User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
Reposting after recently finishing The Italian Ballerina: A World War II Novel
Rating: really liked it
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...
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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!!!
Rating: really liked it
DNF'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.
Rating: really liked it
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!
Rating: really liked it
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!
Rating: really liked it
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.
Rating: really liked it
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.
