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A review by jhbandcats
The Vietri Project by Nicola DeRobertis-Theye
3.0
This book was nothing at all like what I expected. From the description it sounded like an intriguing mystery about a Californian book seller and an Italian book lover. Instead, it was about the book seller as she travels in search of the book lover, uncovering a variety of stories, none of which seem particularly relevant. She’s clearly on a journey of discovery with herself as the elusive subject. But she wasn’t a particularly nice person, and I didn’t want to be on this journey with her.
The writing was excellent - beautiful descriptions and wise assessments. It was the story I found lacking. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it better had I not had certain expectations. That said, I feel the description of the book is what created those expectations.
The only part that really captured my interest was about the painter exiled to southern Italy in the 1930s. What was up with the trial? Why did she think there was any connection with war atrocities in Ethiopia? How did the Arabic book fit in? And why such a frustrating, disappointing ending?
The writing was excellent - beautiful descriptions and wise assessments. It was the story I found lacking. Maybe I’d have enjoyed it better had I not had certain expectations. That said, I feel the description of the book is what created those expectations.
The only part that really captured my interest was about the painter exiled to southern Italy in the 1930s. What was up with the trial? Why did she think there was any connection with war atrocities in Ethiopia? How did the Arabic book fit in? And why such a frustrating, disappointing ending?