Adriana TrigianiThe Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel

The story begins when ten year-old Ciro and his brother, eleven year-old Eduardo were taken to St. Nicola Convent by their widowed mother, Caterina Lazzari. The boys’ stay at the convent was believed to be temporary. Caterina had recently lost her husband in a mining accident in Minnesota. It is the early 1900s and Caterina and her two sons had lived in Vilminore di Scalve, the Lombardy region of Italy. Although Caterina was from the affluent Montini family, with her own parents deceased, she seemed to have no options available.Both Lazzari boys loved one another, were principled, and personified honor and integrity.Eduardo, the logic, was much admired as a scholar. He found solace in reading, tucked away in their room, after transcribing mass services for the priest. Eduardo understood his mother’s emotions, and accepted her reason for temporarily leaving them at the convent.As a young child, clever, candid, and feisty, Ciro had a terrific sense of humor. He knew how to gain the nuns adoration with wittiness and hard work. Yet he experienced, profound, chronic depression at the loss of his father, and what he believed abandonment by his mother. I think this defining event in his young life would make him wary of commitment, even when love stood in the foreground.At fifteen, a fearless Ciro exposed St. Nicola’s pedophile priest, making out with Ciro’s heart throb. But the consequences of the exposure shattered Ciro and his brother’s safe, stable home life. The priest had the authority to banish them from the convent. So, while Ciro had gone to the mountainous region of Schilpario to bury the Ravanelli family’s youngest daughter, Stella Ravanelli, the priest mandated Ciro be sent to a reform school and Eduardo sent to a seminary in Rome.Ciro first met fifteen year-old, bereaved, Enza Ravinelli, the eldest daughter, in the cemetery, while he dug her sister’s grave. She had arrived to place a wreath on the grave.Ciro listened to Enza as she expressed her feelings and the family’s powerlessness and helplessness at their sudden loss. Ciro understood her emotions. He had experienced loss too.Enza appeared to be serious beyond her years. She had taken care of her five siblings, and was loyal, strong-minded, and had gutsy perseverance. She felt guilt-ridden that she discovered her sister’s illness that led to her demise.With sudden wisdom beyond his years, Ciro said to Enza: “Maybe you shouldn’t blame yourself, but accept that this is your sister’s story, and the ending belongs to her.” He took Enza in his arms and kissed her. Ciro and Enza’s connection seemed instantaneous. He added: “If you look around to find meaning in everything that happens, you will end up disappointed.” This was wise, but not unusual, utterances from a fifteen year-old boyUnfortunately, when Ciro returned to the convent, he discovered he and Eduardo no longer had a home. Eduardo welcomed his future as a priest and Ciro, who was not much for prayer or belief, did not understand his brother’s acceptance of the priesthood. Ciro was emotionally connected to his brother and Sister Teresa, who acted as his surrogate mother. He doubted if he’d ever see his mother again.Nuns, Sisters Teresa and Ercolina, assured Ciro he would not go to reform school. Through one of the nuns, they quietly plotted and secured Remo and Maria Zanetti as sponsors, a home and shoemaker’s apprenticeship for Ciro in New York City.Upon his arrival in New York, Ciro made a lifetime friendship with fellow immigrant, Luigi Latini.A year later, Ciro and Enza met again by chance in St. Vincent Hospital’s chapel, in New York. She had fallen ill on the nine day journey to America, and was hospitalized upon arrival in New York. Her father, Marco, had accompanied her. The two planned to work long enough to purchase land to build their own home in Schilpario. Ciro had cut himself on the lathe in the shoe shop where he worked, was seen in Emergency, and then went with the Zanetti’s, to pray in the chapel.It was an awkward second meeting for Enza and Ciro. His girlfriend, native New Yorker, Felicità, showed up at the hospital.Enza’s father, Marco, travelled to Pennsylvania, to work in the mines. After her hospitalization, Enza moved to Hoboken, New Jersey, with the Buffo’s, her mother’s third cousin; a family that verbally abused and took advantage of her. Enza not only worked long hours in a New Jersey factory as a seamstress, but was expected to be the Buffo’s maid, laundress and cook. Enza’s best friend, Laura Heely, also a seamstress, wanted to move to New York City.Ciro hadn’t written Enza and had already moved on, with his girlfriend, Felicità. Yet when Ciro and Enza met the third time, a year later, at Christopher Columbus’s holiday celebration, in Little Italy, sadly, he was still with Felicità.At that time, Ciro saw Enza as more beautiful. She appeared poised and polished, and as a seamstress, her apparel was stylish. In Enza’s eyes, Ciro, whom she believed the most handsome man ever, had an air of sophistication about him in his dress and manner. They were two young people from the mountains of Italy, who had proved their mettle before arriving. They had survived and became part of the sparkle and energy of New York.Enza loved Ciro deeply. She was unafraid to communicate her feelings to him. Tired of his relationship with his girlfriend, Ciro wanted a new start; a relationship with Enza. Both shared similarities and commitments to their love for family and home.Ciro promised to visit Enza at her home in Hoboken, but didn’t arrive when promised. In the meantime, Enza, disappointed, had moved to New York City with her friend, Laura. When he did arrive at the Buffo’s, Mrs. Buffo was deceptive in her answer as to where Enza had gone.When Ciro saw Enza again, at twenty-two, she was a sophisticated New Yorker, in love with someone else.The relationship between Ciro and Enza seems thwarted by bad luck, but all is not lost.This is a very good book, well written, has good description, with characters meticulously fleshed out, interesting historical sites concerning the Lombardy region of Italy, the immigrants in New York around the turn of the century, and the Metropolitan Opera House, where Enza and Laura worked.Luigi Latini returned home to Italy with his teenaged sons around the time Germany had entered Italy, during World War II. I thought something would be written concerning their safety, especially with them having lived in America.Unfortunately, Caterina had not coped with or moved beyond her suffering. She did not recover and renew her relationship with her boys while they were young. The disruption and separation was deeply felt by Ciro even into adulthood. I wanted to know what really happened concerning the Lazzari’s home or property. Did Caterina’s in-laws have something to do with their homelessness, or her own siblings have something to do with her parents’ property? Usually, during that era, sons (Montini’s) would be given possession of property. I thought this would be discussed by Caterina when Ciro and Eduardo visited her as adults.Omens were mentioned in the book. I wanted to know what a pink sun and blue sky meant. Concerning the chopped down tree in the Zanetti’s former home, I believe this saddened Ciro because it represented a loss or an end.I gave this book four stars.

