Welcome to Litsy!

#ReadTheWorld2025

In March and April I‘ve read 7 books set in or written by author from places around the world: #Italy #Switzerland #Iraq #France #Iran #Denmark #Mexico #Argentina

I have the #InternationalBooker to thank for most of these books!

This was an incredible look into the Italian resistance and the women involved!

Going into this book, I didn‘t know a whole lot about what went on in Italy during WWII. That being said, I learned so much from this book, not just about these 4 courageous women, but also about the war in general.

Full review: https://oddandbookish.wordpress.com/2025/04/28/review-women-of-war/

The complexity of each character had been thoughtfully crafted. Auci has a way of bringing these historical people back to life by giving them likable and unlikeable traits. I'm sad to say goodbye to the Florios of Sicily. I learned a lot about the Industrial Age of southern Italy, especially tuna canning. All thanks to this captivating family. #Italy #Jubilee #FoodandLit @Texreader @Catsandbooks

Next up for reading.
#Venice #Italy #History

This one took me forever to read…. I just didn‘t feel compelled to make time for it, even with the exquisite setting. And I would‘ve bailed and tried again, except I needed this as a do-over for a #bookchain prompt I didn‘t plan very well! 😂🤷‍♀️ @TheAromaofBooks

Today is Italy‘s Liberation Day from the fascist regime. Join all Italians all weekend long as we celebrate (while also continuing to mourn Pope Frances‘ death). Remember we are celebrating #Jubilee all year long for #foodandlit. Read any good books set in Italy recently? (Photo by my daughter when she was there on April 25 two years ago. She reminded me to make this post!) #Italy #catsandbooks

@wanderinglynn What are you doing to celebrate?

This was my least favourite Forster. I didn't feel attached to the characters. I read his exchange of letters with another author in this regard, and although I understand Forsters motivation to not fully show us Philip from the beginning, it does create a disconnection between the reader and the character and by the time I got to know him I didn't care much for him. The descriptions of the settings,where Forster usually thrives, ⬇️

I went with a pick for this book because the last third of it was so good - but if I had based it on the first two thirds it probably would have just been ok. It just felt like a bunch of women gossiping and not much happening even though so much was happening. The last third is full of action and I couldn't put the book down! The ending was fitting for all the characters. I'll definitely be reading the third book in this series.

Four dissimilar women come together for a holiday in a small castle in Italy. And find they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Very, very slow story, & very character focused. Not a lot happens, but the way the setting was described was so gorgeous I just had to keep reading. Very much of its time, but I appreciated how changing their surroundings helped each woman reevaluate their lives. 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

"A funny thing about women and machines: the combination mace men curious. They seemed to think it had something to do with them." Rachel Kushner, The Flamethrowers

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