August 1, 2023
Fleeing World War II Rome after his parents die in a U.S. bombing, Massimo is rescued by Pietro Houdini, who proclaims himself an artist and confidante of the Vatican. They repair to a cliff-clinging monastery, but as the front line shifts forward, they flee again, spiriting away three priceless Titians with the help of a renegade nurse, a murderous caf� owner, a German soldier, and two lovers and their mule. A John Creasey Dagger-winning author, an historical framework, BISACed as literary: something for everyone. Prepub Alert.
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Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from October 15, 2023
Orphaned by the Allied bombing of Rome, a 14-year-old boy is taken under the wing of a wily art restorer determined to prevent the Nazis from carting off precious paintings stored at the abbey of Montecassino. The artist, a pontificating, grandiose soul calling himself Pietro Houdini, gives the boy, Massimo, an eye-opening education in art and survival. He shares his plan of painting over three undiscovered masterpieces by Titian and somehow sneaking them out of the abbey--"the first art heist inside an art heist in the history of the world." Massimo shocks himself by becoming involved in acts of violence against the Nazis, a number of whom are roaming the abbey among the monks in search of paintings and manuscripts to haul away in trucks. Midway through the novel, Houdini, secretly tormented over a decision he made regarding his activist wife, confesses a family secret and Massimo reveals something even more surprising about himself. Between Nazi atrocities, a wave of rapes by Allied Moroccan troops, and the massive American bombing of Montecassino, gruesome outcomes await a cast of likable characters, leaving us rooting for the battle-hardened teen to make it south to Naples. Miller can be oddly detached from the shootings and stabbings, but he is otherwise a splendid storyteller. Narrated from 40 years in the future, the novel works equally well as wartime tale, heist thriller, coming-of-age story, and sweeping history and art lesson. It's also a brilliant set piece in which the abbey, "a fortress in the clouds," is a major character. And let's hear it also for Ferrari, the mule who overcomes injuries to lend his own brand of heroism. A brilliantly imagined World War II saga.
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November 13, 2023
A man bent on saving art from Nazi pillagers changes the life of an orphaned Italian teen in the appealing latest from Miller (How to Find Your Way in the Dark). At 14, the unnamed narrator survives the August 1943 American bombing of Rome and is saved from a violent mob by Pietro Houdini, an artist in his late 50s, who names the narrator Massimo. They go to the Abbey of Montecassino, where Pietro’s been entrusted to protect the art from the Nazis. He manages to hide three Titian paintings from the Germans, and in the midst of an attack from Allied Moroccans, he instructs the narrator to take the paintings to his professor friend in Naples. The reader learns from a prologue that the narrator’s journey is successful. The pleasure is in discovering how the narrator makes it and in coming to know the characters, especially the charismatic Pietro, a man capable of developing a false rapport with the Nazis while hiding artworks from them and also acting fearlessly when trying to protect the narrator. Miller’s historical adventure is worth the price of admission. Agent: Simon Lipskar, Writers House. (Jan.)This review has been updated to remove a spoiler.
December 1, 2023
Miller's (Radio Life) latest unflinchingly illuminates the traumas that World War II inflicted on civilians in Italy and presents the durability of love and the costs of war. In 1943, Pietro Houdini rescues a 14-year-old girl who has been assaulted and orphaned and takes her to an old abbey called Montecassino. The abbey is a "safe haven in a sea of lava" and an important touchstone in the book. The girl adopts a male persona, Massimo, to acquire the strength and courage needed to survive. Pietro becomes like a father to Massimo. He expounds on philosophy and explains paintings featuring Greek mythological figures. He also safeguards three paintings from Nazis plundering the abbey. Afterward, Massimo and Pietro join a motley group who are determined to bring the paintings and themselves to safety. Each person's story illuminates a different aspect of the chaos and harshness of the war. Miller's straightforward and incisive writing and compelling, complex characters make the book worthwhile. Devastatingly sharp descriptions of the landscape augment the narrative. VERDICT Ideal for historical-fiction fans who want insight on Italian civilians surviving World War II.--Leah Shepherd
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.