Adriana has a very special gift for storytelling. I first read Very Valentine a couple of weeks ago and quickly fell in love with her style of writing and the characters she so exquisitely captures.In "The Shoemaker's Wife", the story begins in Italy. We first meet Carerina Lazzari, a recently widowed mother who is trying to make a life for herself and her two boys. Forced to sell almost all of her earthly possessions after the death of her husband, she realizes that she doesn't have the resources to provide for her two boys. She takes her sons, Ciro & Eduardo, aged 10 & 11 to a convent where she knows that the sisters will be able to provide education and stability for her boys. While deeply saddened at the death of their father and their abandonment of their mother, the boys are both extremely well behaved and integrate well in their new home. The sisters of the convent have much love and devotion for the two boys who have blossomed before their eyes. Eduardo, while just a year older than Ciro is much like a father figure for the hard-working but often impetuous Ciro. Eduardo and Ciro couldn't be more different, Ciro loves and craves adventure and has a special gift of charming all he encounters, but he's got a heart of gold and would do anything for those he loves. Eduardo is shy and extremely serious. He is both a scholar and artist. Things quickly turn for the boys when Ciro falls in love with the most beautiful girl in the village. However, his heart busts as the seams when he encounters the Priesr & his dearly beloved Concetta in a compromising position.The handsome, devilish priest knows that the impetuous and passionate Ciro could cause much trouble for him and so he decides to send him to a work camp. However, knowing the true nature of this punishment, the devoted sisters set about a plan to save young Ciro from the work camp, the know Ciro is a good boy and will become a good man. Eduardo is to be sent to become a Priest, and Ciro to America where he will apprentice for a shoemaker.On up the mountain a bit lives a happy family full of kove & children. Ezra, the eldest child & daughter is more like a third parent then just a mere child. She worries constantly about her family and works hard to assist her parents in anyway she can. Stella, is the baby of the family and also the light & joy of the family. Ezra feels a special connection to her youngest sibling . When fate turns a cruel hand to Stella, Ezra feels her heart can never experience joy again. She feels a piece of her has died.Prior to young Ciro's departure, he goes to do one last job. To dig a grave. When he encounters the mourning family, his heart breaks inside for their pain. He digs the grave and is assisted by Ezra in lowering Stella down. On what is surely the most painful day of her life, Ezra is able to see the sun in Ciro's actions and words. She knows at once she loves this boy.However, Ciro doesn't yet know that he's to be banished to America. So, unbeknownst to Ezra shortly after their meeting Ciro boards a ship to America.The story if Ezra & Ciro is a brilliant love story. It's a story that conures hope even in the worst of times. It shows that despite the worst pain, joy an still come in the morning.Ms. Trigiani is able to capture the hearts and minds of her reader. The intricate details form a vivid world that you long to escape to. You feel as if you are part of the story, not a stranger looking in. Her characters are well crafted as are the stories that define them.You will fall in love with Italy & America through the eyes of Adriana Trigiani.

