This is a lovely book about a novelist mother and her adolescent daughter living and traveling in Sicily. They have left an ex-husband and stepson/brother behind for a summer sojourn based at the Catania home of a well-to-do friend. The daughter is increasingly curious about the country, her ancestors and the customs of the people. Together they explore the country, the dockyards and markets and spend time with classical literature, primarily Greek mythology. It transitions into a road novel and meanders both the mother’s mind and recollections and the country.
The novel is quiet, with beautiful language and big ideas. It weaves in history, art and philosophy with special attention to migration, particularly their ancestors who left Europe for Latin America and returned. It is not a story for plot driven readers, who may find it too slow. In trying to unfold this story in terms of the way one reads a novel, Luiselli creates a story that applies across the ages-- the story of starting over. It will be released by Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor on July 28, 2026.
No comments:
Post a Comment