The Last Letter from Sicily by Lindsay Marie Morris

  

The Last Letter from Sicily by

Lindsay Marie Morris

SUMMARY:

‘My dearest Gaetano, if this letter reaches you, know that my heart remains under the Sicilian stars where we made our promise...’

Sicily, 1939. Seventeen-year-old Concetta has just received life-changing news: her family is leaving their sun-drenched Sicilian village and moving to America. Desperate to stay with her secret love Gaetano—a fisherman’s son her father would never accept—Concetta spends one last night with him beneath a blanket of stars. There, among the citrus-scented air and cricket song, he hands her a leaving gift: a fountain pen, with a promise to keep their love alive through letters – and return to each other one day.

In America, Concetta refuses to let go of her dream of returning to Sicily, even as she struggles to navigate a strange new world of factory work and prejudice. Her letters to Gaetano become her lifeline, each one carrying fragments of her heart across the ocean. But when Italy declares war on the United States, Gaetano’s letters suddenly stop. As Concetta faces pressure to let go of her past and accept her new American life, she yearns to discover Gaetano’s fate—even if it means crossing a war-torn ocean to find him.

 

MY REVIEW:

What can I say except this is an absorbing, page-turning story with all the ingredients to engage the reader in a heartwarming historical fiction wartime romance.

The inspiration for the story comes from two significant sources – a family backstory and a book. The author’s Sicilian grandparents were separated when Nonna Concetta emigrated to the USA leaving behind her Nonno Gaetano in Sicily just before the war. She recalls:

‘sitting in my nonna’s kitchen where she’d bake bread, cured olives and cook nonstop while singing along to Luciano Pavarotti records. As supper simmered, my nonno would come in from tending his garden, often with a tray of sun-dried tomatoes’

The author found their story of being separated during the war romantic and this is her starting point. Young love is a beautiful and transformative stage in life, filled with excitement and passion. It’s a winning formula as we know!  Shakespeare created a violent world for his ‘star-crossed lovers,’ Romeo and Juliet. What is more appealing than innocence?

The Last Letter from Sicily is a study of intense emotions, the naivety of a young boy and a young girl in love, separated not only by the brutal energy of war, but by parents who often had strong expectations for their daughters, including marriage and the roles they would play in society.

The book which the author refers to is Dante – The Divine Comedy which is about the author's journey towards God. It has three parts: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso. (Heaven). I will leave the symbolism of this to the reader!

Although the story is a work of fiction, the love interest in the story brings emotional depth and complexity to the main characters, enriching the plot with conflict and resolution. It fosters character development and creates a profound sense of connection and relatability for the reader, illuminating the beautiful dynamics of a romantic relationship. The author sets the scene beautifully and brings this time to life through the story of Concetta and Gaetano, her best friend's older brother.

‘The clanging church bells of Maria Santissima del Lume reverberated through the air, announcing the arrival of noon. Seventeen-year-old Concetta Balisterreri stood before a mirror running her hands through her unruly hair. She speaks to her younger sister.

‘Now, remember what I said, “If Mamma and Papa ask, I’ve gone for a walk. OK?”’

 Clandestine meetings, and declarations of love, yet no sooner are we drawn into the intensity and fervour of their relationship than there is an obstacle which makes the characters' love more difficult.  Concetta breaks the news that her family is moving to the USA. Her dreams of being with Gaetano and being a teacher, like him are shattered. Here is a great example of how the author provides factual information woven into the story in such a way that it is very much part of the story and not just the facts. I feel she deals with the subject of Italian migration in a very true and compassionate way.  Families dreamed of a better life. Millions of Italians would feel a deep sense of both excitement and sadness. While the promise of new opportunities in America filled them with hope, the thought of leaving behind their family, friends, and familiar surroundings weighed heavily on their hearts. Not only that, the immigrants would face prejudice, discrimination, and violence in the United States. The writing is very evocative, giving the reader an immersive story experience. She describes the pain of separation which pulls at our heartstrings.

May 4, 1939 Sicily

‘The words “moving to America,’ pierced Concetta’s heart like a sword.

“Your mother and I didn’t go to school. You’ll find a husband who can care for you in America.”

“But I don’t want to find a husband in America. It's not fair.” she shouted running down the hall to her bedroom. She slammed the door behind her and sank to the floor in tears. She’d never raised her voice to her father before but at that moment she didn’t care. She was shaking with rage.’

The love story is merged into the plot's conflict as war looms and Gaetano is called up to serve his country in Sardinia, fortunately with a friend and they are assigned as loaders on an anti-aircraft crew. The book he takes with him is Dante’s The Divine Comedy with a photo of Concetta serving as a bookmark. The irony now is that the lovers are on opposite sides of the war.

This is a very well-researched story where the characters are brought to life as the devastating effects of the war rage across the globe. War diminishes everyone, the two lovers lose all contact as no letters from the USA can be delivered to enemy Italy. As we follow the fortunes of the war, we follow Concetta, working as a machinist in a sweatshop factory and Gaetano, the soldier, facing extreme conditions, potential injury, and psychological stress. When he is captured and becomes a POW in Algeria, he realises he has left behind his book and the photo of Concetta.

