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Eternal
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2021)What war destroys, only love can heal.
Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as the best of friends despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist; Marco the brash and athletic son in a family of professional cyclists; and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy, kind-hearted and thoughtful, the son of a lawyer and a doctor. Their friendship blossoms to love, with both Sandro and Marco hoping to win Elisabetta's heart. But in the autumn of 1937, all of that begins to change as Mussolini asserts his power, aligning Italy's Fascists with Hitler's Nazis and altering the very laws that govern Rome. In time, everything that the three hold dear--their families, their homes, and their connection to one another--is tested in ways they never could have imagined.
As anti-Semitism takes legal root and World War II erupts, the threesome realizes that Mussolini was only the beginning. The Nazis invade Rome, and with their occupation come new atrocities against the city's Jews, culminating in a final, horrific betrayal. Against this backdrop, the intertwined fates of Elisabetta, Marco, Sandro, and their families will be decided, in a heartbreaking story of both the best and the worst that the world has to offer.
Unfolding over decades, Eternal is a tale of loyalty and loss, family and food, love and war--all set in one of the world's most beautiful cities at its darkest moment.
Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as the best of friends despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist; Marco the brash and athletic son in a family of professional cyclists; and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy, kind-hearted and thoughtful, the son of a lawyer and a doctor. Their friendship blossoms to love, with both Sandro and Marco hoping to win Elisabetta's heart. But in the autumn of 1937, all of that begins to change as Mussolini asserts his power, aligning Italy's Fascists with Hitler's Nazis and altering the very laws that govern Rome. In time, everything that the three hold dear--their families, their homes, and their connection to one another--is tested in ways they never could have imagined.
As anti-Semitism takes legal root and World War II erupts, the threesome realizes that Mussolini was only the beginning. The Nazis invade Rome, and with their occupation come new atrocities against the city's Jews, culminating in a final, horrific betrayal. Against this backdrop, the intertwined fates of Elisabetta, Marco, Sandro, and their families will be decided, in a heartbreaking story of both the best and the worst that the world has to offer.
Unfolding over decades, Eternal is a tale of loyalty and loss, family and food, love and war--all set in one of the world's most beautiful cities at its darkest moment.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2021
About the author
Lisa Scottoline
125 books14.5k followersLisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels. Her books are book-club favorites, and Lisa and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party for over a thousand readers at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. Lisa has served as President of Mystery Writers of America, and her reviews of fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Chick Wit, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective, which have been collected in a bestselling series of humorous memoirs. Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,366 reviews
April 11, 2021
Lisa Scottoline is a prolific author. I’ve seen her books praised online. I’ve seen her books in the library and in book stores, yet I’ve never read any of them until now. She’s writes thrillers, a genre that I don’t usually read. When I had the opportunity to read this book, her first work of historical fiction, one of my favorite genres, I jumped at the chance. I’ve read many WWII stories focused on Germany, Poland, France, Hitler and the Nazis and the Holocaust, but not much about the rise of Mussolini and Fascism in Italy and the invasion later by the Nazis. I learned so much from this novel depicted through the fate of three characters and their families’ experiences portrayed in that time and place. I learned about the impact of fascism and Naziism on the Italian Jews in Rome’s Jewish ghetto, on families who were sympathetic to Mussolini and of the anti fascist resistance, all represented in these families. In her note at the end, Scottoline tells us her inspiration to write the novel, and to tell this not very well known story of the “rastrellamento” ( roundup) of the Jews in Rome on October 16, 1943 which “ sent twelve hundred men, women, and children to Auschwitz.” I had no idea that the Jewish Ghetto in Rome was “the oldest living Jewish community in Western Civilization.”
It’s nearly 500 pages and there wasn’t a minute that I didn’t want to keep reading. It’s mostly told in alternating chapters, beginning with Elisabetta, who later in life decides it’s time for her son to know her story. The novel is the story of three main characters, Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro through the years before and during the war. There are also a few chapters from the point of view of others in their families. Before our eyes, these three young people grow up during these tumultuous times, and while we see them coming of age, this story is so much more. While focusing on a difficult time in history, it is also a celebration of all that is Italian. The author’s love for the country and people resonates on every page. She beautifully blends in the culture, the people, the art, the beautiful language, the food. I’ve been to Italy once and it holds a special place in my heart since all of my grandparents were born there. I felt deeply connected. The picture perfect descriptions of the places in Rome brought to mind that trip, and forged even more my wish to go back one day.
This is a emotional story of family, of loss, of love, a depth of friendship that is at the same time heartening and heartbreaking. It’s a stunning piece of historical fiction, just so well done. From reading some about the events that take place here and reading the author’s note on her preparation for this novel, it appears to be so well researched . I highly recommend it to historical fiction fans and anyone who loves all things Italian. I loved everything about this story.
I received a copy of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through Edelweiss.
It’s nearly 500 pages and there wasn’t a minute that I didn’t want to keep reading. It’s mostly told in alternating chapters, beginning with Elisabetta, who later in life decides it’s time for her son to know her story. The novel is the story of three main characters, Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro through the years before and during the war. There are also a few chapters from the point of view of others in their families. Before our eyes, these three young people grow up during these tumultuous times, and while we see them coming of age, this story is so much more. While focusing on a difficult time in history, it is also a celebration of all that is Italian. The author’s love for the country and people resonates on every page. She beautifully blends in the culture, the people, the art, the beautiful language, the food. I’ve been to Italy once and it holds a special place in my heart since all of my grandparents were born there. I felt deeply connected. The picture perfect descriptions of the places in Rome brought to mind that trip, and forged even more my wish to go back one day.
This is a emotional story of family, of loss, of love, a depth of friendship that is at the same time heartening and heartbreaking. It’s a stunning piece of historical fiction, just so well done. From reading some about the events that take place here and reading the author’s note on her preparation for this novel, it appears to be so well researched . I highly recommend it to historical fiction fans and anyone who loves all things Italian. I loved everything about this story.
I received a copy of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through Edelweiss.
December 18, 2020
I devoured Eternal in much the same way and for many of the same reasons that I savored The English Patient, Atonement, or Corelli’s Mandolin: Lisa Scottoline has written a beautiful, heartbreaking, wrenching love story set in the Second World War. It’s alive with characters I cared about deeply — including the remarkable city of Rome, itself — and their courage in the face of Fascism.
March 26, 2023
War was eternal, but so was peace.
Death was eternal, but so was life.
Darkness was eternal, but so was light.
Hate was eternal, but above all, so was love.
Rome in the time of WW II. Many, many previous books show us Paris or London. I am glad to see more books coming out about Italy (another recent title is 'Our Darkest Night' by Jennifer Robson). We are used to reading thrillers from Lisa Scottoline. This historical fiction has just as many exciting twists and turns as we watch three childhood friends deal with the changes occurring in their country due to war and prejudice. Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up together. They were childhood playmates, but as they grow into adulthood both young men want to marry Elisabetta. Who will she choose. There is a child. Who is the father? With glimpses into the Ghetto, the Vatican, and the office of Mussolini this well-researched novel is a labor of love and a must read for historical fiction fans.
If you loved this one, be sure to check out Lisa Scottoline's latest HF title: Loyalty
Death was eternal, but so was life.
Darkness was eternal, but so was light.
Hate was eternal, but above all, so was love.
