I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Woman in Red by Diana Giovinazzo Published by Grand Central Publishing on August 4, 2020
Genres: Action & Adventure, Family Life, Fiction, Historical, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC, Hardcover
Source: Publisher
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Experience the epic life story of Anita Garibaldi, the courageous, headstrong revolutionary who fought for freedom and self-determination in 19th-century Brazil, Uruguay, and Italy -- and had one of the most passionate love affairs in history.Destiny toys with us all, but Anita Garibaldi is a force to be reckoned with. Forced into marriage at a young age, Anita feels trapped in a union she does not want. But when she meets the leader of the Brazilian resistance, Giuseppe Garibaldi, in 1839, everything changes. Swept into a passionate affair with the idolized mercenary, Anita's life is suddenly consumed by the plight to liberate Southern Brazil from Portugal -- a struggle that would cost thousands of lives and span almost ten bloody years. Little did she know that this first taste of revolution would lead her to cross oceans, traverse continents, and alter the course of her entire life -- and the world. At once an exhilarating adventure and an unforgettable love story, The Woman in Red is a sweeping, illuminating tale of the feminist icon who became one of the most revered historical figures of South America and Italy.
The Woman In Red by Diana Giovinazzo gave me exactly what I expected. For real though, I just love sinking my teeth into a good historical fiction book and being whisked away to another time and place. Giovinazzo’s debut is a sweeping story of love and passion that crosses continents. For the most part, I was quite riveted while reading.
Anita Garibaldi, a real life historical figure, is the protagonist of The Woman In Red. This book is a fictionalized account of her life. It begins with her childhood where she adores her father and becomes a gaucho. Unfortunately, her father dies and so her mother moves them to be closer to family in another town 18 miles aware. There, Anita is forced into a loveless marriage at a young age. However, everything changes for her when freedom fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi crosses her path. They fall madly in love and Anita begins to turn her attentions to the fight for freedom in Brazil and later in Italy.
Okay, so, this book took me longer to get through than I had anticipated — even though yes I was riveted during the times I had picked it up. I think it is because of the whole having a newborn thing. Anyways, the plot does move along logically. I never had a moment where I was confused or lost about what was happening. Additionally, Brazilian and Italian history are subjects I have no expertise in. So, I thought reading about those subjects was fascinating and like I got additional knowledge. I did end up reading Anita Garibaldi’s wikipedia entry and learning that the book had changed one event.
The thing is that I didn’t feel super connected to Anita — which I guess makes sense. She’s in a totally different time than me, I get that. However, in her shoes I would prioritize staying alive to be able to parent my kids rather than the things she chooses. I also would have liked more time with some of the side characters. My thought process is that more time would have had more of an impact when they go on to die.
Still, The Woman In Red was an interesting book about an interesting subject. Although it was not my favorite book of all time in the historical fiction category, I would still feel fully confident recommending it.
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