Kristy Cambron has written some seriously good World War II fiction that reaches in and touches the reader's heart. So I chose to read The Italian Ballerina based on what I've read by her before. I found this book hard to read, not because of the subject matter, but because of the disconnect among all of the stories Kristy is trying to weave together. The chronologies of the various parts of the story are disjointed and out of order from one part of a chapter to another. This is the only criticism I have for the book.
The major players are: Court, a medic in the Army; AJ, Court's commanding officer; Julia, a prima ballerina; Anton, her dance partner; Calla, an orphaned Jewish child; Matteo, Calla's grandson; Delaney, Court's granddaughter. There are some minor characters who add to the plot and make it a more cohesive whole, but these are the ones the reader needs to keep up with most.
The narrative bounces back and forth, to and fro, hither and thither, and basically all over the place--from Court's life before the war, during the war, and a little bit after the war; from Julia's life as a ballerina, as a nurse, and as a resistance fighter; from Calla's life during the war to modern day towards the end of her life when dementia is taking over; and finally Matteo and Delaney picking up the pieces to the stories and making them into a cohesive whole.
This would be a strong four star book if it weren't for the chronology ricocheting all over. There are times when Court's life is described during the war, then before the war, then after the war and the timeline is all out of whack. The multiple settings within the book do not detract from the story and in some places enhance it. It is still worth reading--it just takes a concentrated effort to keep up. Three Stars.
Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
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