Book Review: The Shoemaker’s Wife
Another Homerun By Trigiani
As a devoted Adriana Trigiani fan, I could not pass her latest book, The Shoemaker’s Wife, because it (loosely) tells her grandparents’ love story. And because she’s been trying to write it for years. I can totally relate.
The story begins in Italy, where young Enza and Ciro meet in their native Italian Alps and follows each of their journeys to America and eventually to each other. It’s a long book, and I savored every page, every word.
Trigiani takes you from northern Italy to New York and then to Minnesota and the whole time you feel as if you are there. You know what it’s like to arrive at Ellis Island and how it feels to set foot on lower Manhattan for the first time. She entwines you in Enza and Ciro’s dreams and their sorrows and makes you root for them, both apart and together.
In short, I loved it.
This story has all the Trigiani hallmarks: Good food, close family and a sneak peak at a world you might never have known: behind the scenes and the Metropolitan Opera at the turn of the last century, complete with Enrico Caruso.
It chronicles a classic American immigrant story with its poverty and struggles leading to the American dream in one form or another. It feels authentic, probably because Adriana has borrowed the bones of the story from her own family history. I don’t really care why; I just enjoyed the hell out of it.
Whether you are a Trigiani fan girl like me or simply crave a good love story, read this book. It totally satisfies.
About the author: Megan is a professional writer, amateur photographer and an accomplished beauty product crash test dummy. She'll try anything once, especially if it's a free sample. She's still trying to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, but it will probably involve travel and Colin Farrell. And maybe some writing and photography. You can visit her at onethousandwordsormore.com or follow her on Twitter: msmegan.
