It is a family drama full of conflict, hope, love, and sadness. It particularly addresses the domination of men over women and how women were subservient to men during this period.
The main character is Guila, the second youngest of a family of five children. Through the support of female family members, she becomes a healer like her Nonna. During the narrative, she rebels, unsuccessfully against her father’s plan for her to marry a man of his choice.
Giulia is a strong-willed young woman who constantly clashes with her father. She has her dreams to heal the sick and is not interested in marrying and having children. Her father believes herbal medicine is witchcraft and women should do what fathers and husbands bid them.
Her eldest brother and aging father are both called up to fight the war but the youngest Antonio heads to the mountains to avoid conscription. He later joins the resistance. This leaves the women of the family, led by her sister Paolo, to run the farm. It was not an easy life for them with a fascist government and struggling to survive.
She is widowed due to a natural disaster but later finds true love in the arms of Stefano, a childhood friend. Stefano is studying medicine at the beginning of the war and with the help of the ‘Ndrangheta, the Calabrese mafia, is treating wounded allies in Naples and later Rome through to the end of the war.
By 1953 farming life in the south became even more difficult for survival and many emigrated to Australia. While there is a gap in Guila’s story in the latter part of the book it does cover the drive to seek a better life in another land.
I am always keen to read books by Australian authors, but I was particularly drawn to Echoes of War. My Dad served in the RAF during WWII and told me how readily the Italian soldier surrendered to allied troops. It wasn’t until I married my Italian husband, I learned how many of the Italians were against the alliance with Hitler and later with Mussolini as the war progressed. Throughout the book, I discussed the historical aspects of the story with him, and he confirmed it was accurate.
I can therefore say it is well researched and interesting how Blanchard blends in her family history.
I didn’t warm to Guila. While she was a strong character and I admired her tenacity to be her own woman and desire to help people with her healing skills, I felt she lacked compassion and caring and, at times, headstrong and selfish to the point of her stubbornness became irritating.
By comparison, the other characters were more likeable and believable.
Overall, I found parts slow going and some sections repetitious which prevented me from being completely drawn into the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
My rating 3*
