Plot
Portofino, Italy, 1943. A young woman steps off a boat in a scenic coastal village. Although she knows how to disappear in a crowd, Elodie is too terrified to slip by the German officers while carrying her poorly forged identity papers. She is frozen until a man she’s never met before claims to know her. In desperate need of shelter, Elodie follows him back to his home on the cliffs of Portofino.
Only months before, Elodie Bertolotti was a cello prodigy in Verona, unconcerned with world events. But when Mussolini’s Fascist regime strikes her family, Elodie is drawn into the burgeoning resistance movement by Luca, a young and impassioned bookseller. As the occupation looms, she discovers that her unique musical talents, and her courage, have the power to save lives.
In Portofino, young doctor Angelo Rosselli gives the frightened and exhausted girl sanctuary. He is a man with painful secrets of his own, haunted by guilt and remorse. But Elodie’s arrival has the power to awaken a sense of hope and joy that Angelo thought was lost to him forever.
Thoughts
I have been stuck in Italy lately. Not just Italy, but the 1930's - 1940's Italy. Have you ever just loved a place you haven't been to before? It's an odd kind of love. I know that one day I will be able to travel there, but until then, I'm only able to experience Italy through books.
The Garden of Letters is by far my favorite novel based in Italy. Alyson Richman's writing was so captivating. The way she explained music and food enchanted me. Every passage of Elodie playing her cello broke me to tears. It was as if I could hear her playing. I'm not sure how to explain it because it wasn't really me hearing music it was more me seeing the colors and emotions of her playing. It was beautiful. Elodie was just the type of character you wish you knew, because then you'd have the honor of hearing talent in person.
Between the beautiful descriptions of the food, scenery, love, books, and music I couldn't pick a favorite part in The Garden of Letters.
Reading about Angelo and Elodies lives before meeting was so incredibly heart breaking. The writing may have been beautiful but Richman's characters and story was what brought the novel depth. I wanted happiness for both of these characters. Whenever they experienced heartbreak or pain I experienced it with them. I was so engrossed into the story it physically hurt me to put it down between reading.
So I guess when the time comes for me to finally travel I will definitely be visiting Portofino, Italy.
FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ALYSON RICHMAN
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