Welcome back! It’s the turn of The Sardinian Story by Francesca Scanacapra on the blog. Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the copy of the book to write my honest review.
Apennine Mountains, Italy, 1965
Leonora Bacchetti was once a happy child. But at the age of seventeen she has become a wild and rebellious young woman who leaves her parents in despair when she runs away from home with a group of itinerant travellers.
In the eyes of their friends and neighbours in the tight-knit village of Montacciolo, her parents’ good name is ruined.
At first, Leonora keeps in touch with her mother and father, sending letters and postcards from different countries until, very abruptly, her correspondence stops. The girl has vanished.
Vague, unreliable rumours of her fate abound, but newspaper appeals, police and private investigations reveal nothing.
Until, eighteen years later, in the midst of a snowstorm, a stranger from Sardinia knocks on the door of Leonora’s father’s little mountain house.
Now a widower, he has come to terms with never knowing what happened to his daughter. But everything changes when the unexpected visitor claims that he has new information.
The two men quickly bond and gradually begin to piece together the truth about Lenora, provoking deep questions about her life and how they have lived their own – questions about love, loyalty, honesty and what being a family really means.
The Sardinian Story is a novel of exquisite power and deep emotion which will live long in the memories of its readers.
I have read Paradiso by this author, so I knew I would like The Sardinian Story. I really didn’t expect it to be as powerful and emotional as it was!
The story follows Leonora Bacchetti’s disappearance and the impact this has on her family and the village in which they live. Her father gives up hope of ever hearing or seeing her again until the day a stranger comes to his door with a tale to tell.
Set in Italy, again, the way Francesca Scanacapra describes the setting just gives the reader such a strong sense of place. I found this when I read Paradiso,I again felt like I could be there. the past and the present day is interwoven so well that it became almost an additive read for me.
As the plot unfolds, so does the intrigue. I was caught up with the layers of this story. It’s a thought-provoking read, and the rollercoaster of emotions that I experienced while reading this does make it a book that isn’t an easily forgettable one.
Purchase Links
Author Bio
Francesca Scanacapra was born in Italy to an English mother and Italian father, and her childhood was spent living between England and Italy. Her adult life has been somewhat nomadic with periods spent living in Italy, England, France, Senegal and Spain. She describes herself as ‘unconventional’ and has pursued an eclectic mixture of career paths – from working in translation, the fitness industry, education and even several years as a builder. In 2021 she returned to her native country and back to her earliest roots to pursue her writing career full time. Francesca now resides permanently in rural Lombardy in the house built by her great-grandfather which was the inspiration for her Paradiso Novels: Paradiso, Return to Paradiso and The Daughter of Paradiso. Her novel The Lost Boy of Bologna was also published by Silvertail Books.
Social Media Links
Twitter https://twitter.com/FrancescaScana2
Insta @francescascana2
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 