In this quiet, reflective novel, Nicolo, the middle son of Italian Canadian immigrants, struggles to figure out what he should be doing with his life. Will he be drawn into an early, working-class marriage to a young Italian woman who is committed to motherhood and her Catholic faith? Or should he be striving towards a more professional life like his younger brother who is in law school? With his Nonna's traditional sayings echoing in his ears, Nicolo works as a trainer at the local gym, observing his family, his clients, and the larger Italian community as he tries to build a future on the framework of his parents' culture. Giardini's point of view slides back and forth effortlessly between the main characters as they recall the past and try to cope with modern Canadian life. Nicolo, a product of his parents' faith and steadfast hopes, is a powerful protagonist for whom the reader will be cheering at the end, an end that promises success and happiness.
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Anne Giardini's first novel, The Sad Truth About Happiness, garnered international praise for its beautiful story and rich, complex characters. Now, Giardini returns with a warm and witty...
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