A Harvest of Secrets is another World War II novel. This one was set in Italy. Each book I read about the war experience in Italy gives me a totally different aspect of what the war must have been like. This novel focuses on the partisan network in Italy in a more in-depth way.
The main characters of the story are Vittoria, daughter of a prosperous vineyard owner, and Carlo, the vineyard keeper. Besides the usual problems when social classes fall in love, Vittoria and Carlo are separated during the war. She's at home with her father and brother keeping the wine business and farm going and Carlo has been conscripted and is off fighting the war. Old Paulo, the foreman of the vineyard is another key character, holding secrets from the past.
I spent a lot of time thinking as I was reading. How do you figure out (in real life) who is on what side? How do you trust anyone? And I wondered how those with different views on the war maintained their relationships.
I was on the fence over whether I should round my 3.5-star rating in my head to 3-stars or 4- on Goodreads and ultimately went with rounding up. It was a well-written, engaging story that made me think. A lot.
I'm going to leave you with the two quotes that struck me the most.
Mussolini will make us great again. Il Duce is creating another Roman Empire. A true man, he'll never let Italy be disrespected on the world stage!
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"Your problem," Antonio went on, the words flowing out of him now, as if a dam had broken, "is that you want to be pure. A pure man. In war you can't remain pure and you can't remain neutral. You're fighting with us now. You've made your choice."
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