The Tuscan House- Book Review

The Tuscan House by Angela Petch

Publication Date: 7th April 2021
Genre: Historical Fiction, WW II

4 Stars 

The cover and the blurb of the book got my attention, and despite the page count (400 pages), I requested an ARC. The Tuscan House is a story set during WW II in Italy. We have Richard, a Quaker pacifist, an Inglese (from England), Fosca, and her young son, Giampiero, and many other characters who play different roles in the book. 

The story, as such, starts with Richard trying to overcome PTSD (he worked with Friends Ambulance Service treating and helping the wounded on all sides) after the war has subsided. We see him deciding to move to the same place, a small town in Tuscany, which was the reason for his trauma. 

Then enter Fosca and her son. Almost immediately after a dead body is found in the tobacco house (rather ruins), Richard buys to make it his home. When she reveals that the body belongs to Simonetta, a series of questions arise. 

Fosca starts to reveal her story to Richard, trying to understand who had killed her dear friend, an active member of the resistance team. 

What I like about the story is the narration that goes at a consistent pace. It did feel a little slow at times, but there is a lot of backstories to cover. I probably could have finished this book earlier, if not for countless delays that slowed my reading. Still, I could pick up the book where I left it more than a couple of days ago. And there was no confusion. That, for me, is a plus. The author has good control and command over her story, and it shows. 

When it comes to historical fiction, research is important. But knowing what to include in the book and when to stop dumping information is even more crucial. The author scores here as well. It’s not surprising since her previous works are all historical fiction. I do intend to read them someday soon. 

The setting is perfect; the descriptions are neither sparse nor excess. Some characters have less prominence than others, but that’s expected. 

What I wanted to be better was that the blurb sounds a lot like a semi-thriller. But this book hardly has any of it. Yes, there are questions and a bit of action towards the end. However, the storyline is set by then. It doesn’t create that sense of urgency in the reader. 

The best way to read the book is to consider it detailed historical fiction and not focus too much on the mystery and suspense part. Even the action scenes from the past don’t make your heart race. The narrative style doesn’t allow for it. 

Overall, this is bittersweet as most WW II historical fictions are and will make a good choice for those who like stories set in the countryside with enough importance given to human emotions. Oh, yes, it’s got food and wine too (after all, we are in Tuscany). 

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture. 

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