‘Depicts a nearly forgotten but nonetheless important piece of history.’ Review by Jay Coupe-King

‘5/5 stars

Set in a corner of World War II that I’m ashamed to say I’d never spared too much thought for, “The Tears of Monterini” depicts a nearly forgotten but nonetheless important piece of history. Like all good historical fiction, it welds the facts to the imaginary elements beautifully and always does so with due respect to the real people who suffered. The author’s love of the Tuscan setting comes through particularly vividly, so for anyone who has an affinity for Italy this really is a must read. The characters and their relationships are wonderfully rich but at no point does the writing feel sensationalised in order to provoke unearned emotions (something which a lot of World War II fiction falls prey to, and which I can personally find distasteful). Instead, commitment to authenticity and detail pays off wonderfully in a climax which hits uncommonly hard.

It would be a shame to miss this powerful story about community and the importance of shared history in the face of terrible adversity.’

Read the original review here.