THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Mary Doria Russell’s historical WWII novel takes place in northwestern Italy, during 1943 to 1945.

 

In the beginning of WW II, the fascist government in Italy aligns with the Axis Powers.  Italian soldiers fight alongside their Germans allies, suffering heavy losses on the Eastern front with Russia.  However, when the Germans demand their Italian allies turn in their Jewish countrymen, the Italian citizens refuse. The refusal perplexes and angers the Germans.

The Gestapo moves in to Italy and as in every other country, seeks to carry out Hitler’s orders of segregation, isolation, deportation and extermination of the Jews, when they are unexpectedly blunted, by the Italian population’s resistance.  Priests and nuns using churches and convents, along with partisans in the mountains and civilians in the cities, conspire against the Nazis in a vast underground network to fight the Germans and to hide their Jewish citizens.

 

The author’s well drawn characters include the Jewish, womanizing Italian, Renzo Leoni, who struggles with ghosts from the Abyssinian war, to Pierino, an Italian soldier turned partisan and Schramm, a medical doctor and German deserter, searching for absolution from his concentration camp atrocities, who together, though in separate venues, battle against the German forces led by well trained, battle ready, revenge seeking, Nazi commanders.

 

“A Thread of Grace”, captivating, intelligent and illuminated with beautiful, profound passages throughout, carries the message of man’s willingness to perform good deeds in the face of evil.

 

Note:

It is estimated that 75 to 80 percent of Italian Jews survived the Holocaust.  Italians under German occupied France refused cooperation with the Nazis for Jewish round-ups.  The Jews who sought refuge in Assisi were also saved.  The Italian Command in German occupied Croatia refused cooperation with the Nazis as well.