Reviews
A captivating family novel, but also a Bildungsroman fueled by a very subtle psychological vein. Despite the cruelty of the events narrated, tenderness and gentleness are sought and highlighted, in a game of balance of forces from which hope emerges.
A universal and timeless story.
One of the most beautiful Italian novels of recent years, difficult to fit into a single genre. Roberta Recchia's book is a vast family saga spanning three generations, combining elements of thriller, romance and Bildungsroman.
A gripping family novel.
An emotional rollercoaster . . .
As if you can feel the Italian sun on your skin. Captivating . . . and very profound!
One of the best books I've read in 2024 . . . [All That is Left of Life] will soon become a classic.
Recchia captures the very essence of her heroine's inner struggles, making her journey both tragic and universal. Marisa, a figure of resistance in the face of moral and familial oppression . . . It is a tragedy, splendid, distressing, superb.
Every book club will want to discuss this novel. Urgent and affecting, All That is Left of Life is an epic story that holds violence up to the light, where its isolating devastation is shown-but where tenderness and hope are revealed to be just as powerful. Recchia masterfully demonstrates how complicated it can be to survive, yet how worthwhile. This is a sharp-eyed, soft-hearted exploration of the human experience, and I will never forget it.
Mesmerising . . . Roberta Recchia is a master storyteller. I'll read everything she ever writes.
The novel's got everything - a vibrant Italian setting, a murder mystery, and not just one but two remarkable love stories. Recchia gives us a richly layered family drama that unspools over two generations and is infused with enough love, longing, and regret to keep us reading late into the night. I loved this book.
Propulsive, psychologically complex.
From the first page, readers will be immersed in this suspenseful tale . . . Lettieri's translation is exquisite. Reading this spellbinding novel feels like a contest of how quickly one can turn the pages.