In 1944, British soldier Ulysses Temper meets art historian Evelyn Skinner in a ruined Tuscan cellar. Their chance encounter amid the final months of World War II centers on the recovery of stolen Renaissance artworks. This meeting alters Ulysses’ life across the subsequent four decades. When he unexpectedly inherits a property in Florence, he relocates from East London with an eccentric chosen family, including his former pub companions and a young girl named Alys. The narrative follows their integration into Italian life, the rebuilding of their identities after the war, and the 1966 flood of the Arno.
Historical fiction readers who value character-centric narratives over plot-driven drama will find a detailed study of platonic love and domestic stability here. It serves those interested in the post-war reconstruction of Europe and the specific intersection of art history and British expatriate culture. The reader gains a concrete perspective on how unexpected inheritance and shared trauma can create non-traditional family structures. They finish the book with a clear understanding of the social shifts in mid-century Florence and the enduring influence of artistic heritage on personal legacy.
Deep, inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
