“A perfect summer read [that] brims with heart . . . Don’t be surprised if you keep turning the pages long into the night, spellbound by its magic.”—The Denver PostA sweeping saga about four generations of a family who live and love on an enchanting island off the coast of Italy—combining the romance of Beautiful Ruins with the magical tapestry of works by Isabel Allende.NAMED ONE OF THE BEST … Allende.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR • Los Angeles Public Library • Kirkus Reviews
“Captivating . . . [Catherine] Banner’s four-generation saga is set on an island near Sicily, where myths of saints get served up with limoncello at the Esposito family’s bar. . . . The island is fictional, but consider this dreamy summer read your passport.”—People
“A lusty page-turner that weaves romance, rivalry and the intricacies of family expectations into one glorious tale.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
Castellamare is an island far enough away from the mainland to be forgotten, but not far enough to escape from the world’s troubles. At the center of the island’s life is a café draped with bougainvillea called the House at the Edge of Night, where the community gathers to gossip and talk. Amedeo Esposito, a foundling from Florence, finds his destiny on the island with his beautiful wife, Pina, whose fierce intelligence, grace, and unwavering love guide her every move. An indiscretion tests their marriage, and their children—three sons and an inquisitive daughter—grow up and struggle with both humanity’s cruelty and its capacity for love and mercy.
Spanning nearly a century, through secrets and mysteries, trials and sacrifice, this beautiful and haunting novel follows the lives of the Esposito family and the other islanders who live and love on Castellamare: a cruel count and his bewitching wife, a priest who loves scandal, a prisoner of war turned poet, an outcast girl who becomes a pillar of strength, a wounded English soldier who emerges from the sea. The people of Castellamare are transformed by two world wars and a great recession, by the threat of fascism and their deep bonds of passion and friendship, and by bitter rivalries and the power of forgiveness.
Catherine Banner has written an enthralling, character-rich novel, epic in scope but intimate in feeling. At times, the island itself seems alive, a mythical place where the earth heaves with stories—and this magical novel takes you there.
Praise for The House at the Edge of Night
“A gorgeous, sweeping story set over four generations . . . calls to mind Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Beautiful Ruins.”—Interview
“Like pictures of a childhood summer, or a half-forgotten smell, this book is sweet and heady with nostalgia . . . [and] comforting as a quilt.”—NPR
“Rich and immersive, this book will take you away.”—Vox
“A masterful piece of storytelling, infused with the miraculous (both in stories and in everyday life) while maintaining the difficult balance between the explainable versus the inexplicable . . . captivating and beautifully rendered.”—Sara Gruen, author of At the Water’s Edge
more
A great book, well-developed and masterfully written. It was a pleasure
I really enjoyed this book. It took you through many generations of this family with all the mysteries and intrigue in their community. It was interesting learning how world events effected this community and how they coped. A very good read.
All through the first half of the book, I was thinking this probably deserved three stars. But by the end, it was clearly four. So if you feel tempted to give up mid-way, don’t.
At the heart of the book is a family-run cafe on a small, remote island called Castellamare, near Sicily. The book traces the history of this family through four generations, beginning with the family patriarch, Amedeo. A physician by training, he comes to the island to be the only local doctor but, because of a few bad decisions coupled with much local prejudice, he winds up taking over the cafe. He falls in love with both the island and a local woman and his family takes root.
As much as this is a story of Amedeo’s and his descendants, it’s also a story of the small island, which operates like any small town. Everyone knows everyone else’s business. There is a lot of gossiping and people are quick to make and hold onto judgements about others. And everywhere, there are secrets, many of which get shared ONLY at the cafe. There is also deep love and commitment.
At the start of the novel, the island remains isolated, removed from the most of the trappings and advances of western civilization. Then, slowly, as years pass, more and more of the outside world (including tourism) begins to intrude on what was a simple, farming-based way of life, under the thumb of a wealthy but cruel count. As outside influences come into play, the residents of Castellamare slowly change, expecting more. There are intense personal rivalries, new business competition, and a growing desire, especially among the young, to sample the world beyond the island.
The cast of characters is varied. From the wealthy count and his largely ignored wife, to a World War II prisoner-turned poet, to a wounded English soldier. Catherine Banner does an exceptional job of exploring the nature of all sorts of relationships — among siblings, between former and current lovers, and even how unrelated people can sometimes form powerful bounds even stronger than those of family.
It’s quite a lovely portrait of what is lost and what is gained when the modern world encroaches on a remote and isolated group of tightly-connected people.
I really enjoyed this saga.
I’d like to see this made into a movie. I imagine the scenery to be beautiful
Story followed a family on a little island from the first character as a little boy to the 4th generation of the family. Their love and shortcomings along with their tenacious hold on a hard scrabble island was inspiring.
Scope of multi generations was too large, a narrower approach would have been more effective in developing the main characters. The premise was fine, the story just went on too long
This was a fairly long story about several generations of an Italian family that you grow to love. It was a perfect take on vacation book that was well written but not too serious or depressing.
Too long and repetitive. Not my type of read.
This book covered generations and kept my interest throughout the novel. It was multidimensional, dealing with abandonment, love, sibling rivalry, tales and island stories, etc. Quite an excellent read.
Realistic, human tales from several generations of a family living on a remote island off the coast of twentieth century Sicily.
Not for everyone but puts your imagination to work and overall a romance.
just loved the characters
Good overview of time period from pre WWI to present day from the perspective of a small island off Sicily. I enjoyed the depiction of how isolated the island was and the impact that isolation had on their culture, day to day lives and what they desired in their lives. While the family story kept my interest, I learned about a slice of the world about which I know little. Loved the strength of the main characters and how good people do occasionally make poor choices.
Good story!
I love a story that spans the generations, and also ties in history. The House At The Edge of Night does exactly that.
The setting was described so well that when I Googled islands near Sicily, it was just what I had pictured in my mind’s eye.
Very enjoyable!
When I started to read the book, I wasn’t sure if I would like it. But then, the characters and location drew me in. I really enjoyed it.
A wonderful story
A great read!
Loves the characters and the historical descriptions. The relationships were authentic and made me care about their storylines.