PositiveAsymptote\"
The translator’s introduction is an essential companion to the world of the book ... Thanks to Shugaar’s rich vocabulary, even readers unfamiliar with the original are able to grasp the social importance of the novel’s dialects ... The translator has managed to painlessly insert clarifying notes within the text wherever appropriate or necessary ... There are several instances when Shugaar has chosen to include the English rendering of a whole sentence or paragraph in brackets, right after the original, with the aim of providing a glimpse into the natural flow of the primary language, as well as into the significance of vernacular the author used to underscore a particular detail (e.g., a character’s vulgar slang or a song well known for its rhymes) ... No matter how many miles or months separate [the protagonists], their shared past is but a thought away. Herein lies the strength of Bonvicini’s novel. She gradually expands the world surrounding the most intimate human emotions, then reminds the reader of inevitably missed opportunities in a way that’s almost cathartic ... The final promise is not bleak, but full of forgiveness and hope—after all is said and done, life is never bigger or smaller than the combination of magic and pasta. Especially in Italy.
