"The Light in the Ruins"is a multifaceted story about World War II set in Tuscany, where the people were first invaded by the German's and then, after many bloody fights, occupied by US and British troops. It's about what you do to survive when every aspect of your life is suddenly a tightwire act. Told in two different time periods, it's also a creepy and mind bending murder mystery. Every character is flawed in some way, making them real and memorable. Bohjalian always does impeccable research for each and every book, making the people and places come alive in a very authentic way. This is a fantastic read that I cannot champion enough.
Here are some pictures from Chris Bohjalian's most recent visit to Tattered Cover:
2 comments:
I really wanted to like this book. It has all of the elements that I enjoy in a good book; written by a great author, historical fiction, murder mystery, and switching back and forth between time periods. Unfortunately, this book let me down in all aspects.
The numerous characters were hard to identify with, and they just became names. The switching back and forth between time periods became confusing, and I found myself having to go back a few pages to remember what time period I was in. I felt that I had to work too hard to enjoy this book.
Not every book is for every person. Fortunately, there are millions upon millions to choose from.
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