first became famous with his novel "Midwives." A good read, hovering between genre mystery and a literary novel.
damien says:
Great Book! Definitely a good book for any Historical Fiction Lover. I was a little unimpressed with who the killer turned out to be. I felt that the story was going in a different direction, and then we found out who the killer was and the the book was over. I thought that the family was killed because of the way they treated people and their position during the war. Then it turned out to be revenge. I was prepared for this big ending and there wasn't one.MoreLess
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Guest 5 years ago
Stops half way through which was very annoying... UghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhWas totally getting into the story too. Why do you do this
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