Experience the “epic tale of one woman’s fight . . . to create the life of her dreams” in this sweeping novel of Anita Garibaldi, a 19th century Brazilian revolutionary who loved as fiercely as she fought for freedom (Adriana Trigiani). Destiny toys with us all, but Anita Garibaldi is a force to be reckoned with. Forced into marriage at a young age, Anita feels trapped in a union she does not … trapped in a union she does not want. But when she meets the leader of the Brazilian resistance, Giuseppe Garibaldi, in 1839, everything changes.
Swept into a passionate affair with the idolized mercenary, Anita’s life is suddenly consumed by the plight to liberate Southern Brazil from Portugal–a struggle that would cost thousands of lives and span almost ten bloody years. Little did she know that this first taste of revolution would lead her to cross oceans, traverse continents, and alter the course of her entire life–and the world.
At once an exhilarating adventure and an unforgettable love story, The Woman in Red is a sweeping, illuminating tale of the feminist icon who became one of the most revered historical figures of South America and Italy.
Includes a Reading Group Guide.
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I really enjoyed this historical novel. The Woman in Red by Diana Giovinazzo was fast paced and wonderful.
The pacing of this book made for lots of action packed into the book. It was quick and kept me hooked. Some liberties are taken for plot, but it is based off a true story! I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a historical so much!
Anita is such a strong woman and she faced so many things. I might not agree with her choices BUT I’m also not in her situation and culture. She rose above and was ultra determined. I admire how she took hold of her life and pressed forward. I was saddened when her fire was dimmed and happy when she would find some freedom.
The love story is beautiful and I loved how they had so much respect for each other as they faced so many obstacles. There were a few times tears flowed and other times my smile was so big. For me it was a pretty heavy read but was so worth it!
I will definitely read anything Diana Giovinazzo publishes next! Congrats on your debut novel!
Content – war, closed door romance (mentioned but no detail)
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Grand Central Publishing for the copy.
A wonderful envisioning of the life of real life heroine Anita Garibaldi, Diana brings her to life in an authentic and realistic way that shows all the facets of a very fascinating and inspiring woman.
A stunning novel about a woman whose impact spanned continents and countries. Anita began her life as a revolutionary when she met Giuseppi Garibaldi, who was then the leader of the Brazilian resistance. She would then follow him, not to the ends of the earth, but to Italy, his native land, where he paved the way for Italy’s unification. It’s a story of love and romance, family and friends, and town and country–and what one will do to protect those things at all costs. A brilliant debut, and I can’t wait to read what Giovinazzo will dream up next.
The Woman in Red by Diana Giovinazzo is an excellent historical fiction novel that follows along with the fascinating and adventurous life of Anita Garibaldi, the wife of the infamous 19th century revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi. Like her husband (were they married, weren’t they it is up for debate but for the purpose of this review I will refer to her as such), she was a fascinating, adventurous, formidable person. Anita grew up in Southern Brazil and ending up meeting the Italian revolutionary when he traveled to her county and gave up everything to join him and his cause in trying to right the injustices of the Brazilian people. They participated in the Ragamuffin War (1835-1845) located in Rio Grande do Sul. That endeavor was just one of so many revolutionary causes (one of them being the abolishment of slavery no matter what the location/country) that the couple traveled and participated in. Unfortunately, Anita ended up passing away in her 20s while with Giuseppe in Italy from malaria while she was pregnant with child.
While Anita lived a short life in terms of years, she seemed to leave a full and vibrant life. In a time when the purpose of a woman was to be marrying, keeping a home, and bearing children, Anita bucked those expectations and went into battles with her husband. Sometimes it was helping the wounded on the sidelines, other times it was helping rally and recruit troops. She was a strong, unique, fiery woman that was full of life, passion, dreams, ideals, and hopes and was a woman that lived well before her time. I have to admit that I had not ever heard of Anita, nor anything concerning the battles in Brazil and Uruguay in the 1800s. This book was not only just a true joy to read, but also a wonderful glimpse into a part of history that I knew nothing of. The author clearly did her research, but she was also able to weave all of these facts into a wonderful tale that kept me entertained and wanting more. The plot, pacing, dialogue, and characters all blended seamlessly and painted a vibrant picture of a woman that was truly a fascinating, one of a kind gem. I have already begun to research more in regards to the Garibaldis and their causes.
Excellent book and I highly recommend.
5/5 stars
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for this copy and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
This is an intriguing book, one that I found very easy to get into and not want to take a break from reading. There is so much history and social taboos in this book that I couldn’t help but be absorbed by it and had a need to keep turning those pages regardless of the time of night. A wonderfully written book that absorbs the reader into its pages.
Growing up in a large old-world Italian family, this story resonated with all the stories of old we were told and as I did when I was younger, I sat wide-eyed while reading about Anita. The heartbreak, the fear, the wonder, the determination, the excitement, and the love. That’s a lot of adjectives to live up to and Diana Giovinazzo certainly delivered on each one of these as she tells the tale of Anita and Giuseppe. I was mesmerized by the tale.