- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Phoenix; New Ed edition (19 May 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0753818582
- ISBN-13: 978-0753818589
- Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 2 x 19.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 759,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Italian Fever: A Novel
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Review
'Haunting and atmospheric, this is read with understated aplomb by Francine Brody' (BOOKS QUARTERLY )
'Smart and sophisticated, this novel takes us on a journey from which we return, like Lucy, utterly changed' (OPTIONS XII ) --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
'Smart and sophisticated, this novel takes us on a journey from which we return, like Lucy, utterly changed' (OPTIONS XII ) --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
OPTIONS XII
'Smart and sophisticated, this novel takes us on a journey from which we return, like Lucy, utterly changed'
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
If you love Italy, romance, mystery or good writing, you won't like this book. The critics must have read a different book than I did. Let me offer a contrast between their views and mine: Theirs - "A rich Italian tapestry of a novel." Mine - "A threadbare story written in shades of beige." Theirs - "Smart, taut tale." Mine - "Simple, unadorned writing." Theirs - "Funny, insightful tale of an American abroad." Mine - "Disconnected, shallow tale of a stereo-typical American woman in her 30's." Theirs - "Seamless narrative, remind[ing] us of the power of art to alter our lives." Mine - "A valiant but unsuccessful attempt to weave art and travel into an uninspired story." Theirs - "A pleasure that sticks to and tickles the ribs." Mine - "A light, facile read that will be forgotten before week's end."
I really wanted to like this book. There just wasn't anything in it for me to enjoy. It certainly isn't a bad book. But it isn't a good one either.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I cannot dismiss it altogether. What I picked up from the bookis her satiric writing and that Lucy Stark is similar to the heroine in Austen's "Northanger Abbey" who having read one too many Gothic novels lets her romantic imagination run away with her. Similarly, Lucy is somewhat of a fool (not a cliche of a woman in her 30s. What exactly is that anyway?) who allows herself to be taken in by all her cliche notions of Italy and Italian men. How can anyone take seriously her head-over-heels, schoolgirl infatuation with Massimo? She never once thinks about the consequences of her adulterous affair although she is fully aware of his wife and children. And she quickly becomes impatient and jealous when she thinks he is also carrying on with the beguiling artist Catherine. The only truly unfortunate element of this story is its flimsy, pseudo-gothic, mystery story element. What began as a teasing story of foul play and an estate haunted by the ghost of murdered WWII Italian partisan quickly fizzles and is forgotten among the trappings of Martin's subtle send-up of all things Harlequinesque. The sequence with Lucy's horrendously detailed food poisoning complete with hallucinations and a bit later the section where she locks herself out of the farmhouse and has to seek shelter in a brewing windy storm are perfect examples of what could have made for a true modern day Gothic novel. So many writers today haven't a clue what constitutes a Gothic novel in its classic from. One need only look at the first ten chapters of "Italian Fever" for a primer in excellent use of classic Gothic mood, description and setting. I only wish there were more throughout the entire novel.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
What suprized me more than anything was how elegantly and vividly written this book was. Martin's description of Tuscanny was completely real, reading the book is like taking a vacation. And I have to confess, it's truly wonderful to read an intelligent novel, especially when the only summer alternative is movies like the Matrix and Wild Wild West.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Disappointing
Found it lumbering and cumbersome in style, the prose very often as purple as the cover! I only stayed with it because much of it was set in Rome and I'm going there next week. Read more
Published on 11 May 2007 by C Stokes
amusing gentle tale
I picked this up in Italy with low expectations and was quite surprised by how much fun it was. It's very playful and knowing, which may irritate some (the heroine is called... Read more
Published on 10 Mar 2006
A fun,smart read, and a lovely Tuscan romance
I loved Italian Fever The main character, Lucy is a contemporary, American version of a smart female heroine out of Henry James or Forster. Read more
Published on 3 Aug 1999
Attempts to be romance and mystery but fails at both
This book tries to be a mystery, but the mystery is so irrelevant, and the thread unravels about once every 50 pages, that you really don't care "who did it. Read more
Published on 26 July 1999
A mediocre red at best
Italian Fever was pretty disappointing. I kept hoping it would get better, but it never really did. Read more
Published on 21 July 1999
Intelligent, energetic romantic tale
For the past five years, Lucy Stark has worked as an assistant to the popular author DV. After proofing and typing five novels, she knows that he writes the same story every... Read more
Published on 15 May 1999
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