Novel of war set in the Veneto region, Italy by Elise Valmorbida

Submitted: 2nd February 2019

A sweeping tale of war in the valleys of the Veneto region

When war comes to a country, those in the countryside may not see it, but they can feel it, sense it and experience its consequences. This is the story of Mari and her family. Rural people living a simple life, until war comes calling. This Novel of war set in the Veneto region, Italy by Elise Valmorbida is a novel to savour.

A great sense of time and place – an historical novel but one told in the present tense which immediately brings the characters into your head and their struggles into your heart.

BookTrail locations in Madonna of the Mountains

Book Setting: Remote valley in Italy

BookTrail locations in Madonna of the Mountains

Bookreview

Italy, 1923

Maria Vittoria is 25 years old and too old to be still living at home. Society expects a woman of that age to have a family or at least a husband. So, her father goes out and finds her one. She marries him and at first is happy with her lot. However, Achille is not the man she thought or hoped that he would be. (interestingly even though it’s a historical tale, it’s told in the present tense. This does give it a sense of immediacy and personal insights into the characters and time.

Women at the time were subservient as they had to be. However, Maria shows strength and determination to make the best out of life. She wants to protect her family and home from the onslaught of war. There’s also the horrific spread of fascism. A well known and feared entity in the towns, is now making its way to the remote valleys where Maria lives. A country overrun with fascism and war is not safe. The war is happening in the distance, the men are away fighting on the front line, but this is the view of the women left behind. The women who have to fight just as hard under different circumstances to stand up and protect their families and futures.

This novel felt very raw and honest. Maria must do the best she can given the circumstances of the time. However, she has something in her which transcends time and setting. She sews – and this for me represented the patience and determination of Maria. Time moves slowly but little by little the picture forms. Some of the stitching like life, may be wonky. You might be tempted to unpick some parts and start again. A metaphor for life.

This is a story firmly linked to setting and location. The story set elsewhere would not be this story. The ingredients of the valley, the characters, the time and The Veneto region as a whole, create a tapestry of riches where all the stitches matter.

Raw, remote, delicate and evocative. Highly recommended!