NetGalley review

The story of Giulia, her Calabrian family, set in the time of Mussolini and WWII. Quite an epic story of a young, ambitious woman, struggling to find independence within the constructs of Italian society. The background war story is told directly by the characters conversations but it reads more like a history book. The story is inspired by the author’s Italian heritage and I found the end acknowledgements written in a more inspiring voice. Not the right book for myself or my book club.

A mellow tale of simple pre-war Italian village life that escalates to the wretched tragedies of lives and loves due to WW2. Tania Blanchard's cinematic portrayal of her characters and their environment is well rounded and engaging. The factual perspective of the country's disastrous flirtations with Nazism and subsequent capitulation to the Allies bring a dramatic edge to the saga.

I loved this book! I was totally enthralled straight away. It opens in southern Italy in 1936, with young Giulia struggling with her purpose. We follow Giulia's journey of growth, purpose, respect, love and faith. All of this through the early stages of the war. Quite a read! Highly recommended. A first for me by this author, but not the last!

This book was completely out of my comfort zone but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. It tells the story of a strong willed young woman who is desperate to follow her dreams of becoming a healer despite the constraints of a very traditional society and against a backdrop of looming war.

Set in Calabria, in the far south of Italy, the story starts before the beginning of WWII. Italy is already embroiled in conflict and has invaded Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) and then goes on to invade Albania. Giulia Tallariti is the second youngest of 5 children and her father despairs of her rebellious nature. In a bid to avoid an arranged marriage her mother, her Nonna and her aunt Francesca arrange for her to be sent to a convent/monastery to learn about hard work and discipline. What they don’t tell her father is that she will also further her studies of herbalism under the renowned monk Fra Fortunato.

Over the course of the next few years as the Second World War takes off the family has mixed fortunes. There are some weddings, some babies and some deaths. Giulia finds her calling tending to the wounded and she finds love in the arms of a young doctor.

What doesn’t change though is the deep abiding love these people have for their land, their culture and, of course, their families! The story is beautifully written and you really get to know the characters who are all just trying to do the best they can in very trying circumstances. Guilia was quite an inspirational character but even the quiet strength of her mother and nonna could put some modern women to shame. They just got on and did what needed doing. I have nothing but admiration for these characters who are modelled on the author’s real life family to a large extent.

It also gave me some insight to my own family background who also lived through WWII in Europe although my parents didn’t talk about it that much. We can only hope we never see a war on that scale again. Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.

“Echoes of War” by Tania Blanchard, spins a yarn of family joys, disappointments and tragedies set against momentous historical events in Italy from 1936 to 1953.
Set mainly in rural Calabria, the descriptions of place, culture, traditions and food are lush and inviting. Some traditions are there to be fought against however, arranged marriages for unruly daughters being one of them.
Giulia wants to be a village healer like her Nonna, using herbal knowledge and lay psychology to cure first common ailments and then the uncommon injuries of war as the outside world encroaches upon her hitherto confined existence. Her father is opposed to her plans and hatches his own.
Despite the challenges of being married young to an older man (not of her choice) Giulia matures into a compassionate, hard working wife and healer with a broadened view of the world. When tragedy strikes, fate steps in and offers a second chance of pursuing her dreams of service and family.
I enjoyed the historical context more than usual as it is a time and place I am not familiar with. Knowing that much of this wartime story is based on the author’s family history makes it even more fascinating. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance digital copy in exchange for honest review.

3.5 stars.

This was an epic story about how war affected families and relationships - I think the book was very appropriately titled. It was a story about the echoes of war(s), indeed.

I liked the overall concept of the story, and I really appreciated that the Author incorporated elements from her own heritage and stories from her own grandparents. Giulia’s strong relationship with her family was clearly the core of the story, and her love for natural medicines showed her ‘modern’ side of wanting to be an independent woman.

While some of the sub-plots were used repetitively, such as Giulia’s desire to further her medicine study and thus instigating arguments with her father, and the romance (the courting part) could’ve been improved, it was an enjoyable read overall.

There was this particular quote that I liked very much from the book:
“After everything I’d been through, I recognised the value of taking joy wherever we could.”

I think it is very important indeed to always recognise the value of taking joy wherever we can!

It took me an extraordinarily long time to read this marvellous book. I needed to savour every word, digest every detail in order to live through the shoes of the people depicted in this book. It is a wonderful work of fiction, narrated with sensitivity and care

Echoes of War, by Australian author Tania Blanchard, is a novel which begins in the mid-1930s in the rural south of Italy. A young Giulia Tallariti wants to determine her own future, but is made to conform to family values and traditions.

