Welcome to Litsy!

Reading Natalia Ginzburg, and this novel in particular, was an excellent use of the July 4th holiday. The war is over and Elsa's Italian village is returning to life after fascism. I particularly enjoyed the lines about how no one likes Purillo, who sided with the fascists, even as he continued to live among them. And I sympathized with the repeated refrain, "Why has everything been ruined?"

Almost half way through and don‘t quiet know what‘s going on and who the story is about.

makes you feel you are listening in on an italian family…great characters.

"Happiness,” he said, "always seems nothing. It is like water; one only realizes it when it has run away."

what a true idea…

This is one of those novels where you have to get into the routine of it, to read between the lines, to really understand everything going on. It takes place in a small Italian town after World War II, with everyone dealing with losing family members, wondering who to trust, and still needing to move forward. I liked the examination of happiness in relationships vs societal expectations as well.