Rome in the time of WW II. Many, many previous books show us Paris or London. I am glad to see more books coming out about Italy (another recent title is 'Our Darkest Night' by Jennifer Robson). We are used to reading thrillers from Lisa Scottoline. This historical fiction has just as many exciting twists and turns as we watch three childhood friends deal with the changes occurring in their country due to war and prejudice. Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up together. They were childhood playmates, but as they grow into adulthood both young men want to marry Elisabetta. Who will she choose. There is a child. Who is the father? With glimpses into the Ghetto, the Vatican, and the office of Mussolini this well-researched novel is a labor of love and a must read for historical fiction fans.
If you loved this one, be sure to check out Lisa Scottoline's latest HF title: Loyalty
March 21, 2021
I could not finish this one. I just could not get into it. The physical descriptions of the characters read like an obligatory list of facial and body parts, and the interactions between characters are wooden and forced. This is just not for me.
February 13, 2021
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline is a World War II historical fiction novel that takes place in Rome, the Eternal City. The prologue of the story starts in 1957 when the character Elisabetta decides it is time to tell her thirteen-year-old son who his father really was. She must also explain why she hid the truth from him until he was old enough. Elisabetta knows she must come to grips with the incidents that shaped her youth during the ventennio, which was the twenty years of Mussolini’s rule, and during World War II before she can explain these things to her son.
Then the reader is taken back to Rome, 1937, when Elisabetta and her two best friends, Marco and Sandro are carefree teenagers. Both boys have taken an interest in Elisabetta and she in turns likes both of them. The boys agree to let the best one win her heart. As tensions grow in Italy, so does the relationship of the three friends. Elisabetta’s family disintegrates and she must learn to take care of her alcoholic father and herself by waitressing. Sandro, who is a math genius, is forced out of school since he is Jewish. His father, a tax attorney, becomes active in the Jewish Ghetto community. Sandro’s mother, a beloved OB-GYN, is forced to give up her medical practice. Marco, who has a reading disability, drops out of school and begins working full time for the Fascist government. Unbeknown to him, his brother, Aldo, is working for an anti-fascist group.
The horrors of the war force these young adults to grow up quickly. Their relationships with each other and their families dramatically change throughout the novel. In the end, those who survived the war know that they are stronger because of their love for each other and their love of Italy.
4-Stars. Book club recommended. The hardcover is 480 pages.
Thanks to Edelweiss + and G. P. Putnam & Sons for my advanced reader copy of this novel. The expected publication date is March 23, 2021.
Then the reader is taken back to Rome, 1937, when Elisabetta and her two best friends, Marco and Sandro are carefree teenagers. Both boys have taken an interest in Elisabetta and she in turns likes both of them. The boys agree to let the best one win her heart. As tensions grow in Italy, so does the relationship of the three friends. Elisabetta’s family disintegrates and she must learn to take care of her alcoholic father and herself by waitressing. Sandro, who is a math genius, is forced out of school since he is Jewish. His father, a tax attorney, becomes active in the Jewish Ghetto community. Sandro’s mother, a beloved OB-GYN, is forced to give up her medical practice. Marco, who has a reading disability, drops out of school and begins working full time for the Fascist government. Unbeknown to him, his brother, Aldo, is working for an anti-fascist group.
The horrors of the war force these young adults to grow up quickly. Their relationships with each other and their families dramatically change throughout the novel. In the end, those who survived the war know that they are stronger because of their love for each other and their love of Italy.
4-Stars. Book club recommended. The hardcover is 480 pages.
Thanks to Edelweiss + and G. P. Putnam & Sons for my advanced reader copy of this novel. The expected publication date is March 23, 2021.
June 6, 2022
Audiobook….. read by Cassandra Campbell and Edoardo Ballerini, Lisa Scottoline
….19 hours and 7minutes
….Emotionally gripping….
….The historical awareness and comprehensive research was superbly detailed in knowledge — excellently balanced with facts and intimacy to experience the horrors of the times.
….The character development and easy flowing storytelling was rich — the writing was absorbing throughout….. leaving me fully spent by the end.
….The complicated love triangle offers heartbreaking smiles and suspense.
….The family and political dynamics threatened relationships between Italians and Jewish-Italians.
The development of this theme throughout was done very well.
…I could viscerally feel everything that was happening to the characters.
Just a little something to think about:
…It was estimated there were about six thousand Jewish students affected by the Fascism race laws. They were no longer allowed to attend their schools.
One hundred and seventy secondary teachers lost their jobs.
One hundred University professors lost their jobs.
….The yummy Italian pasta dishes inspired me to cook a pasta & veggie meal as our first dinner in our new kitchen — (soon) We should be back in our main house in a couple more weeks.
Lisa Scottoline steadily draws us into a world of darkness, charm, love and sorrows …. a world that becomes as real as our own.
A very strong enjoyable historical novel!
Thanks you Connie… your review inspired me to jump this book to my top audiobook companion. I’m glad I did.
….19 hours and 7minutes
….Emotionally gripping….
….The historical awareness and comprehensive research was superbly detailed in knowledge — excellently balanced with facts and intimacy to experience the horrors of the times.
….The character development and easy flowing storytelling was rich — the writing was absorbing throughout….. leaving me fully spent by the end.
….The complicated love triangle offers heartbreaking smiles and suspense.
….The family and political dynamics threatened relationships between Italians and Jewish-Italians.
The development of this theme throughout was done very well.
…I could viscerally feel everything that was happening to the characters.
Just a little something to think about:
…It was estimated there were about six thousand Jewish students affected by the Fascism race laws. They were no longer allowed to attend their schools.
One hundred and seventy secondary teachers lost their jobs.
One hundred University professors lost their jobs.
….The yummy Italian pasta dishes inspired me to cook a pasta & veggie meal as our first dinner in our new kitchen — (soon) We should be back in our main house in a couple more weeks.
Lisa Scottoline steadily draws us into a world of darkness, charm, love and sorrows …. a world that becomes as real as our own.
A very strong enjoyable historical novel!
Thanks you Connie… your review inspired me to jump this book to my top audiobook companion. I’m glad I did.
December 4, 2021
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline was a 5 star read for me. I had had Eternal on my kindle for a long time but decided to listen to the audiobook instead and was so glad that I did. It was expertly narrated by Cassandra Campbell and Eduardo Ballerini. They brilliantly brought the story to life and captured my full attention. Eternal was a new genre for Lisa Scottoline. Her prior 30 something novels were either thrillers or books that centered around the criminal justice system. Eternal was a novel of historical fiction. Lisa Scottoline admitted in an interview at the end of the audiobook that this was a book she had always wanted to write and she finally was able to do so. Her research was impeccable and I learned so much about the Italian Jews that lived in Rome under the Fascist government and then under the Nazis prior to World War II, during it and after the War was over. The characters were relatable and I loved the way they grew, changed, became stronger and more resilient and independent during the course of the book. It was a long audiobook, over 19 hours of listening time, but so well done. Eternal was a coming of age story, about three best friends that were able to navigate fascism, war, love and family. It was based on true events and many of the people mentioned in the novel were real people. Lisa Scottoline’s attention to details was masterful as was her talent as a storyteller. This was one of the best best books I have read this year.
Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro all grew up together in Rome, Italy. The three were best friends and yet so different from each other. Growing up, Elisabetta always dreamed of becoming a novelist. She loved to write stories and hoped one day she could write a story that was good enough for someone to publish. She was a beautiful girl but she did not see herself in that way. Her family struggled financially. Her father, once a prominent artist could no longer work. He had had an accident years ago that injured his hands and prevented him from painting any longer. Her father relied on alcohol to help him get through the days and nights. Elisabetta and her mother earned enough money to pay the rent and put food on the table. Marco was a very good looking boy and he knew it. The girls swooned around him and competed for his attention. Marco was athletic. His father had been a renowned cyclist for Italy. Marco suffered from dyslexia but he was not diagnosed until much later in life. He was never able to figure out why reading and writing was so hard for him. Marco knew that he was not stupid but reading and writing were very difficult for him. He learned to compensate for this by memorizing passages whenever he could or by getting someone else to read for him. The third friend was Sandro. He was a brilliant mathematician. His dream was to study under a renowned mathematical professor and eventually write papers about his discoveries. Sandro was also Jewish and he was socially awkward at times. Despite their vast differences, the three could not have been better friends. It was no wonder that both Sandro and Marco started having feelings for Elisabetta at just about the same time. Sandro and Marco fell into a love triangle with Elisabetta vying for her attention and love.
The three friends’ families were also close. Marco’s and Sandro’s fathers were members of the Fascist party and respected Mussolini and the way he helped Rome’s economy grow and prosper. Eventually, Marco was commissioned to work for the Fascist party and he was very proud of it. Then in the summer of 1937, Mussolini joined forces with Hitler and the Nazis. That alliance changed the way the Jewish families in Rome and in all of Italy were allowed to live. The Italian Jews had always been seen as Italians up to then. They were respected, owned shops, worked as doctors, lawyers and other professionals. Their fellow countrymen also saw them as Italians first. Their Jewish heritage was respected and they lived together in harmony. Suddenly, new laws were implemented against the Jews of Italy. Jewish children were no longer able to go to school with their non Jewish neighbors. They were only able to attend Jewish schools. Jewish teachers were no longer able to teach in the schools that they had been teaching in. The Nazis were restricting the Jews in every way they could. By this time, Elisabetta had known that she loved Sandro and she had chosen Sandro over Marco. What would happen to their chances for love and a life together with all the new laws placed on the Jews of Rome?
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline was a powerful and moving story about loss, loyalty, family, love, courage, suffering, survival, fear, hope, sorrow and even some joy. It was fast paced and full of intrigue with some twists and turns. Eternal was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about a time that not much had been documented and told. I found myself weeping at parts and smiling at other parts. I fell in love with the characters and did not want their story to end. Although, Elisabetta’s, Sandro’s and Marco’s characters were all fictional I found myself rooting for them and was completely involved in their struggles, loyalty to one another and the love they felt for each other. I find myself still thinking about them even though I finished listening to this audiobook a while ago. Lisa Scottoline successfully combined her Italian heritage with just the right amount of research to be able to tell this story. She also admitted to had based one of her characters in Eternal on her own grandmother. The reference to all the homemade Italian cooking and signature dishes throughout Eternal was also truly amazing. I felt as if I were in those kitchens with all the delicious smells. In my opinion, Lisa Scottoline, outdid herself in writing Eternal. I highly recommend this book.
Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro all grew up together in Rome, Italy. The three were best friends and yet so different from each other. Growing up, Elisabetta always dreamed of becoming a novelist. She loved to write stories and hoped one day she could write a story that was good enough for someone to publish. She was a beautiful girl but she did not see herself in that way. Her family struggled financially. Her father, once a prominent artist could no longer work. He had had an accident years ago that injured his hands and prevented him from painting any longer. Her father relied on alcohol to help him get through the days and nights. Elisabetta and her mother earned enough money to pay the rent and put food on the table. Marco was a very good looking boy and he knew it. The girls swooned around him and competed for his attention. Marco was athletic. His father had been a renowned cyclist for Italy. Marco suffered from dyslexia but he was not diagnosed until much later in life. He was never able to figure out why reading and writing was so hard for him. Marco knew that he was not stupid but reading and writing were very difficult for him. He learned to compensate for this by memorizing passages whenever he could or by getting someone else to read for him. The third friend was Sandro. He was a brilliant mathematician. His dream was to study under a renowned mathematical professor and eventually write papers about his discoveries. Sandro was also Jewish and he was socially awkward at times. Despite their vast differences, the three could not have been better friends. It was no wonder that both Sandro and Marco started having feelings for Elisabetta at just about the same time. Sandro and Marco fell into a love triangle with Elisabetta vying for her attention and love.
The three friends’ families were also close. Marco’s and Sandro’s fathers were members of the Fascist party and respected Mussolini and the way he helped Rome’s economy grow and prosper. Eventually, Marco was commissioned to work for the Fascist party and he was very proud of it. Then in the summer of 1937, Mussolini joined forces with Hitler and the Nazis. That alliance changed the way the Jewish families in Rome and in all of Italy were allowed to live. The Italian Jews had always been seen as Italians up to then. They were respected, owned shops, worked as doctors, lawyers and other professionals. Their fellow countrymen also saw them as Italians first. Their Jewish heritage was respected and they lived together in harmony. Suddenly, new laws were implemented against the Jews of Italy. Jewish children were no longer able to go to school with their non Jewish neighbors. They were only able to attend Jewish schools. Jewish teachers were no longer able to teach in the schools that they had been teaching in. The Nazis were restricting the Jews in every way they could. By this time, Elisabetta had known that she loved Sandro and she had chosen Sandro over Marco. What would happen to their chances for love and a life together with all the new laws placed on the Jews of Rome?
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline was a powerful and moving story about loss, loyalty, family, love, courage, suffering, survival, fear, hope, sorrow and even some joy. It was fast paced and full of intrigue with some twists and turns. Eternal was a beautiful and heartbreaking story about a time that not much had been documented and told. I found myself weeping at parts and smiling at other parts. I fell in love with the characters and did not want their story to end. Although, Elisabetta’s, Sandro’s and Marco’s characters were all fictional I found myself rooting for them and was completely involved in their struggles, loyalty to one another and the love they felt for each other. I find myself still thinking about them even though I finished listening to this audiobook a while ago. Lisa Scottoline successfully combined her Italian heritage with just the right amount of research to be able to tell this story. She also admitted to had based one of her characters in Eternal on her own grandmother. The reference to all the homemade Italian cooking and signature dishes throughout Eternal was also truly amazing. I felt as if I were in those kitchens with all the delicious smells. In my opinion, Lisa Scottoline, outdid herself in writing Eternal. I highly recommend this book.
March 23, 2021
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline is a beautiful story of World War II in Italy starting with teenagers before the war and lasting decades. I love Scottoline’s thrillers, so was curious about her writing historical fiction. Eternal is so beautiful, I am shocked it is Scottoline’s first historical fiction novel, and I hope she writes more. The story starts with three best friends that turns into a love triangle. While Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro are listening to their family’s opinions, Elisabetta is trying to choose between Marco and Sandro. Then, antisemitism and World War II makes its way to Italy changing all of their lives. I loved all of the characters. The characters are very different and their experiences are varied. Sandro is Jewish so has the strongest consequences from the Nazis. The story is emotional, powerful and beautifully written. I highly recommend Eternal to fans of historical fiction and World War II novels.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Edoardo Ballerini, and Lisa Scottoline. The narration was great and made this book seem to go by so fast. The narrators really got into the character’s personalities and talked with emotion.
Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Random House Audio, and Edelweiss for Eternal.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Edoardo Ballerini, and Lisa Scottoline. The narration was great and made this book seem to go by so fast. The narrators really got into the character’s personalities and talked with emotion.
Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Penguin Random House Audio, and Edelweiss for Eternal.
Full Review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
November 4, 2024
This book was donated to my Little Free Library Shed. I had to take a second look at it, because typically Scottoline’s books are traditional female-centric legal thrillers dealing with issues of justice, family and honor.