Against a backdrop of the effects of Mussolini’s rise, World War II, and its aftermath, Giulia’s story (told in the first person) gives an unusual insight into the events of that era. The text is well-written, and the author’s notes further explain some of the background and her family connections with the area.

Worthwhile reading for fans of historical fiction, particularly those interested in the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary times.

Echoes of War by Tania Blanchard is an epic story. It took a while for me to get into, but I did want to keep reading until the end.
I found the story of Giulia and her family interesting, but I felt rather detached while reading. It was obviously well researched, but to me it was almost like a blow-by-blow description of what happened, without the heart.
It is still thought provoking and educational.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy.

I enjoyed reading this book due to a different view of WWII.
I've not read too many books from an Southern Italian's side of entering the war and then living through it.
Guilia was a strong-willed child, that her father tried to break, and couldn't. She was determined to live how she wanted, and was lucky enough to have the older women in the family to help her get her wish to be a healer. A forced marriage, love and tragedy would determine who she would become during WWII and it only made her stronger and a more determined woman.

Thank you to Netgally and Simon&Schuster for allowing me an advance of this book to review honestly.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster (Australia) Publishers for this advanced copy of Echoes of War for my comments and review.

While a lot has been written about WW2 on the Western Front, the Allied forces and other northern European countries this read is centred around the war in Italy. It will appeal to a wide readership including historical fiction enthusiasts. The author has drawn into the historical events the human side of everyday small farming Italian families with the main character of Giulia a young lady with a strong desire to be her own person.

Mussolini and his Secret Police have taken control of the country and along with Hitler, he has formed an alliance. Musollini's plan is to recreate the past power of the Roman Empire without giving second thought to the fact that he has a poorly trained army that is poorly equipped and that Italy is not at this stage an industrial powerhouse. He does have some initial success with his invasions, however when the Allied Forces make progress in pushing back events start to change.

Giulia's brother Vincenzo is called up for the army and her father a veteran of WW1 even though now so much older with his old regiment being reactivated, he too puts his army uniform on. Younger brother Antonio like so many young men went to the mountains in order not to be called up but he does join a partisan group. Later on Vincenzo and her father are killed.

Even with all that is occurring, Giulia is at loggerheads with her father, fiery and outspoken in particular to her opposition in his determination to marry her off. She wants nothing like this, rather her desire is to become a herbalist healer like her Nona. Her father considers such practices as nothing but witchcraft. Against Giulia's will however he is finally successful and under extreme duress she finds herself married to a widower, an older man, a fisherman Massimo. Fortunately he turns out to be a gentle man with his experience in life he is patient with her and as time moves on Giulia is able to settle into married life. She has the added benefit that her husband understands her passion and provides her with a donkey as a means of transport to go to study with a master herbalist. An earthquake culminates in a massive tidal wave smashing the small fishing village and Giulia's home and when her husband is found dead, she is devastated and returns to her family home. It's while she's at home that one of her brothers' friends, Stefano and her, start a relationship and are married. Stefano wants to study medicine, already with a start to his studies fostered by Don Silvio of the Ndrangheta (mafia-like crime syndicate…..for which later there is a payback required).

With his war effort failing Mussolini in his capitulation is arrested (later killed). Victor Emmanuel III, an opportunist and a turncoat, makes a deal with the Allies. The Germans in their retreat destroy as much as possible the infrastructure of Naples and go on a killing spree on the Napolese community. The Allies have bombed Milan and Torino.

Stefano becomes an army medic finally being attached to the US army, Naples then to Rome. Giulia follows him and with her knowledge treats those of the community injured in the war. When Stefano informs her that he is to move closer to the sea west of Florence (Firenze), Giulia, now pregnant, is determined to follow him. She reacts as she always has fighting against a male's decision, rather than accepting how dangerous the war has become, Italians and Allies fighting Italians. (The battle lines had come to a stalemate whereby the Allies were not making any progress bogged down at the "Gothic line").

Giulia receives news that her mother is gravely ill and not responding to any of Nona's treatment. Reluctantly along with her brother Antonio she returns to her village where she sees that her mother, a strong woman seems to have given up, her world of her husband and family torn apart by this war. Slowly with the combined efforts of daughter and grandmother she slowly returns to good health.