This is on the whole an enjoyable plot. I find immigration to America in the early twentieth century a fascinating topic. However in this case I feel the writing is uneven. Sometimes the descriptions are over written, at other times delightful. The perspective is quite distancing since the point of view hops from head to head within sections which seems amateurish from so acclaimed a writer. Occasionally exposition is 'plastered' into the narrative as if taken directly from research notes rather than filtered through the thoughts of a character and their experience. I am surprised that this has not been picked up on by an editor. Unfortunately this lack of close perspective reduced my empathy for the characters. By the end I realised that the novel is in fact the true story of Adriana Trigiani's grandparents. This may be why it runs on too long, as if the author felt compelled to retell this family history beyond its shelf life. It is also probably why, at certain points in the story, the book feels anecdotal rather than a fiction.

This is a fantastic story beautifully written. The author has a true gift of making the characters and locations come to life by painting a vivid picture for the reader. This is one of the first books I read on my kindle back in 2013 and I have just re read it (something I never do) and loved it just as much the second time.Only one thing stops me from giving it 5stars, it is unnecessarily long. Some of the descriptive passages go on and on especially in the first few chapters and become repetitive, however I can forgive this for the lovely story based on her ancestors life which was engaging and fascinating. I will now re read some of her other books stored on my kindle

It's always interesting to read about places I don't know and lives of people, who although fictional, represent many people who lived such lives and so the book is really historical and fascinating to read. The descriptions are wonderful and character development is beautiful through the 790 approx pages of the book. I wasn't so happy with the title of the book as she never became his wife till over half way through the book and then was only his wife for a short time. The book is more about him than her or at least both of them. Anyway I would love to read another book by Adriana Trigiani.

I read this in one day on Kindle, and absolutely loved it, as I have all of Adriana Trigiani's novels. The characters are drawn with a warmth and honesty that makes them feel instantly familiar, and you care about what happens to them. I also love the descriptions of family life, the friendships and landscapes that form the background to the story.Without giving away the plot, it does have sadness in it, but there is affirmation and hope too. The ending is understated, but somehow that feels right.I have read other reviews and yes, there are historical errors and occasional "too good to be true" coincidences, but what matters to me is the story and this kept my attention from page one, hence the rating.A clear recommendation.

This is a gentle love story covering time and distance. Two people drawn together but held apart by fate. Lots of near misses and for the most part descriptive writing. Unfortunately there are a few inconclusive parts which left me wondering about some characters and for this reason I have only given it four stars. I suppose 95% is nearer the mark in terms of satisfaction rather than a star rating.