Daughter of Calabria

Tania Blanchard

Sept 2021 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

Previously published as Echoes of War

'Blanchard at her breathtaking best. Rich in every sight, taste and smell.' Australian Women’s Weekly
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Set in Mussolini’s Italy amid great upheaval, this is the story of one woman’s determination to find her place in a world that men are threatening to tear apart. Another heart-rending novel inspired by a true story from Australia's bestselling author of The Girl from Munich.

Calabria, Italy, 1936

In a remote farming village nestled in the mountains that descend into the sparkling Ionian Sea, young and spirited Giulia Tallariti longs for something more. While she loves her home and her lively family, she would much rather follow in her nonna’s footsteps and pursue her dream of becoming a healer.

But as Mussolini’s focus shifts to the war in Europe, civil unrest looms. Whispers of war are at every corner and her beloved village, once safe from the fascist agenda of the North, is now in very real danger.

Caught between her desire to forge her own path and her duty to her family, Giulia must draw on the passion in her heart and the strength of her conviction.

Can she find a way to fulfill her dreams without sacrificing all she holds dear?
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‘Richly imagined, heartbreaking and utterly captivating ... yet another outstanding piece of historical fiction from Blanchard, cementing her place at the top of this genre.’ Better Reading

‘This is emotional reading for anyone born of immigrant stock as it explores the pain of leaving your homeland and your family to find opportunity elsewhere … an entertaining tale of fiction that will make your heart melt and sing and shatter.’ Glam Adelaide
 
‘A powerful novel about powerful women … a powerful evocation of a time, a place and a cultural vision which provided a significant boost to Australia’s population and its development as a multi-cultural destination of choice for refugees – both voluntary and choiceless.’ Carpe Librum
 

Ratings and reviews

Echoes of War is the fourth novel by Australian author, Tania Blanchard. All sixteen-year-old Guilia Tallariti has ever wanted is to be a healer like her Nonna Mariana, but this puts her vociferously at odds with her father, whose scepticism about herbal healing is matched only by his determination to see his daughters safely married off as quickly as possible. Thanks to her aunt and mother, there is a temporary reprieve when she is sent to the Monastery of the Madonna to “learn some discipline” from the nuns, while actually training in healing from talented herbalist, Fra Fortunato. But this is Calabria, 1936, and what Papa says, goes. Despite her protests, when she returns to Bruzzano, her father arranges her marriage: at seventeen, she is married to a widower of her father’s vintage. From here the story follows Guilia’s life through married life, early widowhood, a career as a healer, another marriage, a brush with the Calabrian mafia, practising frontline healing in a warzone, and becoming a mother, all against the backdrop of southern Italy as the country’s leaders engage it in several wars during the build-up to World War Two, wherein an alliance with the Nazis. This is a novel that describes the experience of those left behind at home while able-bodied men go to war to fight for the Fascist cause, a perspective perhaps seen less often. But it all happens at a glacial pace, and does get repetitive as the men go off to fight while the women and children stay at home to keep the farm/trattoria/shop running, constantly worrying about whether the men will return safely to once more impregnate their wives. Of course, not all do, so there are tears and funerals and mourning; rinse and repeat. Guilia starts off as a wilful teen given to melodramatic outbursts when she doesn’t get her way. She’s very slow to absorb the good advice of the women in the family about how to handle their patriarchal menfolk. She’s a difficult character to connect with, the result sadly being that some readers will not be very much invested in her fate. A tale filled with politics and history, in which the misuse of personal pronouns will probably grate for some readers, but which is likely to appeal to those who enjoy long, drawn-out historical fiction. This unbiased review is from an unsolicited copy provided by Simon & Schuster Australia.

The Echoes of War an Historical Fiction set in Italy which tells the story about Giulia Tallariti, her parents, her siblings, nonna, aunt and community along with other people she has come across in her lifetime. The story tells of what life during “Mussolini’s timeline,” rural Italy during times of Italian wars in Abyssinia, Albania and Africa before WW2 began. I was so engrossed and engaged in the story line that I didn’t want to put it down as I was learning new information regarding Italy, Germany and how they changed sides over halfway through WW2. Reading the story I felt Giulia’s roller coaster ride of emotions and was able to understand what she was feeling each time. While reading I wished that I could have had a similar relationship with my own siblings as she had with her own. I’m glad that I didn’t had a trauma experience from reading but I’d like to caution those who has had childhood trauma regarding sibling, parenting or parent relationship issues even are anxious on reading about war conditions: I would suggest that you might need some help after reading. A great Historical Fiction book which is from stories, sufferings and relationships about Tania’s ancestors and I recommend to readers who like to read books about history, Italian history and WW2. #EchoesofWar #NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Australia via NetGalley for my honest review of the book The Echoes of War by Tania Blanchard. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.

About the author

Tania Blanchard writes historical fiction inspired by her family history. She grew up listening to her grandparents’ fascinating tales of life during World War Two and migrating to Australia. Coming from a family with rich cultural heritage, stories have always been in her blood. Her first novel, The Girl from Munich, was a runaway bestseller and shortlisted for the ABIA Best New Writer Award. Tania lives in Sydney with her husband and three children where she can often be found in the kitchen, cooking up a storm for her family, including her two cheeky dogs who think they’re human too. To find out more, sign up to Tania's newsletter at www.taniablanchard.com.au or follow her at: www.facebook.com/TaniaBlanchardAuthor www.instagram.com/taniablanchardauthor