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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Sprawling family epic that follows Stella from her village in Italy to her new life in America, all while being haunted by the first of her name who died in early childhood. Solid pacing, although some parts were slow.
This was a slow-paced, nostalgic story that followed the character Stella Fortuna from birth to death.
Throughout her life, Stella experiences many tragic events (noted in the title.) Beyond that, she is a woman ahead of her time, longing to remain independent from marriage and the expectations weighing heavily on women of her time.
We also see through her eyes the experience of an American immigrant and how unfriendly it can be. I am always grateful to encounter reminders of these histories.
This work of fiction does a wonderful job capturing the ups and downs, joys and tragedies of a true life. There are some deeply traumatic moments that some readers may prefer not to encounter. However, I highly recommend this book.
Throughout her life, Stella experiences many tragic events (noted in the title.) Beyond that, she is a woman ahead of her time, longing to remain independent from marriage and the expectations weighing heavily on women of her time.
We also see through her eyes the experience of an American immigrant and how unfriendly it can be. I am always grateful to encounter reminders of these histories.
This work of fiction does a wonderful job capturing the ups and downs, joys and tragedies of a true life. There are some deeply traumatic moments that some readers may prefer not to encounter. However, I highly recommend this book.
Lots of people will love this book. I was not one of them.
Be aware there are acts of rape, incest, and child molestation throughout. They can't be skipped or avoided.
Be aware there are acts of rape, incest, and child molestation throughout. They can't be skipped or avoided.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It took me a bit to really get into this book. It is dense with plot details and not all of the "deaths" are actual deaths which took me a bit to fully understand. I like how rich this book is with details about life in an Italian family. And the characters are all extremely well developed. I appreciated that. And ultimately, this book was about how a life should be lived for ourselves and not for others. And that one's own hopes and goals matter the most. I could fully get on board with that. So, I'd say the first half of this is a solid four stars and the second half is definitely five stars. Overall, that results in a four to four and a half star rating.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A unique take on a family history story. It was fascinating to see the way the world has evolved through both time and place. I enjoyed hearing the story of Stella’s lives and of the many people connected to her. I would say this would be good for fans of historical fiction who don’t mind a bit of mysticism in their stories.
Very engaging and amazing characters for the first 3/4 of the book. The last quarter felt rushed and was incredibly depressing. I missed that little glimmer of hope or happiness. It was hard to find.
I really loved this beautiful book ... until the end when I hated it. It's a beautiful story, with beautiful writing, and I really loved the slow progression of Stella's life. I like how the story is told, sometimes slowly, and sometimes with great leaps and bounds. But the end got me for two reasons: 1) a brutal child sexual abuse (always my trigger) and 2) the ending was just sad. Not a satisfying sad, but a begrudging sad. So first 7/8th: 5-star. Last 1/8th: 1-star
I agree with other reviewers that the pace was slow, but I thought it fit the story. I hated to see the story end because Stella and her family had become so real to me. I found a lot of comparisons between Stella's large Italian family and my own Irish family. A great read that may not keep you up reading all night, but it will keep calling you back to read more.