Inspired by Jhumpa Lahiri's introduction of the reissue of this Italian classic, I was excited when the publisher granted me access to the digital arc of the book on Netgalley. What a marvel of a novel. Set in the 17th century, written in the late 19th century, this story takes us on a journey that begins with a rich Don compelling a member of the clergy to refuse to marry a young couple, Lucia and Renzo are devastated and in looking for ways to get around the impasse and still be married in the eyes of God and the law, they both travel far and wide in an Italy occupied by Spain. A mix of an epic adventure, and a romance, this historical fiction had it all, even intimacy with the Plague that was sweeping through Europe.

It was a delightful read, and one that I think lovers of Italy and Italian literature would enjoy- especially with the new translation from Michael F. Moore.

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fair warning: This one is LONG. And not especially fast-paced. Fortunately, it’s also a fantastic story that is rife with humor, adventure, and delightful history lessons.

I’ll start by saying that while I typically recommend that anyone who has the author’s first language should read it in its original text, I might make an exception here because the translation is so exceptionally good. Perhaps the best I’ve encountered in a book where I know both languages well enough to pass fair judgment. It’s also worth noting that the translator did a remarkable job of subtly updating the language to suit a modern audience while still preserving the text as Manzoni penned it.

In many ways this is an adventure story, complete with fraught travels, skulking villains, and dialogue that becomes almost slapstick (in a good way) at times. In that sense it feels incredibly anachronistic, while still capturing the humor that befits both the time at which the book was written and the time at which the story takes place.

It helps going in if you know a bit about Italian politics and Milanese history during this era, but Manzoni does a lovely job of setting the scene even if this is all new to you.

In all, a delightful, timeless story with an absolutely fantastic English language translation now available.

Big Hunchback of Notre Dame vibes here -- historical fiction, prospective romance, interfering Church, long digressions into historical table-setting (the history of Paris there, the history of the Plague and northern Italian politics here). Gets a little deus-ex-machina-y, where a powerful noble has a (pretty literal) come-to-Jesus moment unrelated to any of the actions of our romantic leads and he and a cardinal pretty much save the day with the powers of benevolent feudalism, but is otherwise enjoyable. I haven't read any previous translations of the novel, but the new translation by Michael F. Moore was smooth and readable.

What a treat to have a new translation of a much revered Italian classic. If it seems old fashioned in approach to various topics, that's because it was written in 1827 and concerned events in 1628. A plague! Politics! So many things will seem familiar and yet not. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It does meander more than a little but it's definitely worth your time.

I had never heard of this book before it was translated. I really enjoyed it, it was a bit slow and it took me a while to get through it but it was a great story overall!

I really enjoyed this book! I’d never read it before this translation, so I was really excited to get this copy. I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. It was a little slow and took me longer than I would have liked, but it was worth reading. The story was interesting and the characters were great. The Betrothed is not one to be missed!

I'm so grateful for this translation. Up until very recently, I only knew of I promessi sposi from Cecil Vyse's declaration from A Room with a View after he proposes to Lucy. He declares the title of the book to Mrs. Honeychurch and Freddy, to befuddled faces. He then explains "she has accepted me," the allusion lost on the English suburbanites who do not speak Italian.

It makes sense that the English mother and son don't get the reference. Though <i>The Betrothed</i> is possibly the most widely read Italian novel in Italy, it's cultural impact does not seem to extend beyond the peninsula, apparently much to the chagrin of Italians, who nearly all read it in their secondary educations.

I love Italian--I love Italian poetry, I love Italian opera, I love reading and I love speaking Italian. But up until a few months ago, this was a little footnote in my favorite English language novel.

But it is lovely. Big and intimate in the way that so clearly influenced Dickens, particularly in A Tale of Two Cities. I think there is a widespread notion that "19th century = conservative" values, or "Catholic = conservative." But that is such an American centric view and the compassion with which Manzoni write about so many different types of people, even the narrative villains, is moving and aspirational.

The cheeky narrative voice was also a hoot to read--I was laughing out loud at many of the little asides and qualifiers.

I really would recommend this to anyone who loves Dickens or Hugo or Eliot and has the remotest interest in Italian culture. It felt like I've been painting a picture of Italy in my mind with a huge mask over part of the canvas for a decade and a half of my life and now that area of the painting is suddenly available to me to fill in.

NOTE: I was given early access to this manuscript in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you net galley.com and Modern Library. Scheduled Publication: September 13, 2022.

THE BETROTHED by Alessandro Manzoni (originally titled "I promessi sposi"), and first published in 1827, is widely regarded as the seminal and most widely read novel in Italy. (I admit I had not heard of it.) What's new is that this edition is the first NEW translation of the book in 50 years.

According to translator Michael F. Moore, from the book's forward, his multi-year effort aimed at capturing the original poetry of Manzoni's prose as well as updating the language to make this classic more accessible to modern readers. And he has skillfully accomplished BOTH!

For most of the book I recognized I was reading a literary masterpiece and expected to easily award it five stars. But, by the end, I couldn't. Even though I still feel it is a remarkable book.

As the title suggests, the book begins around a scheduled wedding of two simple peasants living in Lombardy in 1628, Renzo and Lucia. What follows however is 704 pages of human errors and obstacles which postpose the event. From a self-absorbed priest determined to save his own skin to a powerful member of the local nobility intent on winning a bet, no matter what the cost for others. Manzoni shows he is as adept at creating the kind of drama out of everyday life that Jane Austen is famous for.

Circumstances force the Renzo and Lucia to separate. And as Manzoni follows their stories, he takes readers off on many, MANY tangents, which, taken together, present rich portraits of universal human nature, Italian social and class structure, the Medieval dominance of religious practice, and Italy's notoriously dysfunctional governing bodies. The prose is beautiful and seasoned with lots of humor. The novel is ambitious, nuanced, and truly brilliant. And I cannot think of another historical novel which so graphically and emotionally presents the devastation of both famine and plague.

You will love the multi-dimensional characters Manzoni creates, each so distinctive and realistic that you are likely to recognize people you know. They struggle with human foibles, self-doubts, and questions about faith and God. They survive against intense odds. And like most humans, their indefatigable resilience ultimately wills out allowing them to achieve their goals. A remarkable book, for both Manzoni's (and Moore's) language and deep understanding of what makes us human.

So, why couldn't I award it the expected five stars? First of all, it took me nearly a month to read (a VERY long time for me). And, by the end, THE BETROTHED simply felt TOO LONG. The digressions became too numerous, too long -- even tedious-- when I just wanted to return to the stories of Lucia and Renzo.

I certainly recommend the book, especially for fans of historical fiction. It's a rich picture of medieval life in Italy. But understand going in, it may be a longer haul than you expect.