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pammcgffn 's review for:
The Infinite Now
by Mindy Tarquini
In Philadelphia during WWI, Fiora Vicente, the daughter of a fortune-teller, is left orphaned by the influenza pandemic of 1918. She's taken in by an old shoemaker and befriends a young man, Carlo, and the pregnant wife of a WWI soldier. But outside their building, she is the target of fear and scorn. Many blame her for the deadly sickness ripping through their immigrant Italian neighborhood. And she's not so sure that she isn't responsible. One day, she witnesses the old man having a heart attack and accidentally creates a bubble that stops time. The old man lives, and the sick don't die right away, but neither do they get better. Meanwhile, Fiora is pressed into caring for a flu-ravaged family in her building. Eventually she, Carlo and her pregnant friend start taking care of as many families and children as they can, while Fiora tries to figure out how to get time moving normally again. An enchanted curtain, a mysterious tea merchant and a rich tapestry of cultural and historical details add to the ambiance of this magical realism novel. I was fully enveloped in Mindy Tarquini's poetically rendered world and unique characters. If I have one criticism, it's that it was a little difficult to follow at times, but this didn't ruin the experience for me. I was still left with that warm ache that I get when I've finished an emotionally satisfying story.