The Shoemaker's Wife by Adrianna Trigiani

For the Timely and Timeless book discussion group on April 22, 2014.

Our book for this month is The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. I have so enjoyed this book. She has given us a well orchestrated cast of characters and vivid images of their lives around the turn of the 20th century. All of the characters have been cast in my mind as if they were in a movie. I see Anne Hathaway as Enza and perhaps Ciro could be played by a younger Matt Damon. I felt as if I was living in New York at that time with high button shoes and long skirts. (But glad I'm not!)

I will not be at the meeting next week.  I will miss the discussion and seeing you all again.  I hope you have a wonderful time.

I wanted to add some observations about our book, The Shoemaker's Wife, to the meeting. Like all good books, coming to the end is like losing a good friend. Adriana Trigiani has shared some wonderful moments with us. I have to admit that there were many pages that left me tearful. But the ending was one of symmetry and couldn't have felt more right. The relationship between Ciro and Eduardo was wonderful. Enzo was such a strong and lovely character. Reading all of the descriptive prose was a great joy. I could smell he lemon and lavender, hear Caruso and Angela's voices and imagine the Alps with the green trees and the blues of the sky.

--Susan