The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva Denaro - Viola Ardone - ★★★★.½

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AUTHOR: Viola Ardone
TRANSLATOR: Clarissa Botsford
GENRE: Coming-of-Age Historical Fiction.
RATING: 4.5 stars.

In a Nutshell: Only if you have an unbreakable heart will you stay untouched by this beautifully written coming-of-age novel based on a true story and set in 1960s Sicily. Strongly recommended.

Story Synopsis:
1960. Fifteen year old Oliva Denaro tries to live life on her own terms, running freely and helping her father out hunting snails and frogs. However, she is a girl, and as such, she is governed by the ‘rules’ dictated to her by her traditional-minded mother. Oliva doesn’t want to grow up or be visited by the ‘red baron’ as she knows it will make her a woman overnight and her life will change forever.
However, when the rich baker’s son decides that he likes Oliva, her life changes anyway, bringing with it an unwanted attention that leads to much worse. Oliva is now forced into some tough decisions. Will she be able to stand up for herself, or succumb to societal demands?
The story comes to us mostly in the first person perspective of Oliva.

This is going to be the easiest review I have ever written.

Bookish Yays:
🌹 The historical ambience of 1960s Sicily – Spot on.

🌹 The portrayal of the inherent misogynistic practices of the church and the culture – Spot on.

🌹 The rules that girls are expected to follow while boys can do what they want – Spot on.

🌹 Oliva, the lead character with her uncertainties and her insecurities balances with her courage – Spot on.
 
🌹 Oliva’s parents, torn between their love for their daughter and the expectations set upon them by society – Spot on.

🌹 The rest of the characters, coming together in a realistic medley of the people we encounter in regular life, ranging from busybodies to gossips to selfless supporters – Spot on.

🌹 The first person perspective, revealing to us Oliva’s feelings accurately without resorting to rambling – Spot on.

🌹 The pacing, steadily moving ahead without feeling rushed – Spot on.

🌹 The depiction of rape and its aftermath – Spot on.
 
🌹 The myriad through-provoking quotes scattered throughout the book, either confirming or challenging your perception of what it means to be a woman – Spot on.

🌹 The ending, neatly tied and yet bittersweet – Spot on.

🌹 The author's note, detailing the original case that inspired this story about the gutsy Franca Viola, the trailblazer who said ‘No’ - Spot on.

🌹 The fact that this story is based on a real-life incident that would ultimately make Italy modify its rape laws – The icing on the ‘Spot On’ cake.

🌹 A fun trivia that I really liked, though I didn't even realise it until my daughter pointed it out! Oliva Denaro and Viola Ardone, the names of the protagonist and the author respectively, are anagrams of each other!


Bookish ‘If Onlys’:
🌷 While most of the story comes from the first person perspective of Oliva, the final few chapters alternate the first person between Oliva and another character. However, the characters’ names aren’t written at the start, creating a little confusion about who is speaking. I loved both the voices. So just the tiny addition of the character name at the beginning of the chapters would sort this issue.

Bookish Nays:
🌵 Just a teeny nay: The translator’s fondness for the word ‘languorous.’ Don’t know if the original writing also used the same word every time Oliva felt flutters in her stomach, but the English version sure felt repetitive.

Still waiting for the recommendation line? Read the book! Will work for those who like historical fiction, literary fiction, feminist fiction, fiction based on facts, coming-of-age stories, and thoughtful writing.

My thanks to HarperVia and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva Denaro”. Also many thanks to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

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Blurb: 

Like The Children's Train, The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva Denaro takes its inspiration from a true-life account. 
Set during the 1960s, when patriarchal honor was status quo—divorce illegal, honor killings treated with leniency–the Sicilian custom of fuitina was law. Exonerating men who had "dishonored" women if marriage was offered as reparation, it provided a legal remedy for elopements. However, it inadvertently allowed bride kidnappings to be disguised as elopements, forcing women into marriages. In 1966, seventeen-year-old Franca Viola, sent shockwaves across the nation when she became the first woman to refuse to marry her abductor, choosing to prosecute and declaring "I do not love you, I will not marry you."  
Adding perspective to current events, The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva Denaro tackles relevant issues of women's rights, bodily autonomy, consent, and oppressive social mores and brings into focus how difficult and limiting life was for women, especially those in traditional places like Sicily, only fifty years ago. 
The novel is poised to build on the success of The Children’s Train. Already a bestseller in Italy, it will continue Viola's impressive track record here. HarperVia will simultaneously publish a Hardcover Library Edition of The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva Denaro (9780063276888).


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Author Viola Ardone: 

Viola Ardone was born in Naples in 1974. A high school Latin and Italian teacher, she holds a degree in literature and worked in academic publishing. 
She is the author of two previous novels in Italian, La ricetta del cuore in subbuglio and Una rivoluzione sentimentale.


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Check out this book:

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This has been a stop on the #TheUnbreakableHeartOfOlivaDenaro blog tour conducted by Random Things Tours. (@RandomTTours on Twitter) Thanks for stopping by!

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