As a lover of historical fiction, rural Italy, and mysteries, I thought I would love this and was saving this book to read when I had a lot of time to invest. Unfortunately, the book was way too long with a convoluted plot. The characters were interesting and likeable.

Astonishing historical fiction set in an invented village in the Aspromonte mountain region in Southern Calabria. Half-Italian narrator Francesca recalls with foreboding her time there in late 1960- Jan 1961 when, at age 27, she was an idealistic social worker sent to establish a preschool for children of the deeply impoverished goatherding and lumbering community. But not all of the villagers are impoverished, and Franca gradually comes to understand the grip the gnarled roots of corruption tacitly have on everyone there. Blindly assured of her own agency in this regressive world, Franca goes hunting for the identity of a skeleton uncovered by flooding, on behalf of two women who beseech her to find their missing loved ones, endangering herself and others in the process. Meanwhile Franca, who is American and separated from her Italian husband, is wrestling with her own past as a would-be mother and wife drawn irresistibly to a Chionian man with whom she knows she is hopelessly mismatched.

The writing is beautiful and I fell in love with Franca's allies: Cicca, the superstitious and older woman who is Franca's at first hateful and later loyal protector landlady, and Ugo, her romantic pursuer. These two, a long with a Communist mayoral candidate, seem to be the only Chionians capable of navigating the town's stubbornly grey ethics without losing their own mortality, though they do this in different ways with different consequences.

Since I am totally ignorant of the time and place, I have no idea how authentic the setting, language, and plot are, but I would guess pretty much spot-on. Grames clearly has done her research and from the immersive experience of reading of Lost Boy, I would be shocked if she didn't have Aspromonte ties to draw on. Thoroughly impressed -- I won't skip another Julia Grimes read!

Unfortunately, this one was not for me. The overall premise and conceit are strong and interesting, however it ultimately failed in execution.
It's compelling that the author wove this mystery with historical events and a small Italian town. However, it gets too bogged down in the community idiosyncrasies, so much so that it loses sight of the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames!

This book has an air of mystery throughout, but at times it's difficult to know if it's a comedic mystery or a serious mystery. The main character gets herself into deeper and deeper situations, which seem comedic, but then there are also acts of very serious violence. It was a decent story overall, but it was hard to keep track of the large amount of characters, which made it me lose some of the pleasure in reading it.

Francesca Loftfeld's part of the story in this 3-fer, is set in the 1960's and it is her voice a reader hears the most. She is an outsider to Santa Chionia a fictional village isolated and tightly bound by ancient dna and political/local infrastructure that predates nations, it seems. She has a mission based on facts of an earlier generation that she works through rather clumsily, at high cost to some.

There are many mysteries within the tales this village offers up to visitors, and the read is twisty. Descriptions of the countryside are transporting, but for this reader the limitations build up to a calculation of nothing less than claustrophobic creating its own kind of tension.

What is the third part? a romance of course. . .fun to follow, but it never clears away the story's overarching dark clouds of distrust.

*A sincere thank you to Juliet Grames, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

I read this book just after visiting Sicily for the first time, so the author completely captured the sense of being in a small mountain village similar to the one I'd just visited. Through Francesca's outsider status we experienced the clash of "old ways' vs the more modern ideals springing up. Her struggles to make progress with the nursery are compounded by the intricate mysteries she keeps stumbling into and then refusing to let it go. There were a few areas that felt lacking - the romances and her personal relationship backstory. I enjoyed the relationship with her landlady and the attempts to make friends, empower women to stand up for themselves. I've recommended this book for others.

DNF on page 49, chapter 11.

This writing style is not for me. There was both not enough and too much description, the world was both too immersive and not built up enough.

With regards to description, the author would describe a moment from the main character's past that I wouldn't fully comprehend, then would move on too quickly for it to add any value to the story. Also, it seemed there was an adjective for almost every noun, and it got to a point where it just felt like the author just needed to reach a word count. Character descriptions had too many metaphors to the point that I cannot tell what any of the characters looked like. It was way too flowery to the point of going nowhere.

As for world-building, there were too many times when a random Italian word would be dropped out of nowhere, with no explanation. There is also constant nods to minute details in Italian society, way too niche for the majority of the audience to fully grasp without that necessary explanation. I feel like the author doesn't realize that most people who will read this book don't have the same cultural education/background as she does, and referencing random parts of Italian culture (sometimes even with Italian words) with no further explanation alienates many readers, including myself.

Despite this, there was a visible laziness with the world-building that ran parallel to this over-immersion in the setting, which gave me whiplash. There would be moments when the author blatantly told the reader they didn't fell like expanding upon character/world histories. I only got 49 pages into the book, and there are already multiple instances of this occurring.

Overall, this was not the book for me. I honestly think the writing got in the way of the story. There was too much going on, while also not enough happening at the same time. The storyline is pretty interesting, and I appreciate the author's intention, however, it wasn't executed in a way I enjoy.

I so enjoyed the deep dive immersion in the life of this "lost" village in the Aspromonte. The American girl, there to do good and help the children, is hopelessly inadequate in understanding the rules of the village. She doesn't understand the language, the mores or the history, but can't help getting drawn in to the life of her new home. She wants to help, but her every move seems to drag her down into more mistakes. Her instincts, trained in Philadelphia, seem to serve her wrong at every turn.

