1940, Emilia Romagna. Lili and Esti have been best friends since meeting at the University of Ferrara; when Esti’s son Theo is born, they become as close as sisters. There is a war being fought across borders, and in Italy, Mussolini’s Racial Laws have deemed Lili and Esti descendants of an ‘inferior’ Jewish race, but life somehow goes on—until Germany invades northern Italy, and the friends find themselves in occupied territory
Esti, older and fiercely self-assured, convinces Lili to flee first to a villa in the countryside to help hide a group of young war orphans, then to a convent in Florence, where they pose as nuns and forge false identification papers for the Underground. When disaster strikes at the convent, a critically wounded Esti asks Lili to take a much bigger step: To go on the run with Theo. Protect him while Esti can’t.
Terrified to travel on her own, Lili sets out on an epic journey south toward Allied territory, through Nazi-occupied villages and bombed-out cities, doing everything she can to keep Theo safe.
🌷
From the first chapter, I was captivated by this story. I may not understand what it's like to live through the War, but reading from Lili's point of view made me feel connected to her and everything she and Theo went through. While reading this novel, I felt so many emotions, including dread, fury, and hope. I was angry at what the Germans were putting everyone through in this horrific war, afraid that Lilli and Theo would be discovered and captured, and hopeful that they would make it through the war. I've read many World War II historical fiction books over the years, so I was pleased that this one occurred in Italy rather than Europe. I felt like I learned so much about what Italy had endured during that awful time. One Good Thing is a story that makes you think about many topics, including what you would do in Lili's situation.
I adored Lilli from the start. Running with her best friend’s son, Theo, could be easy without her best friend. That’s an unbreakable bond when you would do anything for your friend, even if it’s the hardest thing you must do. Not only did the war affect Lilli, but it also changed Theo, who had to bear a great deal for someone so little. Without his mother by his side, I can't even comprehend what was going through his head then. I was glad that it was Lilli that he had by his side. Throughout the novel, I hoped Lilli would find a way to reconnect with her best friend, Esti. I, like Lilli, wondered what had happened to her. I admired Lilli's determination to find her best friend. Their friendship reminded me so much of myself and my best friend, Mariah.
In 2019, I read Georgia Hunter's debut novel, We Were The Lucky Ones, and fell in love with the story, writing, and characters. I enjoyed everything about that book but loved One Good Thing much more. Despite the heavy theme, I read late into the night to see how it would end. It was evident to me how much research went into this book. I have discovered yet another favorite author, and I am eager to see what comes next from Georgia Hunter ! One Good Thing is about love, friendship, courage, and hope. I would highly recommend it to any historical fiction fans.
0 comments:
Post a Comment