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Reviewed by Tanya Kays for Readers' Favorite
Angela Page Conti’s Enrico G is about Enrico Giuseppe Gardini, a man whose resilience is forged in fire from the 19th-century countryside of Abruzzo, Italy, to the streets of New York City. Growing up in a village where olive groves and strict traditions are the norm, Enrico’s life is flipped upside down early on after a terrifying run-in with a female bandit leader named Filomena. This isn't your typical soft-focus history story, though. The plot follows Enrico’s journey through a complex landscape of family imprisonment, secret weddings, and the never-ending pressure to keep the Gardini name standing. Between avoiding local outlaws and dealing with the fallout of world war politics, Enrico must decide if he's going to stay put or join the mass exodus to America. It's a long road from rural Italy to New York City, but can he ever truly leave the shadows of Abruzzo behind him?
Angela Page Conti’s Enrico G is a story that’s as gritty as it is intimate. It’s a great mix of historical drama and personal struggle. It moved at a much brisker pace than I anticipated for a saga spanning decades. You get the rough reality of life in the 1800s, but it stays focused on Enrico’s resilience as he transitions from a rural village to the modern world. His character is a fascinating blend of hero and a bit of a disaster, especially when it comes to his complicated romantic life and his career as a chef. His relationship with the wealthy widow, Silvia, was very fascinating to follow. Their bond revealed a side of social mobility that actually felt authentic to the time. The contrast between the rough brigand attacks and the satirical humor found in the village gossip also kept me on my toes. Overall, I liked how the author handled the leap from the old world to the new without making Enrico’s journey feel disconnected. If you're searching for a story about identity and family legacy filled with big personalities and a lot of movement, this book is a must-read.
