The bestselling thriller writer takes a turn at historical fiction with this tale of love and war set in Rome. Feisty beauty Elisabetta, athletic Marco, and Jewish math whiz Sandro are best of friends despite their differences. But in the autumn of 1937, all of that begins to change as Mussolini asserts his power, aligning Italy's Fascists with Hitler's Nazis and altering the fate of the world—and the trio's friendships—forever.
... an accomplished historical novel that is both steeped in period detail and full of relatable characters—a welcome addition to the growing list of history-based novels about everyday people, especially women, who did what they could to defeat the Third Reich ... Scottoline is a master at ramping up the suspense, and in Eternal she delivers a slow-build of hate and violence culminating in a nail-biting scene at the transit camp where Jews are being held before they are shipped to Auschwitz ... Scottoline... has imbued [her] novels with authenticity and relevance ever since her first[.]
... [a] simple beauty and heartfelt emotional journey ... Scottoline’s scholarship has inflected every vowel and consonant in this gripping, thrilling tale of lives on the brink of countless changes. The characters are so beautifully fleshed out that you feel as if you are reading someone’s family memoir ... The love affair and the biased world views are both multidimensional and balanced together in a magnificent achievement of literary construction. Perhaps Scottoline’s hard-earned research helped her see a more complete picture of the two worlds, one exterior and one interior, but both are damaging and challenging. Elisabetta, Marco and Sandro share a stage that is swift and ever-changing, which makes Eternal a truly outstanding work of historical fiction ... May the scholarship and literary invention of this extraordinary novel find a home in the hearts of readers everywhere.
... this is an addictive read. Scottoline's passions, for Italy and the story, shine in her clear, descriptive sentences, which place you right there, watching history unfold. The book's themes coincide with political and social events in the news today ... Make a plate of fettuccine, pour a glass of red wine, and settle in with this captivating tale. You will cry tears of sadness and joy. Scottoline's Italian heritage combined with all her diligent research will keep this story in readers' hearts.
