The Golden Hour

Captures reader from the start. Gripping Coming-of-Age novel of sheltered Italian girl during WWII. Gioavanna has led a simple and easy life until now. She learns much from the nazi soldiers, the partisans including her brother, and from those helping the partisans at great risk. Most importantly she learns about her growing potential as a full participant in life as a daughter, sister, helper and more in this her golden hour.

Its a pleasure reading about Giovanna's natural intelligence, humanity, decency and love, and how these traits impact her choices during uniquely challenging times, and carry through her life. The Golden Hour describes a childish girl maturing through the sadness and unfairness of events beyond her control, show more grappling with strong emotions improving herself with determination and thought.

Wonderful read! show less

I call this one WWII lite - There are no gut-wrenching, heartbreaking concentration camp scenes, no in-your-face heinous acts of senseless cruelty but the presence of war is the backdrop for the main story - the coming of age and eventual love story of Giovanna Bellini.

At seventeen years of age, I found Giovanna to be very naive and protected. At first, when the Germans occupied her little town, Giovanna thought they looked dashing in their uniforms. When Giovanna was caught in a budding flirtation with a German officer by her mentor, Sister Graziella, she was forced to do something else with her time other than work at the school where they shared space with the occupying Germans. It was a little hard to believe Giovanna was so show more oblivious to the plight of the Jews. In short order, Giovanna had to grow up quickly, leaving behind foolish romantic notions with the enemy as the brutality of war shows it's ugly face.

She does decide she wants to do something to help the war effort and when her brother Giorgio seeks her help in feeding his little group of partisans, Giovanna does not hesitate to do what it takes to comply. Under cover of working for a local clinic and at great risk to her personal safety, Giovanna becomes very involved in helping the group. It's here that she meets Mario, a wounded partisan. In tending to him, Giovanna is forced to make some very difficult decisions. Of course, the two start to fall for each other.

" I sat still for a long time, watching Mario breathe. Who was this man for whom I had possibly just sacrifed a life, maybe two? I couldn't explain the urgency I had felt, the compulsion to rush to his aid, the magnetism that drew me then and that kept me now at his side, hanging on his every breath as if my own depended on it."

Even though, this was predictable, Wurtele did a great job in developing their relationship and all the characters in general. They were very well fleshed out and managed to evoke numerous emotions in me. I was proud of Giovanna when she stood up to her father whose ideals differed greatly from her own. I couldn't stand her whiny, self-centered father. Her mother just made me want to shake her out of her apathy and tunnel vision. Wurtele also excelled at description; I felt I had been transported to Italy and set down in the midst of the action.

I think this would make a good book club selection as there are numerous issues that could make for some interesting discussions. A reader's guide is included at the end. Even though this was a little different in tone and location from the WWII books I have read, I enjoyed it very much. show less

Giovanna is a naive, impressionable seventeen year old girl from Italy. World War II is in full swing. The Germans have taken over the convent where Giovanna works with nuns helping the children. Giovanna's brother, Georgio, is working for the Italian Resistance. Georgio convinces Giovanna to help the resistance by delivering food and clothing to the group secretly. One day Georgio appears with a wounded Jewish man that needs treatment. Giovanna hides him, bringing him food and supplies. They fall in love and Giovanna worries what her father will say about him being Jewish.

There was just something in her voice that pulled me in and kept me interested, all while I had my heart in my throat. Because even if this was somewhat lighter, and dealing with the war from another point, it was still a time where she and the ones she loved could die at any moment. And I was scared.

I liked Giovanna's innocent because it was believable. She lived in a sheltered world, her mother was an aristocrat,and her father had worked his way to the top. She was rich, and perhaps a bit spoiled. The war had not really come to their door, she did not know about the horrible things going on. And there is where we meet her, the Germans come to town, and they are sure handsome in their uniforms. Which led me to my first oh no! moment. show more Which I shall not talk about any longer. But the war slowly comes into her life. Her brother fights with the resistance, and she learns, and she wants to help. To help takes courage in a time where anything can kill you. Especially when her brother asks her to hide a wounded fighter who is Jewish. Another thing that got me worried since I knew what would happen if anyone found him or her.

There is a light over this book that never makes it too violent. Everyone experiences war in different ways, depending on where you are and what you are. I liked the story here from Giovanna's point of view, because it was another POV from what I am used too. There is also romance in the book and a young's woman's struggle to grow up, and get out from under her parents' thumb.

Conclusion:
I really liked this book. Romance, war and life. I'd like to read more books by her, and as it seems to be her first fiction book I hope she writes more. show less

Reviewed by JoAnne
Review copy provided by New American Library
This is Wurtele's debut novel and it was a riveting read. The book takes place during World War II in Tuscany, Italy and you felt like you were there with the vivid descriptions of the countryside, vineyards, food, villas, farmland and churches along with the Nazis, partisans, bombings, and tales of the war. It's a story of family, honor, strength and love along with all the fears invoked by the war as well as the horrors of the Jews being rounded up and sent away on trains to the camps. The Bellini family are the main characters and you get to know them intimately. Giovanna finds herself on the outs with her family due to her beliefs and stand against the war and because of show more the strong feelings she comes to have for Mario, who is Jewish, and who she ultimately falls in love with. The prologue set the stage for the storyline but you nearly forgot about it due to the action that takes place throughout the book. You are reminded of it with the reading of the epilogue which gives nice closure to the story.

I enjoyed the journal entries written by Mario while he was hiding from the German army. There was a happily ever after that didn't seem like it would come to bear with a few tears shed along the way. This book was reminiscent to me of The Sound of Music with the daughter thinking she is in love with the Nazi soldier as well as Paris Noire by Francine Thomas Howard that also had black soldiers serving in the war in Europe. This was an enjoyable read which I initially did not think it would be and I look forward to reading other books by Wurtele in the future.


Favorite Quote: ...Mother had decided not to ask the Germans' permission, but simply to go ahead and set a table under the huge, spreading linden tree. If challenged, she planned to use my eighteenth birthday as an excuse and hope she could prevail upon their goodwill. I had wanted to include Violetta in the celebration, but Mother worried that even one more guest might ad to the noise and make it riskier. show less

An interesting story of WWII, set in Italy. Giovanna is a young woman wanting to do her part for the war effort. Her brother is a partisan, the Germans are living in her home, she sees her parents as obstacles to her desire to contribute in a meaningful way to do her part. There is forbidden romance and tragedy, the makings of a very readable story that I quite enjoyed.

Loved this book. Very wonderful book about Italy in the midst of WWII. Follows a family during the time after Italy allies with the US, but is occupied by the Germans. Very interesting book and I loved the characters.