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A review by never4get
De ijsmakers by Ernest van der Kwast
3.0
An interesting multi-generational story of Italian family that claims to have 'invented' ice-cream and to have carried on the tradition through several generations. It's a hard grind for the family, where they head to the ice-cream parlour in Rotterdam each spring and work on developing new flavours, etc all through summer, only returning to the Italian mountains in winter, when they can rest.
This part of the family story centres on the parents and two sons growing up in this environment. The brothers are very close, until a new girl comes to town - the beautiful Sonia - and each of the boys vies for her attention. Luca, the younger brother, makes it clear that he intends to claim her - even though that doesn't happen for many years.
Meanwhile, Giovanni is not at all captured by the idea of being an ice-cream maker and instead becomes seduced by poets that frequent the ice-cream parlour. In the end he follows a literary career and travels the world organising various poetry festivals. This generates great annoyance and perhaps envy from his brother who is left behind to churn, churn the ice-cream with his father, while developing new flavours. He basically stops talking to his brother.
After marrying Sonia, no babies appear and this causes great disquiet in the family and questions in the local community. Sonia descends into a depression.
Eventually Luca approaches his brother and tells him that he is unable to father children because of his sperm count. He asks Giovanni to sleep with Sonia and give her a child, acknowledging that no one can ever know about this. Although conflicted about this, Giovanni does perform this for his brother [having always fancied Sonia since they were young] and miraculously she becomes pregnant first time and gives birth to a son Giuseppe. Everyone is overjoyed.
As time goes on, Giovanni enjoys his role as uncle, while also missing the milestones of being with his son. They are able to share more time together than Giuseppe has with Luca, because of Luca's duty in the ice-cream shop, where Sonia also works.
During their time together Giovanni talks about his work and poets. As Giuseppe becomes older it becomes clear that he does not want to work in the Ice-cream parlour, which causes friction. He seems to query his paternity also, suspecting that he is more like his uncle than his father.
Eventually he heads off overseas to Mexico and little is heard from him. In discussions between Luca and Giovanni they share their recollections of Giuseppe as a child. Luca asks Giuseppe whether he suggested Giovanni go overseas and although he denies this, he feels some guilt about encouraging Giovanni's interest in poetry and travel. Sonia descends into a deep depression. The book ends without us knowing whether Giovanni returns.
This part of the family story centres on the parents and two sons growing up in this environment. The brothers are very close, until a new girl comes to town - the beautiful Sonia - and each of the boys vies for her attention. Luca, the younger brother, makes it clear that he intends to claim her - even though that doesn't happen for many years.
Meanwhile, Giovanni is not at all captured by the idea of being an ice-cream maker and instead becomes seduced by poets that frequent the ice-cream parlour. In the end he follows a literary career and travels the world organising various poetry festivals. This generates great annoyance and perhaps envy from his brother who is left behind to churn, churn the ice-cream with his father, while developing new flavours. He basically stops talking to his brother.
After marrying Sonia, no babies appear and this causes great disquiet in the family and questions in the local community. Sonia descends into a depression.
Eventually Luca approaches his brother and tells him that he is unable to father children because of his sperm count. He asks Giovanni to sleep with Sonia and give her a child, acknowledging that no one can ever know about this. Although conflicted about this, Giovanni does perform this for his brother [having always fancied Sonia since they were young] and miraculously she becomes pregnant first time and gives birth to a son Giuseppe. Everyone is overjoyed.
As time goes on, Giovanni enjoys his role as uncle, while also missing the milestones of being with his son. They are able to share more time together than Giuseppe has with Luca, because of Luca's duty in the ice-cream shop, where Sonia also works.
During their time together Giovanni talks about his work and poets. As Giuseppe becomes older it becomes clear that he does not want to work in the Ice-cream parlour, which causes friction. He seems to query his paternity also, suspecting that he is more like his uncle than his father.
Eventually he heads off overseas to Mexico and little is heard from him. In discussions between Luca and Giovanni they share their recollections of Giuseppe as a child. Luca asks Giuseppe whether he suggested Giovanni go overseas and although he denies this, he feels some guilt about encouraging Giovanni's interest in poetry and travel. Sonia descends into a deep depression. The book ends without us knowing whether Giovanni returns.