The Rebel Girls of Rome
| Modern Age |
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 The Rebel Girls of Rome
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World History > Modern Age > WWII > LGBTQ+ History
Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, The Rebel Girls of Rome brings the stories of two young women to brilliant life: Lilah, a college student looking to understand her grandfather’s mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II.
From Jordyn Taylor, author of The Paper Girl of Paris, this dual-contemporary and historical tale—where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined—is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.
Now:
Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with a grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. Then she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow student, Tommaso, claiming he’s found a lost family heirloom, and her world is upended.
Soon Lilah finds herself in Rome, trying to unlock her grandfather’s history as a Holocaust survivor once and for all. But as she and Tommaso get closer to the truth—and their relationship begins to deepen into something sweeter—Lilah realizes that some secrets may be too painful to unbury…
Then:
It’s 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome’s Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. Until the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna is irrevocably separated from the rest of her family.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family’s fate in the camps, she joins the underground rebellion. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, Bruna must decide how much she’s willing to risk—when fully embracing herself is her greatest act of resistance.
Emily's Review
I'm a sucker for a dual perspective story where one of the perspectives is researching family history. And there were moments in this book that I thought were powerful. But overall, this one fell a bit flat for me. This story had a lot of telling and not enough showing, which made it hard for me to connect to the characters.
There are themes of guilt and generational trauma throughout the story and it does not shy away from the awfulness of living under a fascist regime. I also really enjoyed the perspective of queer people living in this time and place.
I think if you are a fan of well-researched historical fiction, this is worth reading, if only to get a different view of this time period.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
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