Al onze gisterens

"This was a war in which no one would win or lose, in the end it would be seen that everyone had more or less lost."

This is a novel about what life was like for families in Italy during World War II. The focus is on two neighboring families whose children connect in various ways. One, with son

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Emanuel, daughter Amalia, and younger son Giuma, owns the factory in the small town in which they live, and is wealthy. They are headed by the rather flighty Mamacita. The other family is middle class and consists of four children. Concettina, the oldest, is constantly pursued by suitors, and ends up marrying a Black Shirt fascist (though the family itself is covertly anti-Mussolini). Eldest son Ippolito, who had 'the soul of a slave' waited hand and foot on their father while the father was still alive, and has a sad life indeed. Youngest son Giustino ends up being conscripted and having to fight. The younger daughter is most like the main character, although all play prominent roles, and we see much of the story from her pov.

I enjoyed this engaging look at life in Italy from 1939 to 1944. It was interesting that the author was able to convey how most people were usually able to just get on with their lives during the war, although these periods of mundaneness were regular intense brief interludes where the horror of war intruded.

3 1/2 stars

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