"The Tuscan Child"

A full book review of "The Tuscan Child" by Rhys Bowen.

“When the world has gone mad, we must help each other when we can.”

The Tuscan Child is a beautifully written, dual-time novel told through the eyes of a father and his estranged daughter. Sir Hugo Langley, a wounded WWII British bomber shot down in 1944 into German-occupied Italy, tells a story of struggle, bravery, and romance, as he fights against all odds to stay alive. Joanna Langley, his modern-day daughter, discovers, after his death, an unopened love letter addressed thirty years ago to a mysterious woman in Tuscany — and which reveals a startling revelation.

Still dealing with her own emotional wounds, Joanna embarks on a journey to Tuscany to discover her father’s history — and to discover the tragedy that changed her father forever. However, what starts as an innocent trip soon becomes dangerous, as Joanna uncovers a past riddled with secrets that some would prefer be left undisturbed.

*The following section contains spoilers*

As soon as I read the title of the book, I was sold. As you've probably gathered if you've read my reviews, I am in love with Historical Fiction. The mystery, the insight into the past, the tragic love story, and in this situation, the beautifully described mouth-watering Italian food, what more could you ask for in a novel?

“All is well. We are tested and we survive, and life will be good again.”

The Tuscan Child, while still a beautiful book, was definitely not my favourite Historical Fiction novel. When done right, Historical Fiction should leave you with a sense of wonder, as it seamlessly brings together two stories to paint a full picture of how the past shaped the circumstances of the future. It should help a reader understand what became of the people, their lives, their families, and their legacies after the initial story took place — and how the past played a role in it. The plot of The Tuscan Child had so much potential, not only with Hugo, but with Joanna as well, yet I found the story fell flat at times.

The relationship between Hugo and Sofia should have been more deep, more all-encompassing, more real if it wanted to reach the one-true-love, once-in-a-lifetime status that Bowen meant for it to be. While their relationship was sweet, and while Sofia risked her life to save Hugo's, I still believe it lacked depth. The end of the book, and the way in which Joanna made the intuitive leaps necessary to discover the truth behind Sofia's disappearance and Cosimo's hand in the tragedy was extremely unrealistic and a little presumptuous given the circumstances. What made the ending even weaker was both the ease at which Joanna and Renzo were able to find the lost painting and realize it was the 'beautiful boy' referred to in the letter (I find it hard to believe that in the 30 years between the time the painting was hidden to the time it was found that no one, not even the young, full-of-mischief village kids, was curious enough to poke around the ruined monastery to look for hidden treasures), and the unexpected confession by the Priest, which was given all of a paragraph or two's worth of importance in the novel.

Having said that, Bowen made the book so much more intriguing by showing us two completely different sides to Hugo. The contrast between his full-of-life and, to a certain degree, full-of-hope young Hugo and the unhappy, post-war Hugo was enough to keep me hooked, as I so badly wanted to find out what happened to make him change. At the same time, Bowen did a great job of describing the Tuscany lifestyle, and painted a beautiful picture of a small village where everyone knows everyone. The mouth-watering Italian food, as well as the mere mention of wine, made me hungry for delicious and unique Italian home-food that goes beyond your usual pasta. It made me hungry for more — both story wise and stomach wise. The budding relationship between Joanna and Renzo, and the overall sweetness of Paola (who, by the way, was definitely my favourite character), kept me reeled in.

Overall, The Tuscan Child is an enjoyable light read, perfect for those looking to read a romantic Historical Fiction novel set in beautiful Tuscany.

What did you think of the book? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!