Review of Shadow Song
Posted: 24 Feb 2022, 16:52
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shadow Song" by Anita Morrish.]
Shadow Song by Anita Morrish is a fiction novel based on events in and around Rome from July 1943 to June 1944. Following Eisenhower’s approval of the Italian government’s request for an armistice, the Germans attack Rome. Opposition forces exist around Rome, and following Rome's occupation by Germany, several Roman soldiers join these forces.
Francesca lives in Rome with her family. Her brother, Roberto, is one of the soldiers that fled to join those forces around Rome, and she hopes to see him return home. However, that can only happen when the Germans are defeated. She meets a tenor singer called Giorgio and falls in love with him. He recruits her to be part of the activities of the opposition forces. However, what would she do when Giorgio is captured by the Germans? Can she help her brother return home? What is her role in the opposition?
Carlo, an army doctor, has returned to Rome after getting shot at Sicily. Before his return, however, he is recruited by a partisan force to aid the exchange of intelligence around Rome. He gets a job as a doctor in a hospital where Francesca’s friends work. What happens when Carlo rekindles an old love interest that is under the watchful eyes of the Germans? How would Carlo and Francesca help achieve Rome’s liberation? Would they get caught?
I laud Morrish’s ability to incorporate fictitious events into real-life accounts in a way that people who have little or no knowledge about those historical accounts would mistake them for real events. I had to browse about the events that took place between Germany and Italy during that period to differentiate the real and fictitious parts of this novel.
Another thing I like about this publication is the way the author makes readers fall in love and root for several characters. I knew what the outcome of the war was going to be, but I didn’t know if my favorite characters would make it to the end, and that kept me on the edge of my seat, hoping for the best. I also like that the author didn’t try to force the story into a happy ending for any character. Anybody could have been caught by the Germans, and anybody could have been killed. Readers are going to be shocked by some of the happenings in the read. I would stop there because I don’t want to provide any spoilers.
I didn’t dislike anything about this 390-page book. The plot was excellent and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the events unfold through Carlo's and Francesca's eyes. The third-person narration, dialogue between the characters, and their internal monologues helped me understand each character’s personality. Additionally, I appreciated the map that was included at the beginning of the novel. The map helped me have a good idea of the relative positions of different places.
I have no reason to rate this publication any less than 4 out of 4 stars. Moreover, the text is professionally edited; I found only a few errors that didn’t detract from my reading experience. Readers interested in historical fiction books would enjoy this read. Readers that like war stories would also find this one interesting. Happy reading!
******
Shadow Song
View: on Bookshelves
Shadow Song by Anita Morrish is a fiction novel based on events in and around Rome from July 1943 to June 1944. Following Eisenhower’s approval of the Italian government’s request for an armistice, the Germans attack Rome. Opposition forces exist around Rome, and following Rome's occupation by Germany, several Roman soldiers join these forces.
Francesca lives in Rome with her family. Her brother, Roberto, is one of the soldiers that fled to join those forces around Rome, and she hopes to see him return home. However, that can only happen when the Germans are defeated. She meets a tenor singer called Giorgio and falls in love with him. He recruits her to be part of the activities of the opposition forces. However, what would she do when Giorgio is captured by the Germans? Can she help her brother return home? What is her role in the opposition?
Carlo, an army doctor, has returned to Rome after getting shot at Sicily. Before his return, however, he is recruited by a partisan force to aid the exchange of intelligence around Rome. He gets a job as a doctor in a hospital where Francesca’s friends work. What happens when Carlo rekindles an old love interest that is under the watchful eyes of the Germans? How would Carlo and Francesca help achieve Rome’s liberation? Would they get caught?
I laud Morrish’s ability to incorporate fictitious events into real-life accounts in a way that people who have little or no knowledge about those historical accounts would mistake them for real events. I had to browse about the events that took place between Germany and Italy during that period to differentiate the real and fictitious parts of this novel.
Another thing I like about this publication is the way the author makes readers fall in love and root for several characters. I knew what the outcome of the war was going to be, but I didn’t know if my favorite characters would make it to the end, and that kept me on the edge of my seat, hoping for the best. I also like that the author didn’t try to force the story into a happy ending for any character. Anybody could have been caught by the Germans, and anybody could have been killed. Readers are going to be shocked by some of the happenings in the read. I would stop there because I don’t want to provide any spoilers.
I didn’t dislike anything about this 390-page book. The plot was excellent and engaging. I enjoyed seeing the events unfold through Carlo's and Francesca's eyes. The third-person narration, dialogue between the characters, and their internal monologues helped me understand each character’s personality. Additionally, I appreciated the map that was included at the beginning of the novel. The map helped me have a good idea of the relative positions of different places.
I have no reason to rate this publication any less than 4 out of 4 stars. Moreover, the text is professionally edited; I found only a few errors that didn’t detract from my reading experience. Readers interested in historical fiction books would enjoy this read. Readers that like war stories would also find this one interesting. Happy reading!
******
Shadow Song
View: on Bookshelves
