A review by houxli
Let the Mountains Be My Grave by Francesca Tacchi

adventurous reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I loved the multifaceted look of Italy: the mountains, Etruscan references, the anti-fascist resistance, the multiple languages spoken on the peninsula. That's the real meat of the story.
What didn't work for me was how Angitia was used craft-wise. She's a goddess that solves every problem. She's not a character, she is Veleno's superpowers with a voice. I wish we got more of her thoughts on anything. 
Spoiler tagged for the ending conflict and textual suicidal ideation.

I did not buy Veleno's suicidality. I believe that he doesn't care if he dies because he can't see a future for himself, but I don't believe that he wants to die. At the very end, when Angitia tells him she'll protect him from the lightning, the story pretends that Veleno will say "no, that's okay, I'll just die here." It's not a conflict, that's not a climax. He tearfully realizes that he'll live for Rame, but that's only after throwing his mother under the bus, which especially sucks because his reason for getting involved with the partisans was to avenge his father specifically. "I'll die for my dad, but fuck even checking if my mom's still alive." I hate Veleno for that. Would Angitia have listened to him if he did say no? She's not a character, so we don't know.

That being said, I leave the book enjoying the shape of the plot, the prose, the setting, and most of the characters, while also disliking Veleno and the function of Angitia. But the good overshadows my feelings towards the end, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend this.