Author: Adriana Trigiani
Format: ARC
Publisher: Harper
Publish Date: April 3, 2012
Source: TLC Book Tours
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You are a historical fiction fan.
- You love love stories.
- You love immigrant stories.
From Goodreads.com: "The majestic and haunting beauty of the Italian Alps is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who meet as teenagers, despite growing up in villages just a few miles apart. At the turn of the last century, when Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished from his village and sent to hide in America as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Little Italy. Without explanation, he leaves a bereft Enza behind. Soon, Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America with her father to secure their future.
Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America, Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job in Hoboken until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I and Enza, determined to forge a life without him, begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House that will sweep her into the glamorous salons of Manhattan and into the life of the international singing sensation, Enrico Caruso.
From the stately mansions of Carnegie Hill, to the cobblestone streets of Little Italy, over the perilous cliffs of northern Italy, to the white-capped lakes of northern Minnesota, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until, finally, the power of their love changes both of their lives forever."
My Two Cents:
First off, Adriana Trigiani is one of those authors that I have heard tons about. I've heard tons and tons of really good things about her but I haven't picked up any of her very successful books. After reading The Shoemaker's Wife, I don't know why I waited so long! What I do know is that I definitely want to read more by her in the future.
Ciro and Enza are the best kind of love story. There is, of course, true love. There is a time element. There is drama and there is a good ending to the whole thing. I spent a rainy afternoon with Ciro and Enza as I couldn't put down the book. You keep waiting for everything to fall together because you get the feeling that Ciro and Enza are absolutely meant to be together. The anticipation is absolutely palpable. I love when you get so into a love story within a book and you're pulling hard for the characters as if you actually knew them in real life.
The story takes place in both Italy and England. Although my ancestry is not Italian, I had a couple ancestors come through Ellis Island during the same time that Ciro and Enza come to America. I've always been fascinated with immigrant stories, especially of the immigrants that came to the United States during the early 1900s. I loved seeing the things that both Ciro and Enza went through on their respective journeys to their new home. I also love that you get to see them both settling into their new lives.
I think its also worth pointing out how cool it is that the story of Ciro and Enza is a fictionalized tale of Trigiani's grandparents. I love that she was able to pull something so personal from her family stories and turn it into something really wonderful.
Bottom line: This will not be the last time I read something by Adriana Trigiani.
Don't Forget to Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Monday, April 2nd: The Huffington Post
Tuesday, April 3rd: Book Journey
Wednesday, April 4th: Reading Lark
Thursday, April 5th: Life Is Short. Read Fast
Friday, April 6th: Amused By Books
Monday, April 9th: Literature and a Lens
Tuesday, April 10th: Book Dilettante
Wednesday, April 11th: Bibliosue
Thursday, April 12th: West Metro Mommy
Monday, April 16th: “That’s Swell!”
Tuesday, April 17th: Confessions of an Avid Reader
Wednesday, April 18th: Reviews by Lola
Monday, April 23rd: Peppermint PhD
Tuesday, April 24th: A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, April 25th: Knowing the Difference
Thursday, April 26th: Library of Clean Reads
Friday, April 27th: Books and Movies
Monday, April 30th: It’s a Crazy, Beautiful Life
Tuesday, May 1st: Walking With Nora
Wednesday, May 2nd: I’m Booking It
Thursday, May 3rd: The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
My anticipation forced me to skip over to the ending after about 100 pages :/ I HAD to know that they were going to be together before I kept reading :) This won't be my last Trigiani either :)
ReplyDeleteAh, I can't skip to the end! I made myself wait!!!
DeleteOh, I'm so excited to read this one! I think I'm waiting for when I have chunks of time to get invested, like on an upcoming train ride... Trigiani is great!
ReplyDeleteYes! This is definitely a book that you should take in a couple big gulps when you have a lot of time!
DeleteI've heard so many good things about this book, and I'm so glad to see you enjoyed it, too. I've been curious about this author, and if I do give her work a try, I'll start with this one.
ReplyDeleteI really loved it. I can't wait for my next Trigiani book!
DeleteThis one is on my TBR so I was thrilled to see such a positive review. Now I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteI think this one sounds great; I would like to read it. Loved your review Meg.
ReplyDeleteI really think that you would enjoy it!
DeleteI got this book at ALA midwinter, but I haven't read it, yet. Reading this review makes me want to bump it up on my list!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a good one!
DeleteI'm intrigued by the connection to her own family history - I love stories like that!!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed this one. Thanks for being on the tour.
I have this in my TBR and am looking forward to digging in. I have some other books of her's in my TBR also, but haven't read them either! I keep hearing great things, but just haven't had the chance to dig into anything yet! This one sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI've not read any Adriana Trigiani but I've heard good things about her and plan too. This sounds like a good place to start, particularly since I do have some Italian ancestors that came through Ellis Island near the turn of the last century.
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds amazing and not just because of its wonderful setting! Italy and England are 2 countries I dream about visiting.
ReplyDeleteThis story sounds totally engaging. I have yet to read any of Adriana Trigiani's books but I will! Her books and her writing receive rave reviews consistently. I am sure I'm missing out and must change this.
Your review here is wonderful. I really enjoyed it and you've convinced me this should be my first book by this author!
Thank you!
I love a good immigrant story and was thrilled when I discovered this is a fictionalized version of Trigiani's own grandparents' lives. I appreciated Enza's and Ciro's perseverance and loved that they both came to consider themselves American. Their story made me have a greater appreciation of my own grandparents bravery and hard work when they immigrated to this country.
ReplyDeleteWith its beautiful writing, lush descriptions, historical details, wonderful characters, and love story, THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE has something to please every reader. It made me smile and cry - it's a book you don't want to miss.