But…This one was obviously historical fiction.
Still…It focused on similar issues…
But…Through the lens of World War II.
With…A historical setting, the author provides period detail full of relatable characters, especially women who will do anything to defeat Hitler’s regime.
The setting is Rome where life seems ideal in May 1937.
But…As readers we know what is coming.
And…The author showcases it beautifully as a moral storm brewing. Through her characters, we can feel the nation coming to terms with fascism and antisemitism. We witness the heroism against the setting of Mussolini’s rise to power.
Some characters show blind faith in Mussolini’s charisma…
Who…Brings the country to the side of Hitler, as well as gaining control of Italy’s Jews under horrific race laws that deprive them of their livelihoods and citizenship.
And to be honest…As I read this, knowing the history, I could also feel something else tugging at me and of great concern…
What…We have been playing witness to in our own United States, especially as we enter another election season.
And the question that arises…
What makes people follow such a person so blindly?
(See review for Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Within this story, Scottoline delivers suspense. A slow-build of hate and violence against Jews. She gives us an intimate view of life in Rome from Mussolini’s rise to his defeat. (Although his defeat wasn’t overtly portrayed in the book.)
And…As a reader I was rooting for the secret resistance against Nazi invaders.
Another character in the book…
Rome. There is a strong sense of place between the pages. Local foods. Music. Architecture. Romance.
“What war destroys, only love can heal.”
Her characters are so masterfully fleshed out that we can’t help but feel like we are reading someone’s memoir.
Scottoline shares in her “Author’s Note” at the end that although the families and characters created in this story were of her imagination, “much of what transpires in these pages is true to the past.”
Because…She took historical true events and some “real people,” and weaved them into the story. And her basis for a lot of this information, comes from her own research. She has studied the Italian Holocaust for years, beginning when she was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. In many ways, as readers we could feel her need to learn the truth of that time played out in her fictional story.
And…This was why this book was so well-written, provocative, and substantive.
As well as a…Truly emotional journey.
Please…
Let us not let history repeat itself.
But…This one was obviously historical fiction.
Still…It focused on similar issues…
But…Through the lens of World War II.
With…A historical setting, the author provides period detail full of relatable characters, especially women who will do anything to defeat Hitler’s regime.
The setting is Rome where life seems ideal in May 1937.
But…As readers we know what is coming.
And…The author showcases it beautifully as a moral storm brewing. Through her characters, we can feel the nation coming to terms with fascism and antisemitism. We witness the heroism against the setting of Mussolini’s rise to power.
Some characters show blind faith in Mussolini’s charisma…
Who…Brings the country to the side of Hitler, as well as gaining control of Italy’s Jews under horrific race laws that deprive them of their livelihoods and citizenship.
And to be honest…As I read this, knowing the history, I could also feel something else tugging at me and of great concern…
What…We have been playing witness to in our own United States, especially as we enter another election season.
And the question that arises…
What makes people follow such a person so blindly?
(See review for Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Within this story, Scottoline delivers suspense. A slow-build of hate and violence against Jews. She gives us an intimate view of life in Rome from Mussolini’s rise to his defeat. (Although his defeat wasn’t overtly portrayed in the book.)
And…As a reader I was rooting for the secret resistance against Nazi invaders.
Another character in the book…
Rome. There is a strong sense of place between the pages. Local foods. Music. Architecture. Romance.
“What war destroys, only love can heal.”
Her characters are so masterfully fleshed out that we can’t help but feel like we are reading someone’s memoir.
Scottoline shares in her “Author’s Note” at the end that although the families and characters created in this story were of her imagination, “much of what transpires in these pages is true to the past.”
Because…She took historical true events and some “real people,” and weaved them into the story. And her basis for a lot of this information, comes from her own research. She has studied the Italian Holocaust for years, beginning when she was an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. In many ways, as readers we could feel her need to learn the truth of that time played out in her fictional story.
And…This was why this book was so well-written, provocative, and substantive.
As well as a…Truly emotional journey.
Please…
Let us not let history repeat itself.
June 1, 2021
The fact that Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro are childhood friends lends Scottoline’s love triangle an aura of sadness. Someone will lose out. This sadness is accentuated by the forces of war and politics. Lisa Scottoline sets her novel against the backdrop of Rome, in the later 1930’s and early 1940’s. Italy careens toward WW2 led by the Fascist Prime Minister, Benito Mussolini. As these three young people come of age and learn that their parents are fallible, they are beset by the challenges and losses of a particular time in history.
The Race Laws made it illegal for Jews to attend schools or Jewish professors to teach, for Jews to own property or businesses and prohibited sexual relations and intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles. Sandro is a mathematically gifted student who is looking forward to university and has already been recognized and granted a job with a leading Italian mathematician. When the Race Laws are issued, Sandro’s life is derailed. Sandro and his father, Massimo, a lawyer, are dedicated fascists and are stunned to find themselves on the receiving end of these discriminatory practices. I can feel Sandro’s disappointment and grief as the Jewish students are kept from class, gathering to shed tears and shout questions.
Marco is a handsome flirt who has a way with the girls, but his heart is set on Elisabetta. Athletic and adventurous, Marco is uninterested in school. His difficulty reading may have something to do with that. Marco and his father, Beppe, are also committed fascists. Marco’s brother, Aldo, however, is secretly at odds with the politics of fascism, which will have consequences. When the Race Laws are announced, Marco and Beppe are disturbed. All of a sudden their Jewish friends are considered outcasts.
Elisabetta has a difficult home life. Her mother is unhappy and her father is an alcoholic who no longer works. It is up to Elisabetta and her mother to provide for their daily needs. Elisabetta works as a waitress. It’s only recently that Elisabetta has recognized her lifestyle as lower class. They’re barely getting by. Elisabetta is fifteen and a half and in need of a bra that her mother consistently denies her. At first, it seems Elisabetta only has eyes for Marco, but when she realizes that Sandro is interested in her too, she realizes that she is equally captivated by him as well.
Reading Mark Sullivan’s ‘Beneath A Scarlet Sky,’ made me realize that I knew little of Italy’s history during WW2. This novel is equally grounded in the events of that horrific time under the very popular Mussolini and will see the eventual convergence of Fascism and Nazism. Marco becomes a rising star in this notorious regime even as his best friend Sandro's family suffers the loss of home, jobs, and way of life under the Race Laws restrictive actions. Will their friendship withstand the battering much less the competition for Elisabetta’s heart?
There is heartbreak and sadness but also resilience, courage, the love of family, and the strength of community. Scottoline is a seasoned writer, but this is her first historical fiction novel and it is a good one. However, I wanted more depth for Sandro’s character, more emotion, more insight into his inner life. When Elisabetta makes her choice between the two young men, her heart just knows which is the right choice. I like details, interior motivations, and more depth. Regardless of these few detractors, I can feel Scottoline’s love for her characters and her effort to write this lamentable history in a way that brings light and honor and I think she is successful.
The Race Laws made it illegal for Jews to attend schools or Jewish professors to teach, for Jews to own property or businesses and prohibited sexual relations and intermarriage between Jews and Gentiles. Sandro is a mathematically gifted student who is looking forward to university and has already been recognized and granted a job with a leading Italian mathematician. When the Race Laws are issued, Sandro’s life is derailed. Sandro and his father, Massimo, a lawyer, are dedicated fascists and are stunned to find themselves on the receiving end of these discriminatory practices. I can feel Sandro’s disappointment and grief as the Jewish students are kept from class, gathering to shed tears and shout questions.