The war is over but life in Italy is desperate, poverty is rampant. In desperation with no improvement in their finances and no means for him to finish his studies Stefano looks to migrate and with contacts in Australia where they can start a new life with greater opportunities he applies to immigrate. He is able to get to Australia and soon working and saving he is able to buy his block of land. With a photo of him on their block of land in her hand Giulia and their children board the ship (not boat) with great sadness knowing full well she may never see her family again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for giving me the opportunity to read the eARC and give my honest review on Echoes of War.
Tania Blanchard has created an emotion packed WWII historical fiction in Echoes of War.
Set in Italy 1936 we are following our main character Giulia and her journey of longing to be an independent woman with dreams and aspirations of following in her Nonna’s footsteps in becoming a healer. Headstrong Giulia wants more to her life than that of the remote farming village she has grown up in.
1939 - WWII is declared and turmoil erupts.
Can Giulia stay true to her dreams and desires during this time of upheaval?
Echoes of War will take you through the emotions Giulia and her family felt from love, joy, grief, celebrations, happiness and anger.
I found this an enjoyable read, enjoying the characters and the close family togetherness during these uncertain times.
This is the first Tania Blanchard book I have read and I am looking forward to reading more of her books in the near future.
I recommend taking the time to read the authors notes at the end as Tania gives insight as to how the characters and story of Echoes of War came to be.

A full third of this book takes place prior to the impending war becoming a major focus, so if you would appreciate a gentle tale of rural Italian life in the 1930s along with the slightly less peaceful story of the impact of war upon it then this book would be a great choice. It’s very evocative of the time and place and makes an interesting read.

There were a few aspects that surprised me (nuns being so keen to keep abreast of international political news being one), and the dialogue felt a little unlikely in places. I also think I would have enjoyed this more if the story had ended sooner in its timeline, with the final stages spun off into a sequel – I completely understand the urge to include those later stages given the real-life inspiration, but the pacing in the final 20% or so of the book felt off to me. That section would have made a great standalone story to be explored.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the ARC.

What a wonderful read that had my in tears and at other times smiling widely. I loved that this story was close to the heart of the author and just reminds us how tragic war can be to families and resilience, love and strength can prevail even at the saddest of times. A great read!

A fabulous and engrossing story by Australian author Tania Blanchard, author of Girl from Munich. A tale of the getting of wisdom, growing up from a young, impulsive girl in Italy prior to the beginning of World War 2, to gaining strength and courage on a journey of growth and discovery.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Australia for the chance to review this book early.

A snapshot at life in Calabria, Italy during the conflicts and wars leading up to and during World War II.
Following Guilia, a girl insistent on bucking the traditional life of getting married and settling down with children, she decides she would prefer to follow in the footsteps of her Nonna and become a healer.
Personally, I found that a lot of the novel read more like a textbook on what life was like at the time than a historical fiction novel and there were large periods were Guilia's conflicts with the people around her were grating.
I understand that the traditional ways would have been difficult for a lot of girls at the time, but the constant stubborness and rehashing of old arguments made the book longer than required for me.

I did enjoy learning about the struggles between the north and south of Italy, and the hardships that families were forced to endure through this period of time, not only through war, but natural disasters.
Not a book that I would choose to re-read but I am happy to have read it and glad that others are enjoying it.

You can tell that Tania Blanchard has taken a lot of time and care to research the period and that love of her family has fuelled this novel.

Unfortunately not for me.

The main character grated on me - she was way to modern for the period. The narrative dragged on without really much happening then jumped about ten years in the very last part.

In the end I could sum up the whole book in one famous sentence by French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, who wrote “plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose “ – the more things change, the more they stay the same - which was also the theme of "The Leopard".

In times of war and finding our way, we follow Giulia’s journey as she struggles to get independence and follow her own dreams!
Giulia knows what she wants but has to work hard and experience life to make her life her own!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the wonderful opportunity to read this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is not my usual genre of choice, but I very much enjoyed this intriguing story of love and loss.

Echoes of War follows the life of Guilia, a girl determined to follow her dreams and become a healer like her nonna, in a time when she had to fight for that right.

Set in Italy, at the beginnings of WWII, this story took me on a journey as I watched Guilia grow and stand up for herself in a troublesome time. Even with her father not understanding her, she pushed on, determined to help others in any way she could.

Guilia is a strong, capable female lead; the kind of character I enjoy getting to know. Throughout this story, she is dealt some blows, and her strength continues to shine through.

It is a story with much heartache and emotion, but with enough lightness sprinkled in to keep you invested.

Although I have read a large number of books based in Italy during WWII, this was a fresh perspective. As well as learning about things such as herbal remedies, & life in a remote area of Calabria, there is also the quandary of the ‘nghadreta. (Reading about it is one thing, living with it quite another!) A really well-told story which I mostly enjoyed very much : my only reservation is some of the content included – more detail than I cared to know meant an increasing number of pages being skimmed. I would be recommending this book very strongly, if it were not for that.