A Thread of Grace

NO NO NO!!!

This book was terrible! I read it for my book club & not 1 person was able to get through it. I tried, but was 100% confused. There were so many people & I had no idea what was going on!
soooo not worth it!

4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

Well crafted piece of historical fiction

A Thread of Grace shares with readers both the horror and incredible cruelty and intolerance that mankind is cable of, while sharing a story of the triumph of human spirit, raw courage, tenacity and graciousness that human beings are capable of as well. Mary Doria Russell's characters are human and therefore flawed -- which makes them all the more real and engaging for the reader. Heros are anti-heros and demons find redemption and just as in life, the good do not always survive -- but their determination and strength of purpose do.

A really excellent novel

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

fabulous complex historical tale

By the fall of 1943, European Jews not in death camps or murdered seek sanctuaries in places like Italy¿s Piedmont Province though this area as a refugee haven remains questionable. The small village of Porto Sant'Andrea is home for Italian Jews led by Rabbi Soncini, Italian Catholics led by Father Tomitz, and the occupying German army represented by Doktor Schramm. Into this mix come non-Italian Jews especially from occupied France.--- The three prime groups in the village have a tentative peaceful co-existence, but the influx of newcomers places that in jeopardy. The Italian Jews want to welcome their mostly religious kin with open arms. Father Tomitz sets the tone for his followers by providing shelter for the Jews. While Doktor Shramm hides with drink from his murdering almost 100,000 people of which he can account for seemingly everyone, the German leaders blindly follow orders to carry out the Final Solution. Into this volatile situation come the allies.--- A THREAD OF GRACE is a fabulous complex historical tale (not sci fi as Mary Doria Russell¿s¿ two previous works are) that brings alive a dark era through seemingly real people. The story line is fast-paced with multiple subplots that add to the depth and the feel of 1943 Italy. With plenty of tidbits and multifaceted perspectives, the amazing part remains the ensemble cast regardless of national origin or religion which all seem so genuine; for instance the plight of a French Jew with his daughter struggling to cross the Alps to Italy is breathtaking. World War II readers will want to read this slice of an odious era where lights of courageous kindness existed.--- Harriet Klausner

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful

For those who take reading seriously and enjoy character development and plot this is a must addition to your reading list.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

LOVED this book.....

One of my favorite books of all times....

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

One of the best books I've ever read

Over the years, I've figured out that reading is about 90% frustration and 10% illumination. Most books aren't that good. If they're entertaining, they're not any more entertaining than a movie or video game would be. But every once in awhile, you stumble across a book that, stealing from Emily Dickinson, chases you through the dark. You don't want to put it down, and even after you have, it won't leave you alone. You remember again that writing is an art form that can draw you in like no other medium. A Thread of Grace opens just after Italy has surrendered to the Allies in World War II. German and Allied forces fight for control, bombers and infantry turn centuries-old cities into the front lines. Instead of focusing on soldiers in one or the other army, Thread of Grace is populated by the ordinary people trapped in the middle of the war, farmers, priests, and Jewish refugees struggling to survive one more day. Wonderfully written, heroic and tragic without slipping into melodrama, I honestly can't think of anyone who I wouldn't recommend this book to. If you've hit a dry spell recently, and the half-read, not-bad-but-nothing-to-write-home-about books are piling up, grab this one. I promise, you'll thank me.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A wonderful story!

A story that lets you know just what people can do to help their fellow man.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Fantastic Book.

This is simply one of the best pieces of historical fiction I've ever read. The author's meticulous research brings the characters and the plot to life. It shows you the best and worst of humanity, without being preachy. I think it should be requried reading for everyone.

It¿s set in Italy at the end of WWII, and although some characters die, one thing I appreciated was that it wasn¿t overly-dramatic or emotionally manipulative. The author didn¿t pull your heartstrings unnecessarily. Otherwise, it might have been too difficult to read. Typically, I stay away from books about WWII or the Holocaust because they¿re so dark. But this book is actually rather hopeful.

The title comes from a Hebrew saying: "No matter how dark the tapestry God weaves for us, there's always a thread of Grace.¿ The book is really about sacrificing to help those who need it most, doing the greater good. Neighbor helping neighbor, regardless of religion or ethnicity, during a time of ultimate crisis. Really, it was very uplifting and definitely rewarding.

