affiliate links included. I received a digital review copy of this book.
I am thrilled that Alyson Richman will be speaking in Dallas this week. The Garden of Letters is the second of her books that I have read. I loved The Lost Wife– review here.
- The Garden of Letters by Alyson Richman- Perfect for Lovers of World War II Fiction
From the publisher, “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.”
Quotes From the Book
Richman’s writing is lyrical:
“he knew every person in the world had something locked in his heart to tell.”
“Elodie wondered if there was a place for music in all this chaos and war.”
“There was also something about the smell of bookshops that was strangely comforting to her. She wondered if it was the scent of ink and paper, or the perfume of binding, string, and glue. Maybe it was the scent of knowledge. Information. Thoughts and ideas. Poetry and love. All of it bound into one.”
“She wants to feel her age, not her responsibility. She wants to feel joy.”
“The truth lay somewhere in the space between their words and in their eyes. It glimmered pale and radiant like moonlight striking through ice.”
For all fans of World War II fiction, this is a must-read.
Buy the book here:
What are you reading and where are you going?
I’ve had this book on my list since I first heard about it. Have fun at the event, Andrea!
I can’t wait to read this book. Sounds beautiful