For eight years, the Fascist politician Alfredo Obizzi has kept quiet about his affair with Susanna Martellino, the matriarch of the Martellino vineyard. Now in 1938 Italy, Obizzi uses his growing political power to seek revenge on his past enemies, and Susanna and the vineyard’s spiritual sage, Isabella, are at the top of his list. Will faith and forgiveness be enough to lead the vineyard and … its inhabitants through the bloodshed and heartbreak of World War II and Obizzi’s vengeance?
Meanwhile, the vineyard’s next generation, DeAngelo and Lily, have been best friends since they were born. But now — is it more? The star-crossed lovers must push through war, distance and outside forces to find out.
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The sequel to the powerful debut novel, “The Walls of Lucca,” which followed the story of a young woman named Isabella, who would find her destiny in bringing peace and love to all she encountered in her life. Set against the violent and terrifying backdrop of World War II, “Above the Walls” picks up 20 years after the end of “The Walls of Lucca,” following Isabella, her husband, the Martellino’s and their children as they find themselves entrenched in the turmoil brought by the spread of Fascism in Italy. Over the course of the book, the beloved cast of characters created by Physioc has to figure out who to fight for what is right, while also doing their best to be the bringers of peace. Staying alive long enough to accomplish that may not be easy, however.
I was a little nervous starting “Above the Walls,” because the first book ended so well, and I was worried the sequel might suffer from the dreaded “sophomore slump,” but Physioc certainly came through. “Above the Walls” pulls you in from the first page and keeps reeling you closer until your heart is pounding with each turn of a page, and you can hardly breathe lest you know what happens next to your favorite characters. The imagery contained within the text paints vivid pictures in the reader’s head while venturing through the story, making it feel like they, too, are fighting alongside the character in the novel. The story transitions between several different character points of view, but the pacing never feels too terribly fast and it was always easy to figure out who was telling the current portion of the story. Each different character has a distinctive tone and way of speaking that help personify them and bring them to life on the pages.
“Above the Walls” is an important book for the current times, because it stresses the importance of love over hate and discrimination, of peace over war. The book’s theme is important in helping readers remember that we are all made of the same essence, regardless of race, nationality, religion or political beliefs. No one group is superior than another, and no one group is less deserving of compassion or aid. “Above the Walls” by Steve Physioc rolls quietly into the minds and hearts of readers and plants a seed which quickly grows to a large, warm, guiding light through which we can see our own world.
Above the Walls is the second installment from Steve Physioc’s Martellino series. I enjoyed the first book and this one does not disappoint. I thought this book was a great read. It was great to catch up with the characters and meeting new ones as they all head to yet another world war.
I am giving Above the Walls four and a half stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read historical fiction.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
This sequel to The Walls of Lucca continues from the preamble to WWII to its devastating end. The plot revolves around three intertwined Tuscan families caught up in personal and global horrors of wartime Italy. Together, they strive to hold the middle ground of sanity and faith amid events that are both insane and antithetical to even the most basic spiritual and ethical values. Reading this book eighty years after the end of the war puts us at a disadvantage. For some readers, many of the close calls and narrow escapes of various family members strain plausibility. Had we lived in the conflicted Italy of the 1940s, we might not be so critical. This is a great read, offering tons of suspense and native wisdom, supported by a deep sense of spirituality amid the unimaginable evil surrounding one of the darkest periods of human history.Alfred J. Garrotto There’s More . . .: A Novella of Life and Afterlife
Above the Walls is an absorbing, sweeping family drama that I absolutely could not put down. The author, Steve Physioc, created an intricate web of characters and events that all held my interest equally. Love, deception, revenge, battle, friendship — this book has it all!
The ending is something to behold — Physioc’s dramatic, suspenseful build literally made me gasp when all was revealed. I never saw it coming, making it incredibly satisfying. I hadn’t previously read much historical fiction, but I will now, thanks to this book.