This author is celebrated for novels offering profound psychological insight. Her work frequently delves into the intricacies of human relationships, exploring themes of memory, loss, and identity. Through an engaging style and vivid character portrayals, she draws readers into worlds that are both familiar and strange. Her writing is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity to find beauty in imperfection.
Set against the backdrop of a festive celebration in 1839 Messina, Italy, the story revolves around Agata, the Marshall's daughter, who is torn between her love for Giacomo Lepre and her familial obligations. As preparations for the feast of the Ascension unfold, Agata faces a heart-wrenching decision that could alter the course of her life, highlighting themes of love, sacrifice, and duty.
Set in nineteenth-century Sicily, this family saga follows Costanza Safamita, the shy and red-haired daughter of Baron Domenico Safamita. Initially an outsider on her family's estate, she becomes the sole heir to the family's fortune, thrusting her into Palermo's high society and a tumultuous marriage. As she navigates personal struggles and societal upheaval, including the fall of the Bourbon monarchy and the rise of the mafia, Costanza fights to protect her family's legacy amidst a rapidly changing world.
Like many memorable works of fiction, this surprising mystery--and love story--set in rural Sicily hinges on a single question, in this case: who is Maria Rosalia Inzerillo, known as Mennulara, the almond picker?