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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Loved this story. Perfect story about an imperfect, realistic life.
This was an enjoyable read, and the epilogue made me cry (not that unusual, really, but still...) with characters realizing mistakes that altered life courses and could never be made right.
emotional
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Read this my freshman year of college and enjoyed it. I feel like she takes a long time during the childhood sections then starts skipping time too quickly and not spending enough time developing new relationships with characters. It makes later conflict feel misplaced and unsatisfying. It also makes it harder to feel the character has shifted from her early twenties to mid thirties so quickly. I would like to have seen more time dedicated to developing plot and character versus describing outfits and food.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Really enjoyed this novel. I do so love a romance and this one smacks of reality which I rather enjoyed.
Her books definitely make me cry enough to use a box of tissue. This one was no exception. With in all of the crying big life lessons are learned. Nella in particular learned something so important and a bit too late. I could relate to her so much so, that most of the book I thought she was me. Her independence and determination made her seem as if she needed no one and cold hearted. Unfortunately, that is not how she saw herself. She was just very honest and opinionated, and although she was independent she needed and wanted love. She just didn't come off that way. When Franco told her that if anyone did not need a man it was her, but that was truly the farthest from the truth. She just didn't show it. She learned that working hard for her family left them feeling neglected, and that she should have balanced work and family life better. However, she learned that too late. Her husband wanted to enjoy her and vacation even retire early, but she was so ambitious that she let so much time pass. By the time she agreed to vacation with him it was too late. Everything she learned, she learned it too late. She had many regrets, but felt that while she was living she was doing her best. What she thought was best. Learning that your idea of the best was truly not the best for everyone else was painful for her. Family is always a theme in these books, but the way it is played out is different every time. I love that. That we get to see how important family is in all the different types of families.
Real life does come with a lot of heartache and disappointment, but hopefully we can appreciate the happiness and the lessons learned.
This was a great book. I devoured it in one day. Her writing is incredible and the descriptions are always so vivid.
I recommend anyone of her books.
Real life does come with a lot of heartache and disappointment, but hopefully we can appreciate the happiness and the lessons learned.
This was a great book. I devoured it in one day. Her writing is incredible and the descriptions are always so vivid.
I recommend anyone of her books.
Queen of the Big Time tells the story of Nella Castelluca, the third daughter of Italian immigrants living in a small town Roseto in Pennsylvania. Her family own a farm in a village near Roseto and Nella and her sisters spend their days doing chores and dreaming of a different life. Nella is an excellent studentat a village primary school and an avid reader, and her dream is to be a teacher one day. She is given a chance to realise her dream when her teacher, Mrs Stoddard arranges for Nella to go to high school in Roseto, Unfortunately, hard life in 1920's USA will make Nella put her dream on hold to be able to provide for her family. Slowly the practical side of her will bury the dream she had as a young girl and make do with the cards she was dealt with.
The story follows Nella's life from when she was 12-year-old poor farm girl with big dreams, to her death as a 60+ widow with two children, grandchildren and a successful business being her life accomplishments. Nella's practical side was in a constant war with her emotional side all her life, but the hard reality always made th practical side win, which gave Nella many benefits in life, but also a lot of regret.
All in all, an enjoyable read about a strong woman who made the best of the life given to her.
The story follows Nella's life from when she was 12-year-old poor farm girl with big dreams, to her death as a 60+ widow with two children, grandchildren and a successful business being her life accomplishments. Nella's practical side was in a constant war with her emotional side all her life, but the hard reality always made th practical side win, which gave Nella many benefits in life, but also a lot of regret.
All in all, an enjoyable read about a strong woman who made the best of the life given to her.
Excellent book about Italian Americans in a small Pennsylvania town. Family is the most important thing to Italians, which is well illustrated in this story of one particular family.