August 13-16. 1943 Algeria

‘Gaetano and the rest of the prisoners sat waiting – for what, they didn’t know. All he had left was the handkerchief she’d sent him. Apart from that, he had nothing but memories’

This is so powerful and poignant and as in most war situations, there is drama, death and trauma. For Italy, this was ill-conceived and miscalculated. It had no choice but to surrender to the Allies in 1943. Can a war have a happy ending? Maybe not but it can have new beginnings, reconciliation and grateful celebrations.

A well-written historical novel captures the details of the time period as accurately as possible for authenticity, including social norms, manners, customs, and traditions. One way in which this novel achieves this is by using music and in particular, movies to show a means of escape from the harsh realities of war, to boost morale, to stay informed about the war through newsreels, and experience a sense of shared community. This demonstrates not only historical accuracy but also gives the reader vital psychological support and lightens the mood.

June 28 1941 America

‘Concetta clocked out for the day and headed for the bus stop. It was Saturday night, another chance to dust off a hard-earned quarter and escape into a world made in Hollywood. It was a place where women were swept off their feet by the loves of the lives , where people sang and danced and heroes saved the day. It made her feel that her own wish to reunite with Gaetano wasn’t so far-fetched.’

The author names films such as Tom, Dick and Harry featuring Ginger Rogers to Mrs Miniver, a 1942 American romantic war drama film starring Greer Garson, Random Harvest, a 1942 American romantic drama film and of course, Casablanca. There is a lovely conversation between Concetta and her friend, Maria discussing the latest reports of bombings in Sicily and Sardinian by the Allies.

March 1, 1943 America

‘Concetta was sobbing uncontrollably.

“I’m marrying Roberto to make my parents happy. I don’t even love him.”

‘” You and Gaetano have history, but let's face it – that chapter of your life? It’s history, my friend. Who knows if you’ll ever see him again? Roberto will make you happy.”

But what about love? Real love?”

“Real love is complicated. Think about it. Remember Casablanca?” Concetta thought back to when she’d cried during the airport scene where Rick convinced Ilsa to board the plane with her husband.

“Yes, but what does that have to do with my situation?”

“Sometimes, you have to let the one you love go.”’

 

The ‘will they, won't they’ theme is very compelling and beautifully crafted by using a dual timeline device.  Chapter by chapter, alternating between Concetta’s perspective and Gaetano in the next. Each person’s story runs alongside the other, with the timeline in ‘real-time’ for both parties. This structure performs the theme of estrangement, creating emotional tension, and explores their longing and potential reunion later in the story.

Throughout most of the book, the reader does not know if the two lovers will reunite so I will not include a spoiler here. This is good storytelling combined with excellent research skills. It’s a well-crafted storyline that blends fact and fiction seamlessly. The characters are engaging and believable. The writing quality is beautiful, but also for me, as someone who lives in Italy, is the authenticity which derives from the authors’ Italian ancestry so little touches like cultural traditions are brought to life. Family life is the foundation stone of Italian culture and is characterized by loyalty and closeness. Their cultural customs, which placed the highest priority on the family, remained strong as Italian immigrants, particularly the women adapted to these new circumstances. Then as now, eating and celebrating together played an important role in creating social cohesion and a real sense of belonging.  At every Christmas in their new lives in America, the author describes food preparation.

 

December 23 1940 America

‘Concetta dried her eyes and made her way to the kitchen. There Mamma had laid out all the ingredients for her favorite cookies, ‘cuccidati’. Her mother was already mincing dried figs, raisins and zesting an orange. Concetta worked the milk into the dough until it was shiny and taut while Mamma and her aunt mixed together the filling. The warm air in the kitchen soon filled with a fruity aroma.’

This represents a deep connection to preserving their heritage and is an expression of love and togetherness.

 

Why I recommend this book

A good story must have, like any good recipe, ingredients and one here which I want to mention is character growth. All the characters in this story evolve. They have to. They grow and change because of the family’s emigration to a new life and the impact of the war. Also, internal conflicts are resolved as we move to the end of the book and I refer particularly to Concetta’s father who discovers something about his past.

“All these years, I thought my father was a hero. Now I know the truth.”

“But he was a hero. He fought an unforgiving war and died for the cause,” said his wife. “The truth is complicated but it shouldn’t diminish his legacy,”

Insights such as these make the plot more impactful and believable and ultimately draw the reader deeper into the story

 The story informs the reader as well as entertains and challenges. While fictional characters and situations drive the narrative, real events, real places are the backbone and I commend the author on the accuracy of her historical research. The extent of her research is covered in the ‘acknowledgements.’ I have to confess, that much of the Italian POW experience was unknown to me. I had no idea that in November 1942, following the Allies' successful invasion of North Africa, over 51,000 Italian prisoners of war were sent to the United States to POW camps.

This book will definitely leave a strong impression on me.

 

Love and understand the Italians, for the people are more marvellous than the land. — E. M. Forster 

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Lindsay Marie Morris is a novelist and journalist based in Los Angeles, California. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Marquette University. A former Shape magazine editor with a passion for storytelling, Lindsay continues to write for various publications, including Forks Over Knives, for which she is a frequent contributor. Her work spans multiple topics, with a particular focus on travel, small business, health, wellness, and plant-based lifestyle. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys camping, exploring the great outdoors, baking, and cooking. 

https://www.lindsaymariemorris.com/

 

BOOK BLURB:

Published by Storm Publishing  January 16, 2025