This is the kind of book that sticks with you & would be perfect for a book club because it has so many discussion topics.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of the best books I have read!

Not only do you follow the struggles of the Jewish people in this epic but of the Italians and Germans as well. This is a moving, touching book that will keep you reading well into the night. At first, keep your finger on the list of characters in the beginning, then, take off and read! This is one book I have given to other book lovers and no one has yet to be disappointed!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

One of the best books I've read in a long time

Although it took quite a few pages to get drawn into the plot and familiarize myself with the abundance of characters, the effort could not be more worth it! The author tells a touching, inspiring story of human experience in the mid of a war torn Europe, allowing the reader to feel with each character and comprehend the pain that war inflicted on the lives of regular people, even the ones who were not on the front or in concentration camps. Set in the background of Italian culture, this read is a pearl of modern literature. I couldn't recommend it more.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Absolutely Stunning!

Incredible! Drop whatever you are doing or reading and settle into a comfortable chair with A THREAD OF GRACE by Mary Doria Russell. I haven't been swept up into a book in this way for quite some time. The era and hauntingly emotional impact of this story strongly brought to mind another book in my 'deeply affecting' category, that being SOPHIE'S CHOICE by William Styron. I began the 430 page book early on a Sunday afternoon, read thru until 5:30 am the next morning, slept a few hours and finished the book a few hours later. I'm even considering beginning the book again so I don't have to let go of the amazingly compelling characters!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Outstanding book

If not for my book club I would have never picked up this wonderful book. Mary Doria Russell has written historical fiction the way it was meant to be written, accurate historical research wrapped in an exquisitely written, compelling story. Bravo! By jump starting our education on the Italian resistance and the everyday courage of the Italian people, stories that seem to have been side tracked in American memory and media, Russell landed all historical fiction tumblers perfectly into place!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Exquisite

This book was amazing. The characters were so detailed and realistic. The background so well written. It's amazing to know that the Italians helped to save so many at the risk of their own lives. It's inspiring and courageous and this book sends a strong message.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Another amazing story from Russell

Completely unlike my favorites by the author in space and time, but so similar in its depth of character and emotion. Historically accurate, deyailef and compelling.

Terrific read

Kept my interest ~ learn a lot about italian citizens in WWII ~ they were very fair to the jewish immigrants and strong in defending their country against nazism. Kept my interest through out the book ~ highly recommend

exceptional

exquisite language and story which carries the reader along, on a thread of grace

Brilliant on many levels

This novel is a jewel. The plot moves swiftly, the historical underpining is top-notch, the characters are genuinely engaging, and the prose sings. Wow!

Brilliant writing!

Brilliant writing, incredible characters and well researched historical fiction. This book is wonderful, the best historical fiction I have read in a very long time. The story moves along so quickly, I wanted it to last much longer. The characters are so well developed I can picture them and feel their anger, sorrows and small victories ¿ what a cast, Italian Jews, Roman Catholic clergy, communists, anti-fascists. I never knew how much the Italians sheltered the Jews and gave up their own freedom many times in their efforts to drive the hated Germans from their country. Artful descriptions of the Italian countryside and coast, I would love to visit that area some day. What more can I say about this book, but it is exceptional and deeply moving. Buy it now ¿ it would be great for book clubs also.

Breathtaking historical fiction

I have just finished reading A Thread of Grace and am still haunted by the story, the history, and the characters. It is so well written and researched, a history lesson as well as a rousing war story except the combatants are grandmothers and children with ragged clothes and not enough food to eat. It is at the same time terribly sad and fantastically uplifting and at times so intense that I had to lay it aside for a bit. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

A Great Historical Novel

I found this book to be a wonderful novel about Jews in WWII and what Italians did for them. It has great characters that are well developed. It amazing the changes the characters go through in the book and what hard times will do to people. I thought was very important that the book showed a remorseful German, it showed that not all German¿s enjoyed killing the way they did. I don¿t believe that all German¿s in WWII were proud of what they were doing. At the beginning of the book there are several different lives portrayed and they have no apparent connection, but as the book progresses they all intertwine. One thing that I didn¿t like was the book jumped from one storyline to the next. Just as something major happened and before you could get a good grasp on what happened, the book goes somewhere else. Then further into the book it¿ll be mentioned again and then it all makes sense. But overall it was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves historical fiction.