Saving Madonna
by Kate Bristow
GENRE: Historical Fiction
BLURB:
Is a painting worth dying for?
Inspired by real events, an unforgettable story of love, courage and sacrifice to save a country’s heritage.
Italy 1943. As the Allies bomb Milan, Elena Marchetti reluctantly gives up her coveted job as an art curator in the city to return to her family farm near Urbino. She takes up a new role assisting Pasquale Rotondi, the Superintendent of Arts in the region, in protecting works of art from all over Italy that have been hidden in the relative safety of the countryside.
At a family celebration, Elena reunites with Luca, a close childhood friend. A shattering event instigated by the occupying Germans deepens their relationship, and they start planning a life together. When rumors surface that Italy’s art is being stolen by the German occupiers, Pasquale hatches an audacious plan to rescue the priceless paintings in his possession. Elena and Luca are forced to make an impossible decision: will they embark on a dangerous mission to save Italy’s cultural heritage?
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Excerpt:
Luca was getting frustrated. Two weeks had passed since he had stood up for Elena during the argument about the truck, and he was no closer to procuring her any sort of transport. He had visited all the neighboring farms, except for the one owned by Signor Bruni, to find out if there was any chance of borrowing a vehicle. He had not been surprised to learn that nobody wanted to give up their precious trucks or cars. Even those who had been without fuel for months still clung to the hope that somehow they might be able to find some. It did not help that very few thought that helping the superintendent was a priority given the more immediate issues they were dealing with.
“I have six children to feed, two cows that are ailing, a fence that needs mending, and more besides,” complained Signor Conti when Luca had stopped to talk to him that afternoon after coming upon the farmer struggling with barbed wire on the edge of one of his fields. “I can tell you now, moving some paintings around is not at the top of my list. I can’t imagine you’ll find many takers in these parts, son.” Signor Conti looked at him kindly. “I am not saying I want the Germans to take them either. Don’t get me wrong.” He let off a stream of expletives, as if to emphasize how much he despised the occupiers. “I just think we have to focus on what we can control rather than the things we can’t.”
My Review:
Saving Madonna tells a story about a young woman, Elena who loves art. Her family wants and has always believed that Elena would work on their farm and then later marry a farmer of her own and become a farm wife like her mother but that has never been Elena’s dream.
Saving Madonna takes place during the war with Italy and Germany. Elena risked her life to save Italy’s artwork. Elena helps to move the art to a safe place. Moving the art is very dangerous for everyone involved and even Italy as well.
Their journey is a very dangerous one. But of course, it is war. Saving Madonna is one of those books that will stay with you long after you have read the last page.
Saving Madonna will draw you into its world from the moment you read that first page. It will keep you hanging on wanting to know more and more not able to turn the pages fast enough.
Saving Madonna is a sad and heart-wrenching story that will leave you in tears on more than one occasion so have the tissue standing by. Saving Madonna is also a heartwarming story about Elena and the man, Luca she falls in love with and marries. There are also some very horrific scenes that will break your heart.
I would recommend Saving Madonna to anyone who likes reading books based on real-life events! Grab a copy of Saving Madonna today!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Kate Bristow was born in London. She fell in love with reading when she got her first library card at the age of four. Her first attempt at writing and publishing for a wide audience was a local newspaper typed laboriously at home on her mother’s typewriter while at primary (elementary) school in north London. It is surely a loss to cutting-edge journalism that only one issue was ever produced. Kate divides her time between her small-but-perfectly-formed modern home in Los Angeles and her five-hundred-year-old farmhouse just outside Sassocorvaro in Italy.
Connect with Kate Bristow
Website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram
6 comments:
We appreciate you reviewing today.
The blurb and excerpt sound really good. Thanks for sharing.
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
Thank you for the lovely review - I really appreciate it!
Sounds like a very interesting book.
looks like a fun one
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