Synopses & Reviews
In a timeless moment in rural Sicily, a boy experiences the brutal killing of his best friend and is kidnapped by the murderers. No child should have to know evil so intimately, and yet once he does, what will save him?His salvation lies in the cycles of the seasons, the sturdy earth and its gifts of lentils and wild asparagus in a time of starvation, the animal sense that enables one to anticipate the whims and impulses of others, and, most important, familiarity with the Ancient Grandmother, who knows the entire play of good and evil. If he can trust her--the gang's cook, a fierce woman of great practical wisdom and humanity--he will escape the grip of perpetual violence. Or so we learn from the beguiling old couple who narrate this story.Uniting the most ancient forms of storytelling with a modern sensibility, Gioia Timpanelli's work is a national treasure--a joy to read, clear and resonant and satisfying.
Synopsis
In a timeless moment in rural Sicily, a boy witnesses the brutal killing of his best friend and is kidnapped by the murderers. No child should have to know evil so intimately--yet once he does, what will save him?
Synopsis
A luminous story of danger and survival.
About the Author
Gioia Timpanelli has performed and presented world literature and poetry for NPR, PBS, and groups and conferences nationwide and internationally. Her first book of fiction, Sometimes the Soul, won the American Book Award. She lives in Woodstock, New York.