“We’ve all lost people, you know,” she said, slightly scoldingly, when Amedeo wept.”
― Catherine Banner, The House at the Edge of Night

A beautiful saga about a family generation, about a sun-baked Italian island, about the eternal…

One of the strongest and most balanced books I have read in recent years. No digging, no philosophical gimmicks – simply and beautifully described the story of four generations of a family living on a small island near Sicily. But it is written so lovely and emotionally, so penetratingly and voluminously that you seem to be watching everything live, you also live nearby and all this is happening in front of your eyes. The charm is added by the interspersed description of the island, the way of life — as if you are also experiencing a storm, a downpour and heat. you can smell bougainvillea, taste limoncello and coffee.

Although this is not just a saga of the Esposito family, it is the life story of the island of Castellammare, which absorbed stories of people, friendship, love, trickery – all is against the background of historical events – the First World War, the Second World War, but those events serve rather as a background, although they make a difference in the measured island life.

The book is useful for any situation, for any situation – and to be distracted from work, and to read on vacation, and when there are problems in family relationships, and when everything is fine. It’s about everything. It is for everyone.

You just drink it in one gulp. My rating is 10/10.