Lambrusco: A Novel

by Ellen Cooney

Book Overview

The author of A Private Hotel for Gentle Ladies has written a captivating, wonderfully funny novel. Set in 1943 Italy, the country and its people are wracked by war, but there are some things for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375424962
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Pantheon
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.2" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Take a sip of Lambrusco

I liked this novel. At first I was put off by the first person point of view, but then I began to see that the novel was less about story than it was about character, and that the thoughts of the main character, talented singer Lucia Fantini, were intentionally scattered, with her memories rising to the surface of her consciousness just as bubbles might rise to the surface of a glass of Lambrusco. There is a journey motif--not only Lucia's journey in search of her son--but also an internal journey, as Lucia begins to wrap her psyche around the war, the occupation of her country by opposing forces, and the changes in herself and her life. The narrative voice created by author Cooney flows through the reader's head with a calm, deliberate pace--the pace of human interactions and understanding. It's the perfect rendition of the voice of a woman who's middle aged, wise and getting wiser by the moment--you begin to really know Lucia, and like and admire her, faults and all. It's the perfect voice to give a celebrated singer. Resonant. Truthfully, I'd have been happy if the book had been another hundred pages long, just to feel that voice!

Lambrusco: A Review

"Lambrusco" is the story of one woman's journey as she searches for her missing son across war torn Italy. The novel takes place during World War II and while war provides the horrific background, this is not a story about war itself, but rather about the way it affects those who are surrounded and engulfed by it. It is a story about ordinary people banded together in difficult, extraordinary times. It is about hope, the ways in which we, as individuals, affect those around us, about family, friends, and community. From the moment the book opens, with a list of the cast of characters, you know you are in for an interesting ride. Although the novel is told from Lucia's point of view, there are moments where Lucia's imagination takes over and the result is a panorama of all the things that make us human - our imaginations, fears, lusts, our love, our tenacity, and the relationships we forge and build in even the worst of circumstances. While Lucia must face devastating events, it is her hope, her voice that ultimately survives. The beginning of the novel sets up the journey Lucia must make, but it is the second half which really showcases Ms. Cooney's talent. She creates some real moments of beauty and humor, not an easy task considering the circumstances. Overall, "Lambrusco" is a worthwhile read from a talented writer.

A Toast to "Lambrusco"

Here is a beautiful telling of ordinary people living through extraordinary times. During WWII, these small towns in Italy were caught between the advancing American army, their own Fascist government, and the retreating Germans. We follow Lucia as she searches for her missing partisan son and in the process meet her family and friends, finely drawn characters. We share her thoughts; memories, fears, horrors, and finally hope. Hope, that beneath the devastations and the scars of war there will again emerge songs to sing and a time to love. This is an author who respects the reader. Through her words she subtly seduces us into Lucia's world. Read and enjoy. BRAVO!

A toast to the pleasures of life

Lucia Fantini was once in love with life. The emotional heart of her husband's village restaurant Aldo's, Lucia fed her many customers' hearts even as the wonderful food fed their stomachs. She nightly entertained the restaurants' guests with the music of Verdi, Rossini and Puccini --- her country's most notable opera composers. Dressed in beautiful gowns to complement the musical selections, Lucia used her voice to elicit a romantic ambience, even a marriage proposal or two. Surrounded by her many neighbors and co-workers and her small but loving family (her husband Aldo and her son Giuseppi, nicknamed Beppi), Lucia had a life full of friends, family and music. But that was before Benito Mussolini's fascist Blackshirts, and then the German Nazis, seemed to infiltrate every corner of Italy. Even Aldo's, once a safe harbor for Lucia's neighbors, has been filled with hostile strangers. When Aldo dies, Lucia feels estranged from her old life. Now she no longer sings for the love of life --- instead, she substitutes the name of her favorite wine (Lambrusco) for the words of her beloved arias, which have become too painful to sing. Lucia is not the only one mourning the loss of her old life. The cooks and waiters at the restaurant --- and even some of their children --- have become partisans, secretly plotting against the fascist influences around them. Before long, Lucia has become the perfect gun runner for the ragtag organization --- no one would suspect this innocent-looking woman of hiding guns and ammunition in bags of flour! But when Beppi blows up a German tank and then goes on the run, Lucia's involvement with the resistance movement takes on a new urgency. As she encounters old lovers and friends, as well as new, unlikely allies, Lucia tries desperately to find her son --- and a glimmer of that life she once knew. The strongest aspect of Ellen Cooney's LAMBRUSCO is the individuality with which she paints each of Lucia's friends and acquaintances. Using distinctive dialogue, odd quirks and individual foibles, Cooney manages to flesh out the large cast of characters who flicker through Lucia's narrative. At times it still can be difficult to keep track of the large number of partisans who play more or less major roles in the novel, but her eye for detail and ear for dialogue result in a richly embellished tapestry of the people and places in Lucia's life. Lucia's story is a fluid one, drifting freely --- and sometimes abruptly --- from the present (as Lucia dodges hostile bullets and wayward bombs) to the past (as she recalls better days, or recollects first meetings with old friends) and even to pure fantasy (as she imagines a conversation in which her favorite composers argue their relative greatness). Despite its sometimes dreamy tone and serious subject matter, Cooney's novel manages to find humor, friendship and love in even the most surprising and stressful circumstances. And despite its bleak moments, LAMBRUSCO, like the wine of its

Showing WWII Italy

Lambrusco takes place in 1943 during World War II in German occupied Italy. Italian leader Mussolini is still alive and has many fascist followers throughout Italy. Those fighting the "Blackshirts" have to watch their actions and words to avoid punishment from the Germans and their followers. Lucia Fantini is a soprano who loves to sing opera in their restaurant, music that had been written by the most famous opera composers, but mostly those that were Italian. Lucia and her husband Aldo had owned a Restaurant before the war started and, like many others, lost their businesses to the fascist's that took over many buildings to assist the Germans. Aldo had died before the war but Lucia can't get him out of her mind as well as all their children and family that were so close before wartime came to Italy. Many of the Italians worked for the underground movement fighting their enemies and performing many brave acts to assist others fighting those enemies in their own homeland. For many it was "hit, run, and hide" to avoid capture. For their families these patriots were rarely in touch with them but were always hitting the enemy where they could do the most hurt to them. When villages were hit by bombs destroying or damaging buildings to the point that they were unlivable, the people had to roam the countryside to avoid capture and/or conflict with their enemies. This story took place during a time of history that I have always been eager to learn about from all sides. This is the first book that I have read that tells the war from the Italian side during a time before the allies had liberated Italy from the German occupation. While I feel that Ellen Cooney had a great story to tell, I feel that the intertwining of family and friends made parts of the book quite hard to follow. The last portions of the book did pull many things together where the reader could finally `feel' the action from the authors point of view and absorb her wrap-up of the extensive family actions and reactions to the hurt they endured and had seen through their own eyes. Lucia and Aldo's small restaurant had been well known due to the beautiful singing of opera by Lucia. The book opens with Lucia traveling by train attempting to take weapons in disguised bags to the partisans that desperately needed them. She was also in search of her son, Beppi, who had been given credit for blowing up some German trucks. A nun approached her on that train, or so she appeared to be, only to find out that this woman was disguised as a nun and was actually an American Intelligence agent that was there to aid Lucia and actually did save her from capture. The American, Annamarie, had been a golfer in Arizona. She had married an American military officer. During the story, Annamarie was severely injured during some of the fighting. The story takes you on the travels and tells you the trials and tribulations that partisans went through while they moved from village to small citie