Historical fiction books from Italy
Recommended historical fiction books (28)
Travel the world without leaving your chair.
If you are into historical fiction here are some historical fiction books from Italy for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge.
21.
The Cursed Friend by Beatrice Salvioni EN
Description:
An unbreakable, life-changing friendship will lead two young girls from different worlds to rebel against the sexism, prejudice, and injustice they face living in 1930s Italy in this moving novel that echoes the spirit of Elena Ferrante and Adriana Trigiani It is 1936, and in the small Italian city of Monza, on the pebbled bank of the Lambro, two frantic girls scramble to bury a body--the dead son of the city's most prominent fascist. If they are discovered, their lives and the fierce friendship they share will be in jeopardy. A year earlier, Francesca Strada, the respectable and well-behaved ... continue
22.
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis by Giorgio Bassani EN
Description:
It is the autobiography of Giorgio Bassani, told in a time span of around 15 years, a time where the ambiguous and mysterious female figure of Micol was a central part of his life. They live in a time where racial laws are being passed by fascist Italy and as a result Micol and her family open the gates of their huge mansion and even bigger garden to a handful of jeweish friends that have been banned from any recreational activity. In this garden Micol guides the narrating "I" figure through the interior journey in search of his identity and maturity. Unfortunately this journey of truth can on... continue
23.
The girl who reached for the stars by Luca di Fulvio EN
Description:
THE GIRL WHO REACHED FOR THE STARS is a breathtaking tale of daring dreams and a love that surmounts all barriers. Set against the evocative background of Medieval Venice, this riveting story is told from the perspectives of several people whose destinies are tightly intertwined: a young pickpocket, a savvy Jewish survival artist, and a teenage girl with a remarkable talent. All of them are torn apart by violence, intrigue, revenge, and greed but also united by friendship, dreams of justice, and the courage to reach for the stars. Echoing his international bestseller THE BOY WHO GRANTED DREAMS... continue
24.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco EN
Description:
In 1327, Brother William of Baskerville is sent to investigate charges of heresy against Franciscan monks at a wealthy Italian abbey but finds his mission overshadowed by seven bizarre murders.
25.
The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco EN
Description:
A top-selling international work by the author of The Name of the Rose follows the controversial 19th-century story of a European world where violence and occult practices shaping key historical events are commonly linked by a solitary evil genius.
26.
The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno EN
Description:
An immersive and vividly written historical novel for anyone who loved Ferrante's Neapolitan novels or Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
27.
The Story of the Lost Child by Elena Ferrante EN
Description:
Against the backdrop of a Naples that is as seductive as it is perilous and a world undergoing epochal change, this story of a lifelong friendship is told with unmatched honesty. Lila and Elena clash, drift apart, reconcile, and clash again, in the process revealing new facets of their friendship.