Marco is a handsome flirt who has a way with the girls, but his heart is set on Elisabetta. Athletic and adventurous, Marco is uninterested in school. His difficulty reading may have something to do with that. Marco and his father, Beppe, are also committed fascists. Marco’s brother, Aldo, however, is secretly at odds with the politics of fascism, which will have consequences. When the Race Laws are announced, Marco and Beppe are disturbed. All of a sudden their Jewish friends are considered outcasts.
Elisabetta has a difficult home life. Her mother is unhappy and her father is an alcoholic who no longer works. It is up to Elisabetta and her mother to provide for their daily needs. Elisabetta works as a waitress. It’s only recently that Elisabetta has recognized her lifestyle as lower class. They’re barely getting by. Elisabetta is fifteen and a half and in need of a bra that her mother consistently denies her. At first, it seems Elisabetta only has eyes for Marco, but when she realizes that Sandro is interested in her too, she realizes that she is equally captivated by him as well.
Reading Mark Sullivan’s ‘Beneath A Scarlet Sky,’ made me realize that I knew little of Italy’s history during WW2. This novel is equally grounded in the events of that horrific time under the very popular Mussolini and will see the eventual convergence of Fascism and Nazism. Marco becomes a rising star in this notorious regime even as his best friend Sandro's family suffers the loss of home, jobs, and way of life under the Race Laws restrictive actions. Will their friendship withstand the battering much less the competition for Elisabetta’s heart?
There is heartbreak and sadness but also resilience, courage, the love of family, and the strength of community. Scottoline is a seasoned writer, but this is her first historical fiction novel and it is a good one. However, I wanted more depth for Sandro’s character, more emotion, more insight into his inner life. When Elisabetta makes her choice between the two young men, her heart just knows which is the right choice. I like details, interior motivations, and more depth. Regardless of these few detractors, I can feel Scottoline’s love for her characters and her effort to write this lamentable history in a way that brings light and honor and I think she is successful.
June 22, 2023
Eternal by Lisa Scottoline
Historical fiction. World War II, Italy.
Elizabetta, Sandro and Marco grew up and went to school together in Italy. The boys compete for Elizabetta’s heart but she can’t decide between the two. They grow into adults as Fascists and the Nazi army takes over their town and the Jewish are watched and separated.
War, love, sacrifice, loss and survival.
Engrossing, and poignant. An emotional journey I won’t soon forget.
Historical fiction. World War II, Italy.
Elizabetta, Sandro and Marco grew up and went to school together in Italy. The boys compete for Elizabetta’s heart but she can’t decide between the two. They grow into adults as Fascists and the Nazi army takes over their town and the Jewish are watched and separated.
War, love, sacrifice, loss and survival.
Engrossing, and poignant. An emotional journey I won’t soon forget.
Read
April 23, 2021DNF'd at about 25%. My interest was in the historical aspects of the novel. Had I known in advance that a teenage romance dominates the story, I never would have started reading it. There are two boys vying for the affections of one girl, and it gets quite sappy and soap opera-ish. When the girl starts comparing in her mind the way the two boys kiss, I was about ready to give it up. Then one of the boys learns a secret about his father and goes off the deep end with the melodrama and I was DONE DA DONE DONE.
August 21, 2020
When I first heard that my favorite legal thriller author was taking a step into the historical fiction field, I was conflicted- excited to hear a new story from a voice I admire and love; nervous that I would be missing something of her in this book. Excited won out and I stalked Edelweiss, the pre order sites and others to get a glimpse of this book. What was delivered was one of the BEST novels I have read. While changed in genre, Scottoline’s strong feminine voice rang true and her story telling power jumped off the page. Emotional, tender, heartbreaking and hopeful all these words ring true in speaking of this story. I didn’t want the book to end as I wasn’t ready to let Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro go. Knowing the desire Lisa had to write this novel her research and ability to spin yarn was palpable while reading. I absolutely loved these characters (flaws and all), the story and the premise. This has truly taught me that Lisa can write any genre. Breathtaking and a sorry that will stay with me for a very long time. BRAVA, Lisa!!!
March 23, 2021
Haven't we all been waiting for this book? Lisa Scottoline turns her formidable talents to World War II, with the story of three young friends who navigate Fascist Italy and then Nazi occupied Rome. Heartbreaking and beautiful. Out today!
March 26, 2021
A heartfelt historical fiction! You’ll travel to WWII in Rome for a love triangle with unforgettable characters, the rise of fascism and a coming of age. Grab a Chianti and tissues!
March 26, 2023
This is a well written, entertaining, informative WWII historical fiction novel which is based on actual events which are not widely known. It has loss, heartbreak, friendship and love. The scenes are vividly described and the characters are likable and engaging. Nonna is wonderful! The author's note is interesting and her interview is enjoyable and insightful. I listened to the audio version of this novel, and the narrators, Cassandra Campbell and Eduardo Ballerini, have captivating voices and are truly talented.
May 6, 2023
Lisa, Lisa, Lisa!!!!
What were you thinking here? I got so .... bored? Yes, bored with all those super short chapters that felt to me like they were short stories that didn't link up with the chapter before or the one after. I am so sorry, it was long and, again, well boring. I think that historical EPICS are not in your future. Please go back and write a bunch of really good thrillers! This is where your talent is.
To my credit, I did read over 240 pages.. I just couldn't do anymore!
2 stars but DNF
Happy Reading!
What were you thinking here? I got so .... bored? Yes, bored with all those super short chapters that felt to me like they were short stories that didn't link up with the chapter before or the one after. I am so sorry, it was long and, again, well boring. I think that historical EPICS are not in your future. Please go back and write a bunch of really good thrillers! This is where your talent is.
To my credit, I did read over 240 pages.. I just couldn't do anymore!
2 stars but DNF
Happy Reading!
January 23, 2023
I wanted to love this book. It deals with two of my favorite topics, World War II and Rome, my favorite city in the world. Now to the novel: Lisa Scottoline is a very prolific and successful writer. It is obvious that this novel was extremely well researched and that the story is important to the author and close to her heart. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, it was an epic failure. It takes on an incredibly important and moving subject--the City of Rome just before and during World War II, and the plight of the Jewish population of Rome under the fascists and then the nazis. However, the main characters--teenagers in love--do not reflect the seriousness of the story and almost trivialize it. It is not well written except if you put it in the category of Young Adult fiction (I bought the hardcover and I think I'll give it to my 11 year old granddaughter). I'll try one of Ms. Scottoline's legal thrillers to see if this one was just a swing and a miss. One star upgraded to two for effort.
March 28, 2021
I always enjoy this author. I also love historical fiction, But I’m sorry to say I found this disappointing. The concept was very good but,for me, it fell flat. It was too pat and predictable. The characters were two dimensional, uninteresting , and often stereotypical . I also thought the all too frequent use of italicized Italian words, food, and phrases was distracting and unnecessary. Some is ok when it’s not familiar but I think we all know what biscotti and cafe are.
April 18, 2021
I loved this book. The author gives us Rome in the pre-war years, when Fascism was the government, and the war years, when the Nazis took over the city. She has created a lively, realistic, and unforgettable cast of characters and has depicted the city and the period of time with a truly marked attention to detail. From the first chapter, I was hooked. This isn't a book I will forget any time soon.
May 15, 2022
I felt emotionally wiped out as I finished Lisa Scottoline's first novel of historical fiction. "Eternal" is set in Rome, mainly during 1937-1944, as the Italian people faced the terror of Mussolini's Facists followed by the brutal occupation by the Nazis.
Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro were best friends during their childhood. Elisabetta is a lovely young woman who dreams of becoming a writer. Marco is charming, athletic, and a leader. Sandro is a brilliant student gifted in mathematics who lives in the Jewish Ghetto with his family. Best friends Marco and Sandro both develop feelings for Elisabetta, but she is not interested in settling down anytime soon.
The short chapters are mainly told from the points of view of the three friends, although occasionally from the perspective of a minor character. As anti-Semitic laws are passed, people who once supported Mussolini are conflicted by the injustice. When the Nazis move to eradicate the Jews, friends of Sandro and his family try to keep them safe. Scottoline included actual historical events which she deeply researched, including the roundup of over 1200 Jews with a destination of Auschwitz.
"Eternal" shows how all the members of the three families are challenged by the war, experience heartbreaking loss, and are drawn together by love and friendship. The reader can feel empathy for the Italian people caught up in terrible situations orchestrated by Mussolini and Hitler. The setting in Rome may introduce many readers to important historical events that are not as well known from World War II history. "Eternal" is a compelling historical novel that is hard to put down.
Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro were best friends during their childhood. Elisabetta is a lovely young woman who dreams of becoming a writer. Marco is charming, athletic, and a leader. Sandro is a brilliant student gifted in mathematics who lives in the Jewish Ghetto with his family. Best friends Marco and Sandro both develop feelings for Elisabetta, but she is not interested in settling down anytime soon.
The short chapters are mainly told from the points of view of the three friends, although occasionally from the perspective of a minor character. As anti-Semitic laws are passed, people who once supported Mussolini are conflicted by the injustice. When the Nazis move to eradicate the Jews, friends of Sandro and his family try to keep them safe. Scottoline included actual historical events which she deeply researched, including the roundup of over 1200 Jews with a destination of Auschwitz.
"Eternal" shows how all the members of the three families are challenged by the war, experience heartbreaking loss, and are drawn together by love and friendship. The reader can feel empathy for the Italian people caught up in terrible situations orchestrated by Mussolini and Hitler. The setting in Rome may introduce many readers to important historical events that are not as well known from World War II history. "Eternal" is a compelling historical novel that is hard to put down.
March 18, 2021
Eternal is a departure from the authors usual genre and I have to admit, I was skeptical. However, this book blew me away! I’ve heard the author describe this as a labor of love and her passion comes through so clearly throughout Eternal. This is a love letter to Italy, it’s people, and it’s culture. And it’s magnificent!
Eternal is a sweeping, emotional tale about a trio of friends in Rome as the fascist regime takes over. Anti-Semitism takes root and the Nazis occupy Rome. What follows is a tale of courage, tenacity, bravery, loyalty and love.
This book shattered me! At one point I dropped my Kindle and covered my face with a gasp. I was entirely caught up in the story and was swept away to Italy. I loved seeing this side of the story from Rome and how it affected Italians. The characters were written so beautifully, flaws and all. I’m wholly impressed by @lisascottoline and her foray into a new genre. This was a powerhouse of a story and one you don’t want to miss! 5⭐️ My thanks to @putnambooks for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
Eternal is a sweeping, emotional tale about a trio of friends in Rome as the fascist regime takes over. Anti-Semitism takes root and the Nazis occupy Rome. What follows is a tale of courage, tenacity, bravery, loyalty and love.
This book shattered me! At one point I dropped my Kindle and covered my face with a gasp. I was entirely caught up in the story and was swept away to Italy. I loved seeing this side of the story from Rome and how it affected Italians. The characters were written so beautifully, flaws and all. I’m wholly impressed by @lisascottoline and her foray into a new genre. This was a powerhouse of a story and one you don’t want to miss! 5⭐️ My thanks to @putnambooks for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
April 17, 2021
The dialogue and some of the big turnings points were often trite and unbelievable, but I was still planning on giving it 2-1/2 or 3 stars. Until the bumped it down to 2-1/3 (can't do 2-1/2 bc it's not strong enough to round up to 3 stars).
Ok, let's dig into the contrived, ludicrous nonsense Yeah, so that whole thing was just an unbelievable mess (have I mentioned that just a few times?).
Why did I give this mess even 2-1/3 stars? Well, like I wrote in my review for Our Darkest Night, I knew very little about Mussolini's rule in Italy. This book provided more understanding of the build up towards the Italian anti-Semitic policies. It compelled me to dive into reading supplementary material trying to better understand the relationship between the Catholic church and first Fascism and later Nazism. I've never been a fan of Pope Pius XII (or "Hitler's Pope" as he's been called) -- I've felt he's been rightly demonized for what he and the Church didn't do to protect the Jews. And I've always been horrified by what I saw to be formal efforts to purposefully assist Nazi war criminals to flee from post-war justice, as well as to help them establish new lives in foreign countries. This book alone did nothing to improve my impressions.
So what got me rethinking my perspective of Pius? The book's discussion of Israel Zolli (the chief rabbi of Rome) perked my interest and I wanted to read more (see the end of my review for more info on him -- his prescient warnings strike me as inspired). Anyway, I learned that after the war he converted to Catholicism and -- this is the key, not the conversion -- he took the name Eugenio to honor Pope Pius XII as a friend and a hero. He wrote in his memoirs: "What the Vatican did will be indelibly and eternally engraved in our hearts . . . . Priests and even high prelates did things that will forever be an honor to Catholicism."
Then I read that, in spite of the anti-Semitism of Italy under the control of pre-war Mussolini and later the invading Nazis, about 85% of Italian Jews survived the Holocaust -- only Denmark saved more. This high percentage in Italy had to be in great part due to the heroism of ordinary Italian Catholics and Italian clergy. In Rome specifically, approximately 1800 Jews were deported to Auschwitz (with only 16 who survived). But 10,000 Jews in Rome escaped, hid and survived -- many of whom were hidden in the Vatican. Over 500 Italians have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
One of my favorite people I've read about is Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty. He was an Irish priest who came to Italy who ended up rescuing approximately 6,500 Jews and allied soldiers. He was known and wanted by the Nazis in Italy, but he was nicknamed the Vatican Pimpernel because of the clever disguises he used to evade capture over and over. Sadly and incomprehensibly, he has not been recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations (although there has apparently been a recent effort to again name him as such).
Then I found this passage that Ernst von Weizsacker, the German ambassador to the Vatican during World War II (and who is in the book), wrote in his memoirs:
I read many cases of the devastating and brutal revenge that were taken on communities in which Catholic clergy spoke out. Would that have happened anyway whether the Catholic clergy spoke out or not? I don't know. But many contemporaries argue that they were protected to some degree when Catholic clergy acted covertly. (Joseph L. Lichten, a Polish lawyer who immigrated to the US after Communists took control of Poland, wrote this piece when he served as the director of the International Affairs Department for the Anti-Defamation League (there is now a prize named after him.
This has turned into a long review that's packed with the extra stuff I've learned (I figure if she can include her historical notes that she collected while writing the book, I guess it's not too terrible if I include mine). But after lots of preliminary research, I'm honestly not sure what I think yet, which means I need to do some more studying. I can't excuse the obvious anti-Semitism that was embraced by some European Catholics, and I can't excuse the inexcusable organized aid given to Nazi war criminals by Catholic networks. But I still don't know how much was institutionalized. The Jewish Virtual Library has a HUGE section on Pope Pius XII, including a discussion of the opening of the Vatican archives in 2020 and the resulting reports. Of course, I need to study the 2020 Atlantic piece by Fr. Hubert Wolf about the unsealed Vatican documents allegedly showing the pope's complacency (with the understanding that Wolf is apparently not unbiased in his perspective, which does not necessarily mean that his arguments are wrong). I also want to really examine some of the arguments made in defense of Pius. Ronald Rychlak, a professor at the University of Mississippi’s law school who wrote Hitler, the War, and the Pope, makes some strong contentions against Wolf's piece, as does German journalist Michael Hesemann who also accessed the Vatican documents.
Finally, here's more information about Zolli (born Israel Zoller). Apparently, as the chief rabbi of Rome, he tried to warn the Jewish community leaders in Italy of the dangers of German Nazis as early as 1940. He tried to convince them to basically scatter the Jewish community in Rome (many of the Jews proudly and freely lived in the "ghetto" that they had once been confined to in the 1500's) -- initially by selling the community assets to fund the escape of as many Jewish families as possible and finally at least by destroying all records that could be used to track Jewish families. Sadly, the leaders didn't heed his advance; they apparently insisted that he didn't understand the Jewish community in Italy because he was from Eastern Europe (he grew up in what is now the Ukraine, then Poland, then briefly Austria before arriving in Italy as an adult). In response, Zolli and his family went into hiding. (The Encyclopedia Judaica frames this action pretty harshly in this way: "At the beginning of September 1943, when the Germans entered Rome, he abandoned the community and took refuge in the Vatican. At the end of the hostilities he reappeared to assume his position as rabbi, but was rejected by the community because of his unworthy behavior at the time of the greatest danger." Honestly, statements like this break my heart because from my reading so far, I really think he did all he could to help the Jewish community but his counsel was rejected because he was thought to be an outsider.) Apparently about a year after Zolli returned, he and his family converted to Catholicism. (And, yes, I know that one side argues that he converted to escape the castigation he faced from the Jewish community, rather than an actual change of faith.)
Ok, let's dig into the contrived, ludicrous nonsense Yeah, so that whole thing was just an unbelievable mess (have I mentioned that just a few times?).
Why did I give this mess even 2-1/3 stars? Well, like I wrote in my review for Our Darkest Night, I knew very little about Mussolini's rule in Italy. This book provided more understanding of the build up towards the Italian anti-Semitic policies. It compelled me to dive into reading supplementary material trying to better understand the relationship between the Catholic church and first Fascism and later Nazism. I've never been a fan of Pope Pius XII (or "Hitler's Pope" as he's been called) -- I've felt he's been rightly demonized for what he and the Church didn't do to protect the Jews. And I've always been horrified by what I saw to be formal efforts to purposefully assist Nazi war criminals to flee from post-war justice, as well as to help them establish new lives in foreign countries. This book alone did nothing to improve my impressions.
So what got me rethinking my perspective of Pius? The book's discussion of Israel Zolli (the chief rabbi of Rome) perked my interest and I wanted to read more (see the end of my review for more info on him -- his prescient warnings strike me as inspired). Anyway, I learned that after the war he converted to Catholicism and -- this is the key, not the conversion -- he took the name Eugenio to honor Pope Pius XII as a friend and a hero. He wrote in his memoirs: "What the Vatican did will be indelibly and eternally engraved in our hearts . . . . Priests and even high prelates did things that will forever be an honor to Catholicism."
Then I read that, in spite of the anti-Semitism of Italy under the control of pre-war Mussolini and later the invading Nazis, about 85% of Italian Jews survived the Holocaust -- only Denmark saved more. This high percentage in Italy had to be in great part due to the heroism of ordinary Italian Catholics and Italian clergy. In Rome specifically, approximately 1800 Jews were deported to Auschwitz (with only 16 who survived). But 10,000 Jews in Rome escaped, hid and survived -- many of whom were hidden in the Vatican. Over 500 Italians have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
One of my favorite people I've read about is Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty. He was an Irish priest who came to Italy who ended up rescuing approximately 6,500 Jews and allied soldiers. He was known and wanted by the Nazis in Italy, but he was nicknamed the Vatican Pimpernel because of the clever disguises he used to evade capture over and over. Sadly and incomprehensibly, he has not been recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations (although there has apparently been a recent effort to again name him as such).
Then I found this passage that Ernst von Weizsacker, the German ambassador to the Vatican during World War II (and who is in the book), wrote in his memoirs:
Not even institutions of worldwide importance, such as the International Red Cross or the Roman Catholic Church saw fit to appeal to Hitler in a general way on behalf of the Jews or to call openly on the sympathies of the world. It was precisely because they wanted to help the Jews that these organizations refrained from making any general and public appeals; for they were afraid that they would injure rather than help the Jews thereby.
I read many cases of the devastating and brutal revenge that were taken on communities in which Catholic clergy spoke out. Would that have happened anyway whether the Catholic clergy spoke out or not? I don't know. But many contemporaries argue that they were protected to some degree when Catholic clergy acted covertly. (Joseph L. Lichten, a Polish lawyer who immigrated to the US after Communists took control of Poland, wrote this piece when he served as the director of the International Affairs Department for the Anti-Defamation League (there is now a prize named after him.
This has turned into a long review that's packed with the extra stuff I've learned (I figure if she can include her historical notes that she collected while writing the book, I guess it's not too terrible if I include mine). But after lots of preliminary research, I'm honestly not sure what I think yet, which means I need to do some more studying. I can't excuse the obvious anti-Semitism that was embraced by some European Catholics, and I can't excuse the inexcusable organized aid given to Nazi war criminals by Catholic networks. But I still don't know how much was institutionalized. The Jewish Virtual Library has a HUGE section on Pope Pius XII, including a discussion of the opening of the Vatican archives in 2020 and the resulting reports. Of course, I need to study the 2020 Atlantic piece by Fr. Hubert Wolf about the unsealed Vatican documents allegedly showing the pope's complacency (with the understanding that Wolf is apparently not unbiased in his perspective, which does not necessarily mean that his arguments are wrong). I also want to really examine some of the arguments made in defense of Pius. Ronald Rychlak, a professor at the University of Mississippi’s law school who wrote Hitler, the War, and the Pope, makes some strong contentions against Wolf's piece, as does German journalist Michael Hesemann who also accessed the Vatican documents.
Finally, here's more information about Zolli (born Israel Zoller). Apparently, as the chief rabbi of Rome, he tried to warn the Jewish community leaders in Italy of the dangers of German Nazis as early as 1940. He tried to convince them to basically scatter the Jewish community in Rome (many of the Jews proudly and freely lived in the "ghetto" that they had once been confined to in the 1500's) -- initially by selling the community assets to fund the escape of as many Jewish families as possible and finally at least by destroying all records that could be used to track Jewish families. Sadly, the leaders didn't heed his advance; they apparently insisted that he didn't understand the Jewish community in Italy because he was from Eastern Europe (he grew up in what is now the Ukraine, then Poland, then briefly Austria before arriving in Italy as an adult). In response, Zolli and his family went into hiding. (The Encyclopedia Judaica frames this action pretty harshly in this way: "At the beginning of September 1943, when the Germans entered Rome, he abandoned the community and took refuge in the Vatican. At the end of the hostilities he reappeared to assume his position as rabbi, but was rejected by the community because of his unworthy behavior at the time of the greatest danger." Honestly, statements like this break my heart because from my reading so far, I really think he did all he could to help the Jewish community but his counsel was rejected because he was thought to be an outsider.) Apparently about a year after Zolli returned, he and his family converted to Catholicism. (And, yes, I know that one side argues that he converted to escape the castigation he faced from the Jewish community, rather than an actual change of faith.)
