The Tale of Lucia Grande, the Early Years
When an old woman is asked to tell the story of her life, she tells is an intense and poignant tale about growing up in and surviving an irrational, warring suburban family during the 1950s and 60s. The narrative is told from Lucia’s perspective as the second child where she and her siblings are caught in the middle of a lifelong war between her mother, Ruth, an overbearing, unhappy homemaker, and her father, Leonard, a manipulative, sometimes violent New York City cop. Lucia is the silent, thoughtful eyewitness to her parents’ constant and sometimes life-threatening battle.
The story is told as a memoir; each chapter describes a particular incident in Lucia’s life which shows the constant struggle between her parents and the perverse effect it has on her and her siblings. From her complicated and unwanted birth, to her witnessing a suicide at age 3, to her stint as a runaway at age 14, the story progresses to the final crisis where as a young woman, she is turned out of her house and banished from her family forever.
This timeless story of one woman’s courageous attempt to come to terms with her past and the troubled family that dominated it is powerfully and poignantly told.
The story is told as a memoir; each chapter describes a particular incident in Lucia’s life which shows the constant struggle between her parents and the perverse effect it has on her and her siblings. From her complicated and unwanted birth, to her witnessing a suicide at age 3, to her stint as a runaway at age 14, the story progresses to the final crisis where as a young woman, she is turned out of her house and banished from her family forever.
This timeless story of one woman’s courageous attempt to come to terms with her past and the troubled family that dominated it is powerfully and poignantly told.
This novel recently made it to the Quarter final rounds in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. Amazon reviewers called it great storytelling and the wrote that the prose “ flows with such beauty you are holding your breath to eagerly read each word!”
My Thoughts:
Susan Speranza's book reminded me of one of those hallmark type movies I watch all the time. A young woman come to ask Lucia if she can interview her because she is doing a paper on older folks and their lives. Lucia doesn't really think she has a lot to tell, but she likes the company so she agrees.
It's a tale about a girl who grows up in a not so happy home and each chapter is filled with a different moment in Lucia's life. I think Lucia was really easy to relate with and you really felt sorry for her and you really can't stand her parents or her sister most of the time. Though I sort of felt sorry for her sister some times. The best times Lucia had where with her grandfather as she was deemed his favorite from the start and so he was always giving her treats and was the only one really nice to her.
If you are a fan of memoir style books and like woman's fiction then I think you will find The Tale of Lucia Grandi to be a very interesting and emotional book that you need to read.
Tour schedule:
November:
1st Phaedra @ Identity Discovery (guest post)
2nd Sheila @ Sheila Deeth (guest post)
3rd Andi @ Radiant Light
4th Cara @ Love, Peace and Books
5th Vidya @ Books are Magic (guest post)
6th Ruth @ My Devotional Thoughts (spotlight)
7th Denise @ The Pen Muse (guest post)
8th Stormi @ Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!
9th Darryl @ Savage Lullabye (spotlight)
10th Nicole @ Pretty Opinionated (guest post)
11th Georgiana @ Coupon Clipping Texan
12th Bette @ 4writersandreaders (interview)
13th Marissa @ For The Love of Film and Novels (guest post)
14th vb @ Books For Me
16th Melina @ Melina’s Book Blog (guest post)
17th Day @ Kaisy Daisy’s Corner
18th Siobhan @ Totally Bookalicious
19th Leslie @ Storeybook Reviews
20th Gina @ Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
21st Kathleen @ Celticlady Reviews
22nd Allizabeth @ The Paperback Pursuer
23rd Kathy @ Book Reviews & More by Kathy
24th Hayley @ Hanging Off The Wire
25th Autumn @ The Avid Reader
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