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jennifer_charbo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
meghayes11's review against another edition
2.0
ONLY because the writing seemed so juvenile and was predictable. I told my husband the first chapter what I bet unfolded the rest of the book and like clockwork, it happened. The characters didn't seem very deep to me, very one dimensional following their blueprint I already called...I love this time period, but this one just did not do it for me.
scarlet_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
The best part of this book was WW2 from the Italian perspective. The book was good but just dragged on way too long. She needs a better editor next time IMO.
nutmegnana's review against another edition
5.0
Audiobook. Different subject matter for this author but I very much liked the story and her use of the different characters with varying points of view and interpretations of events in Mussolini's Italy.
ashemarsh's review against another edition
5.0
4.5-5 stars, I don’t know if it just didn’t catch me quick, or if I was distracted by anxiety, anyways the second half of the book made up for it.
gingermh's review against another edition
3.0
The writing style is a bit basic, but the story was intriguing. Learned a bit of Italy's history during WWII
lwhayland's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, it was nice to have a different venue for a WW2 story. I enjoyed the change from character to character, although part of me wishes that they would have kept to a certain few characters rather than just who the author felt like writing from.
I really enjoyed the "settling" that happened throughout the story. It was nice to have that leveling displayed. There wasn't always a happy ending, and sometimes you just had to make due. I'm not even talking about the deaths that happened, I'm talking about in marriages, when a family member decides to leave, when an event you thought would be great turns your stomach. It was nice to see the characters not have an "everything is great until this war" kind of life, it made the story seem less fictional and more grounded.
I really enjoyed the "settling" that happened throughout the story. It was nice to have that leveling displayed. There wasn't always a happy ending, and sometimes you just had to make due. I'm not even talking about the deaths that happened, I'm talking about in marriages, when a family member decides to leave, when an event you thought would be great turns your stomach. It was nice to see the characters not have an "everything is great until this war" kind of life, it made the story seem less fictional and more grounded.
macrosinthemitten's review against another edition
4.0
This was a little slow to start and it took me a while to get into, but it eventually was very rewarding and engrossing. Set in Italy, Eternal centers around 3 friends - Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro. Elisabetta, an Italian Gentile is torn between her feelings for both Marco and Sandro. Marco finds himself wrapped up in the growing Fascist movement in Italy, following in his father's footsteps up the political ladder. Marco is cocky and confident in fascism and his role in the new government. Sandro, an Italian Jew, quickly begins to feel the crush of totalitarianism and anti-Semitism. The story follows these three young people as they grow and live through one of the most tumultuous times in history.
lw_304's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, what an emotional ride this book has taken me on. A genre I read often and this book was right up there with some of the best WW2 historical fiction. A very different book for Ms. Scottoline, she did a remarkable job.
emilydoehrman's review against another edition
4.0
I read a lot of WWII books and yet I have never read one with characters under the leadership of Mussolini and/or in a Fascist country. History was never a strong suit for me in school simply because I would get so bored, so reading historical fiction that pays attention to including accurate facts and details is a way of learning about these events that actually holds my interest. This is a lengthy book, but it covers everything from childhood pre-war for the three main characters to adulthood. I felt that there were no holes left in the storyline, and I appreciated that I wasn't able to predict where the story was taking me or where it would end due to the the number of twists thrown in. Another thing I liked was that the author was not scared to take a difficult turn with a character in order to accurately write on the harsh reality of WWII.