April 3, 2021
Actually DNF - read about 60% and just couldn’t do it anymore. This book has 143 chapters in 461 pages. It’s being marketed as an historical epic and it is actually a series of very short chapters strung together. Nothing, no scene is ever fully developed. Two stars because the author has been to Rome and did do some research about Rome during World War II.
April 17, 2023
Excellent historical fiction. I haven't read many books before about how Mussolini's fascism evolved, and think Scottoline, who comes from Italian heritage, made the history a very interesting read (listen).
The two audio narrators were A+.
The two audio narrators were A+.
March 22, 2021
‘Eternal,’ her first work in historical fiction, is the book Lisa Scottoline has wanted to write ever since she took Philip Roth’s year-long seminar on the ‘Literature of the Holocaust’ at the University of Pennsylvania. It was there she was introduced to the Italian Jewish chemist, Primo Levi, who survived Auschwitz and wrote the memoir, “If This is a Man,” published in the U.S. as, “Survival in Auschwitz.” After intensive research, and travel to various sites in Italy, Lisa has taken her enormous writing talent to put forth this labor a love.
Although her three main characters are fictional, Elisabetta, Sandro, and Marco, to aid the story, the majority of the history is real. The events, places and names of the people are factual. I encourage all to read her, ‘Author’s Note’ to get a further sense and appreciation of the history and Lisa’s efforts to honor all the people involved.
When Mussolini led Italy to align with Germany in WWII most Italians did not realize what it meant for their country’s Jewish population. Rome experienced several ‘rastrellamentos’ or ‘roundups’ of Jews in its neighborhoods, and its own ‘Jewish Ghetto.’ Of the 12,000 Jews in Rome at that time, 10,000 survived by hiding in the Vatican, monasteries, convents, and homes. Unfortunately, of the 1200 men, women, and children who were sent to Auschwitz around October 16, 1943, only 16 survived: 15 men and 1 woman. A terrible, horrible price of life to pay, although not nearing the thousands in central Europe.
We have all read statistics about WWII, but Lisa has humanized this story with her characters, their families, friendships, and struggles just to exist. As the Nazis tried to dehumanize the Jews in Italy, in this story, many came to their aide. Although it was not enough, as in most locations during this war, that they tried in their efforts is a worthy remembrance.
I highly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Lisa Scottoline.
November 16, 2021
This was a powerful book that left me teary (don’t think this means I didn’t enjoy it). I’ve enjoyed several of Lisa Scottoline’s books, but I have to say I like that her writing keeps evolving and this was a whole new level. A historical fiction story set just before and during World War II. It was painful to read the characters who were so hopeful and full of “that won’t happen here, not to us” that it was heartbreaking. A little like watching a car accident in slow motion - you know what’s coming and are helpless to stop it. The story began with a mother, Elisabetta, telling her 13 year old son the story of who his father is and why she has concealed this. Elisabetta grew up and was best friends with two boys who both fell in love with her Marco and Sandro. Sandro is Jewish which makes his parents upset with his wanting to court a gentile woman. Marco’s family keeps their resistance more vague but is also against the match. The story is told in short chapters from various different characters’ perspectives which was very interesting. While I enjoy the other types of books Lisa Scottoline writes I hope this is not her last historical fiction.
April 8, 2021
I’ve read a number of books of this era and genre the past year and didn’t know if I was quite up to yet another one with all its heartbreak and inhumanity. Still, it is important that books such as these continue to be written and read….we must never forget and, hopefully, use the lessons from these books to become better human beings….or at least less hateful to each other.
This well written novel follows the lives of a number of characters, but it is never confusing. The characters are so charming that I almost didn’t want to read on because I knew the fate that would await some of them. The story, which stretches in time from 1937 to 1957 is heart wrenching, yet hopeful. Well researched, with a great sense of place… Rome, the Eternal City. It is a long novel, but the story moves quickly. It is a powerful read.
This well written novel follows the lives of a number of characters, but it is never confusing. The characters are so charming that I almost didn’t want to read on because I knew the fate that would await some of them. The story, which stretches in time from 1937 to 1957 is heart wrenching, yet hopeful. Well researched, with a great sense of place… Rome, the Eternal City. It is a long novel, but the story moves quickly. It is a powerful read.
November 22, 2021
People tell you to read before you to go to sleep because it relaxes you. After finishing no less than six Historical WW II Fictional books at night I strongly disagree with that theory.
Eternal is a well written, well researched book about families in Italy before and during WWII. Not only do we experience the horrors of the Jews, but families and friends torn apart by Mussolini and his Race Laws.
This book is as not as much about heros during the resistance, but heros within their own city, families and friends. It certainly doesn't all work out well, but the author reminds us at the end of the book what is eternal.
Another wonderful read from a heartwarming, breathtaking, author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eternal is a well written, well researched book about families in Italy before and during WWII. Not only do we experience the horrors of the Jews, but families and friends torn apart by Mussolini and his Race Laws.
This book is as not as much about heros during the resistance, but heros within their own city, families and friends. It certainly doesn't all work out well, but the author reminds us at the end of the book what is eternal.
Another wonderful read from a heartwarming, breathtaking, author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 31, 2021
4.5 Stars
I am a big Lisa Scottoline thriller fan; this was novel #24. I especially liked After Anna as well as the Rosato & DiNunzio novels.
As an Italian/American I totally loved this story!
This story is a WWII historical fiction, although different from her other novels is still a great story.
Story starts with Prologue in 1957 when Elizabettta decides it is time to tell her thirteen year old son the story of his biological father. She waited until now as she wanted him to understand the situation. The story then goes to 1937 Rome Italy
Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro grew up best friends midst fascism and anti-Semitism at a time when the Nazi took over and occupied Rome.
.
Elizabetta a Christian has dreams of becoming a novelist
Marco also a Christian is the son of a family of professional cyclists and
Sandro is Jewish and a mathematics prodigy
Lisa Scottoline does not disappoint. The narrators Cassandra Campbell (one of my all-time favorite audiobook performer) and Edoardo Ballerini; (also an audio performer who I totally enjoy) both did an awesome job in performing all the characters. Their accent truly added enjoyment for me the listener.
Additionally I always enjoyed reading the ‘Acknowledgements’ and the ‘Interview with the Author’ ~. was a fun “inside scoop on the motivation in writing this story.
I am a big Lisa Scottoline thriller fan; this was novel #24. I especially liked After Anna as well as the Rosato & DiNunzio novels.
As an Italian/American I totally loved this story!
This story is a WWII historical fiction, although different from her other novels is still a great story.
Story starts with Prologue in 1957 when Elizabettta decides it is time to tell her thirteen year old son the story of his biological father. She waited until now as she wanted him to understand the situation. The story then goes to 1937 Rome Italy
Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro grew up best friends midst fascism and anti-Semitism at a time when the Nazi took over and occupied Rome.
.
Elizabetta a Christian has dreams of becoming a novelist
Marco also a Christian is the son of a family of professional cyclists and
Sandro is Jewish and a mathematics prodigy
Lisa Scottoline does not disappoint. The narrators Cassandra Campbell (one of my all-time favorite audiobook performer) and Edoardo Ballerini; (also an audio performer who I totally enjoy) both did an awesome job in performing all the characters. Their accent truly added enjoyment for me the listener.
Additionally I always enjoyed reading the ‘Acknowledgements’ and the ‘Interview with the Author’ ~. was a fun “inside scoop on the motivation in writing this story.
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