One Night in Italy

The novel follows three different young women over the course of a few weeks. One is a journalist, one a back-packer who has returned to see her sick father, and the third a recent empty-nester. They live near each other, and eventually meet at an Italian evening class which two of them have signed up for, and which the third is teaching.

It’s the kind of plot that could have been confusing, as there are many minor characters and subplots. I had trouble remembering who was who in the early parts. But the three main characters are different enough that I felt I got to know them all.

The style is informal but reads well, although I would have preferred a bit less bad language, and also fewer unexpected explicit (sometimes sordid) show more conversations. The women are more three dimensional than her men, who are rather more caricatured. But that didn’t particularly matter as the story was focused on the women.

There are some surprises, and plenty of light-hearted banter and action. It’s a story of transformation, and discovery. I thought it a thoughtful novel with satisfactory outcomes even if some of the threads are left open.

Definitely recommended to those who enjoy women’s fiction of this kind. show less

I loved this book. It is not set in Italy but talks of the illusions we all have of escape and ideals in far flung places. I loved the clarity of the writing. I loved the diversity of the characters and I enjoyed the unfolding story. I would totally recommend this one for cold November nights

A light and fluffy story about the lives of three women who end up becoming friends through an Italian class. Anna is trying to find her dad who she thinks is Italian. Catherine is going through divorce and Sophie is trying to come to terms with her relationship with her parents and a lost love that she met in Australia through her travels. All in all a little book that is not too taxing on the grey cells but still enjoyable.