Review of Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family
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Sharill Rasowo
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Review of Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family" by Lauro Martines.]
Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family by Lauro Martines is a novel set in the 1950s about a family from Florence, Italy. It follows the Castellanis, particularly their son Lorenzo, through their various experiences. Lorenzo is a handsome man who draws bees and butterflies. Because of his transgression, he is forced to flee Florence and settle in Chicago. Following that, the novel follows three generations of Castellanis as they travel between Florence and America. We get to see their triumphs and failures, as well as how they deal with them.
It was fascinating to observe how the Catholic faith played a role in their lives. Some family members were devout believers who carried their faith like a cross and armor, while others used it as a safety net, and others did not believe but did not want to upset the apple cart. It was spellbinding to see their human flaws and mistakes in the face of doctrine. The story was rife with Catholic guilt. Their desire to be perfect but failing due to their human nature was quite a revelation about humanity.
This book caused me to rethink what it means to be happy. In their pursuit of happiness, the protagonists repeatedly put themselves in situations that jeopardized their way of life. They had material wealth, but it appeared that they lacked emotional wealth. They appeared to be in happy relationships, but they were always sabotaging them. This resulted in some shocking decisions with disastrous consequences for them. They seemed to have everything they could want but had destroyed their lives with their own hands.
Adam was my favorite character. He was a wonderful godfather to Laura and Ash and a wonderful friend to Lorenzo and Bella. I admired his devotion to the Castellanis and the fact that he was always present when they needed him. Lorenzo must have won the lottery to have made such a wonderful friend. The Castellanis were a fascinating bunch who were always up to something. There was never a point in the book when I felt bored. Some of their decisions perplexed me, but that only added to their humanity, as the characters came across as very three-dimensional.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was how little was said about Lorenzo's daughter Laura. She was more of a supporting character, but I wish her life had been fleshed out more. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story and was fascinated by the Castellanis' various exploits.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was a fascinating account of the lives of a family. The moral quandaries that the various family members faced were fascinating to read about. While reading the book, I didn't notice a single typo, spelling, or grammar error, indicating that it was extremely well edited. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction as well as those who enjoy reading about family drama, as it contains plenty of both.
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Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family by Lauro Martines is a novel set in the 1950s about a family from Florence, Italy. It follows the Castellanis, particularly their son Lorenzo, through their various experiences. Lorenzo is a handsome man who draws bees and butterflies. Because of his transgression, he is forced to flee Florence and settle in Chicago. Following that, the novel follows three generations of Castellanis as they travel between Florence and America. We get to see their triumphs and failures, as well as how they deal with them.
It was fascinating to observe how the Catholic faith played a role in their lives. Some family members were devout believers who carried their faith like a cross and armor, while others used it as a safety net, and others did not believe but did not want to upset the apple cart. It was spellbinding to see their human flaws and mistakes in the face of doctrine. The story was rife with Catholic guilt. Their desire to be perfect but failing due to their human nature was quite a revelation about humanity.
This book caused me to rethink what it means to be happy. In their pursuit of happiness, the protagonists repeatedly put themselves in situations that jeopardized their way of life. They had material wealth, but it appeared that they lacked emotional wealth. They appeared to be in happy relationships, but they were always sabotaging them. This resulted in some shocking decisions with disastrous consequences for them. They seemed to have everything they could want but had destroyed their lives with their own hands.
Adam was my favorite character. He was a wonderful godfather to Laura and Ash and a wonderful friend to Lorenzo and Bella. I admired his devotion to the Castellanis and the fact that he was always present when they needed him. Lorenzo must have won the lottery to have made such a wonderful friend. The Castellanis were a fascinating bunch who were always up to something. There was never a point in the book when I felt bored. Some of their decisions perplexed me, but that only added to their humanity, as the characters came across as very three-dimensional.
The only thing I didn't like about the book was how little was said about Lorenzo's daughter Laura. She was more of a supporting character, but I wish her life had been fleshed out more. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the story and was fascinated by the Castellanis' various exploits.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because it was a fascinating account of the lives of a family. The moral quandaries that the various family members faced were fascinating to read about. While reading the book, I didn't notice a single typo, spelling, or grammar error, indicating that it was extremely well edited. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction as well as those who enjoy reading about family drama, as it contains plenty of both.
******
Chronicle of a Good-Looking Family
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas
