Overview
From the New York Times–bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones, an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman’s journey through war-torn Italy
1940, Emilia Romagna. Lili and Esti have been best friends since meeting at the University of Ferrara; when Esti’s son Theo is born, they become as close as sisters. There is a war being fought across borders, and in Italy, Mussolini’s Racial Laws have deemed Lili and Esti descendants of an ‘inferior’ Jewish race, but life somehow goes on—until Germany invades northern Italy, and the friends find themselves in occupied territory.
Esti, older and fiercely self-assured, convinces Lili to flee first to a villa in the countryside to help hide a group of young war orphans, then to a convent in Florence, where they pose as nuns and forge false identification papers for the Underground. When disaster strikes at the convent, a critically wounded Esti asks Lili to take a much bigger step: To go on the run with Theo. Protect him while Esti can’t.
Terrified to travel on her own, Lili sets out on an epic journey south toward Allied territory, through Nazi-occupied villages and bombed-out cities, doing everything she can to keep Theo safe.
A remarkable tale of friendship, motherhood, and survival, One Good Thing is a tender reminder that love for another person, even amidst darkness and uncertainty, can be reason to keep going.
Review
Esti and Lili are best friends. When the Nazis invade Italy, both of these ladies are in terrible danger, along with Theo, Esti’s son. Esti ends up getting taken and she begs Lili to take Theo and escape. Lili takes Theo and does her best to keep him safe.
I loved Lili. She is strong and intelligent. And believe me, she needs both to travel the way she travels and survive.
There was one thing that didn’t sit right with me, and this is minor. But it is something I noticed. When Lili and Theo are on their LONG trek from Assisi to Rome, 118 miles, ON FOOT, Theo only has one melt down. There is no way a child of 3 did not cry and scream every day. Heck, as an adult, I would have been crying and screaming. And yes, Lili complained some about her feet and other difficulties but I just felt that this part of the story was missing the desperation of the characters. Like I said, minor but noticeable.
Believe me, there are quite a few desperate areas in this book which take the reader on all kinds of emotional journeys. I was terrified, sad, mad and happy all in the same chapter in this book. The author really created an emotional tale you will not soon forget.
Need a story about friendship and survival…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
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