SALLY BRADY'S ITALIAN ADVENTURE

Elise Roth makes the transitions smoothly as this novel moves between Sally Brady's life in Depression-era America and the lives of a group of Italians before and during WWII. Sally's voice grows more confident as the abandoned 11-year-old in L.A. she portrays matures to become an independent gossip columnist who navigates war-torn Italy to find stories. Roth also delivers the chapters set in Italy, using distinct voices to enliven the range of Italian characters. Lapo is conflicted as he ghostwrites Mussolini's biography to keep his family safe. Favagrossa is a boisterous and confident Blackshirt who is smitten by Sally's wiles. Suspend disbelief and enjoy a different kind of WWII story, in which clever characters survive a challenging time with sly humor and good luck. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]