I took the Oprah Book List and the Toronto Library Catlogue. The first book I "read" or listened to unabridged on audiobook was Beautiful Ruin. It is quite funny that its setting is along the coast of Italy in a fictitious town that lies south of the Cinque Terra as my sister-in-law Karlene and I have mentioned several times that we wish to take a trip here. Now, just next week Karlene may be coming onto a three week holiday and we are tossing around ideas for a trip... is the book tempting me. It seems so and for Karlene too she is seeing Italy everywhere so I believe for both of us Italy is nearing the top of our desired trip locations for this October.
The book went from character to character skipping around through the chapters of the book from story to story, occasionally giving you some insight of the past. Pasquale is the main man and Di More is the main lady. She is an actress who ends up at his hotel in Italy. She is pregnant with another high end actors baby but has been told she has cancer. Pasquale and Di foster an attraction and enjoy their conversations for a few days. At the end of the book as an old man and old lady they meet again. In between there is a lot of development of the characters. There isn't hiding the very human faults and misfortunes. It looks at the hopes and have-tos and responsibilities. For me it highlighted the realities of life. In other words, this is great and awesome, but this other thing- this thing I have already started and am responsible for can also be awesome. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Although it might have been. We don't know. But people did the "right" thing and made it turn out really alright. That doesn't mean that we all don't have bits and pieces hiding in our hearts wondering what if or what happened to. It was a fine book. It won't be climbing to the top of the list. I won't be running out to recommend it, nor will I suggest others don't read it.
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