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A review by meganmikaelian
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Rebecca Serle’s books are simply lovely. I really enjoy the magical realism she works into her stories. I also appreciate that her main characters are always flawed. They are generally good people who aren’t defined by their sometimes questionable choices.
This book felt a little slower to me than In Five Years, but I was intrigued the whole time. I liked that Katy showed some significant growth in the end because she was pretty selfish in the beginning, though the book did a great job of detailing her journey through grief. I also loved how the book explored themes of motherhood and the concept of mothers being whole people with hopes and dreams who make mistakes and aren’t defined by their status as mothers.
I appreciated that Serle never tried to explain away the magic! We just have to believe it could happen. I also loved the emails included at the end and how well researched the book was.
This book felt a little slower to me than In Five Years, but I was intrigued the whole time. I liked that Katy showed some significant growth in the end because she was pretty selfish in the beginning, though the book did a great job of detailing her journey through grief. I also loved how the book explored themes of motherhood and the concept of mothers being whole people with hopes and dreams who make mistakes and aren’t defined by their status as mothers.
I appreciated that Serle never tried to explain away the magic! We just have to believe it could happen. I also loved the emails included at the end and how well researched the book was.