👶👶👶👶 The Shoemaker's Wife, by Adriana Trigiani

This was such a sweet love story that incorporated a bit of historical fiction along the way. It was especially close to my heart because of my own parents' immigration to the United States and therefore, brought me back to my childhood. The novel was a very accurate depiction of an immigrant's experience in the United States. We, as Americans, take for granted the many advantages we have here in this great country. The true American Dream is not some whimsical idea portrayed in a fancifully directed film, but rather true determination, courage, and fortitude exhibited by so many of our ancestors.

The only reason I rated this book 4 stars, was simply because Ms. Trigiani was sometimes a bit wordy (hence the 496 pages). There were chapters in the book toward the end that didn't really advance the storyline, and therefore could've been omitted. Of course, to a certain extent, the interminable chapters may have also contributed to the feeling of knowing some of the characters so personally. I absolutely loved Ciro: a fallible little boy who grew into an imperfect young man, and was therefore wonderfully endearing.

I must also applaud Orlagh Cassidy for such a tremendous narration for this Audible book. Her Italian, Irish, and even Upper Midwest accents were so absolutely convincing that I was immediately transported in this story...bravo!

Read 10/3/13