A mixture of mystery, romance and historical novel, this story blends the three into a compelling tale of Southern Italy in the 1960s.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames is a gripping mystery set in a remote Italian village in the 1960s, where an American woman named Francesca uncovers dark secrets. With rich characters and an iconic setting, it blends suspense with a deep dive into local culture and social issues. The pacing was a bit slow at parts, but it's an overall solid story.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

Juliet Grames is an amazing author and I was so excited to embark on the journey through this new book, The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia. Grames has created a masterful and captivating isolated village in southern Italy, 1960. The story revolves around American newcomer Francesca, as part of an aid relief society she is meant to be setting up a nursery to better the lives of the people of Santa Chionia. When a flood exposes human remains under the post office, Francesca is drawn into the secrets of the tightly knit community and their history as she begins to ask questions about their identity. I thoroughly enjoyed the intelligent writing by this author and the framework is there for this to be a 5 star read. I am giving 3.5 stars because I would have appreciated a little more closure at the end…. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

I was really excited to receive an advanced copy of this and really loved the setting -- I love anything that takes place in Italy -- but after reading 50% I decided to DNF. I set it down for awhile hoping that I would think about it and pick it back up, but I never did.

I think the writing is really lovely and I loved the sense of place, but I found the story itself to be so slow and couldn't ever really feel engaged. I will definitely check out more by her in the future and maybe finish this one on audio at some point.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

An engaging and atmospheric novel that captured me from the beginning. The story weaves mystery, family secrets and the beauty of an Italian coastal village. There are many characters each with their own backstory that adds depth to the narrative. Some plot points are predictable but it is an absorbing read.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I just couldn't get into this one. I don't know if it was the writing style or what, but there was something about it that I just couldn't allow myself to relax into the book. Maybe I'll pick it up again one day, but I don't know.

A tiny remote hillside village in Italy in the 1960s attracts American aid worker Francesca Loftfield to take on the role of opening up a nursery to address the high infant mortality rate. But when floods wash up a dead body, she opens herself up as a target to be dealt with as she follows her inner Nancy Drew to uncover what is really going on in this foreign land full of secrets.

This book was a slow read for me. I'd read a few chapters (the chapters were pretty short), then move to the next book, come back and repeat. It did take awhile for the story to really hold my interest, and there were times I thought about not finishing it. However, I'm glad I did give it a chance and kept going.

Francesca arrives in the small village of Santa Chionia ready to help. She's there to build and establish a nursery school, to help children with early education and to help teach their parents the importance of hygiene and a sanitary home. This is especially hard in the 1950's, in the remote, impoverished mountain town. She meets more reluctance than she would have thought, and soon learns that there is much to be read in what is left unsaid by the villagers.

When a flood washes away the post office, revealing a skeleton in the foundation, Frank has two women ask her for help. They're both sure that the remains are those of their loved ones, but don't have the access or the ability that she does. She agrees to look into records for their lost family members, and unwittingly starts on a discovery that will lead her to a long line of corruption.

The events at the end arrive quickly, and once that ball is set rolling, there's no stopping it. I was pleasantly surprised by how much things changed, from me being frustrated with people who would never give a straight answer, who alluded and diverted, to being truly invested in these people's lives.

3.5 stars. Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the ARC!

Juliet Grames’ The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia is a mesmerizing literary journey that I absolutely adored. From the very first page, I was captivated by the author’s exquisite writing, which beautifully transports readers to a small Italian village, rich with charm and complexity.

Grames has an incredible gift for crafting multi-layered characters that feel genuine and relatable. Each character is intricately developed, contributing to the depth of the story and helping to create a vibrant, believable world. The interactions among the villagers are steeped in the nuances of small-town politics and personal relationships, making the setting feel alive. I found myself completely engrossed in the dynamics of village life, where every whisper and glance can carry significant weight.

The plot is infused with cultural richness and an air of mystery that the protagonist gets caught up in. Grames skillfully weaves together themes of belonging, identity, and the complexities of community, all while keeping the reader engaged with compelling twists and turns. I was genuinely surprised by the direction the story took, particularly the unexpected developments at the end. It’s a testament to Grames’ storytelling prowess that she can lead the reader on such an engaging journey, only to deliver a conclusion that feels both shocking and satisfying.

While the novel includes a number of foreign names and titles, which initially required a bit of adjustment on my part, this aspect also enhanced the immersion. The authenticity of the setting is palpable, and I appreciated how these details added to the sense of being in that picturesque village. It’s clear that Grames has done her research, and her attention to cultural nuances brings an added layer of depth to the narrative.

Her ability to blend rich character development with an engaging plot in a vivid setting makes this book a must-read. I’m excited to see what Grames will create next, as she has proven herself to be a fantastic author with a unique voice in contemporary literature.

I really enjoyed this marvelous book. I like how the author gave details about the everyday lives of the people of Santa Chionia. The heroine is strong, and although she makes a few mistakes, it is understandable given her age. The mystery intrigued me, and I didn’t guess the ending. The only trouble were the names which made it difficult for me to remember who was who. Otherwise, it was an excellent book.

Well written and the story was at times captivating.
I just didn’t think that Francesca was a totally believable character.

Calabria is a land I knew nothing about till this novel. And what I do know is based on this sweeping saga’s depictions of this steep cliffs, lush land, and torrential downpours.
The 1960s was full of this wanting to make their mark in a changing political climate. But for a young lady like Francesca the world she seeks to help is just as dangerous as it is isolated.
The author aphas done it again. Another saga of finding yourself and your purpose within your limits.