Quick take
Like a hug from your favorite aunt, this moving and wise WWII epic will remind you what life’s all about—famiglia.
Good to know
400+ pages
Family drama
Nonlinear timeline
International
Synopsis
Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew…
In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.
Free sample
Why I love it
Lisa Wingate
Author, The Book of Lost Friends
Growing up, I was blind to my grandmother’s history, though not to her opinions. Those, she shared quite readily. She wasn’t soft. She wasn’t a coddler. But she was a great storyteller, a spinner of yarns that held us rapt—tales of my grandfather’s ancestors arriving on sailing ships, of homesteading, of horse teams tilling the land. The one story she never offered was her own, her family’s. Not until years later would the truth spill from her during an unexpected visit. Perhaps she realized, in her twilight years, that only by knowing those who came before us, can we really know ourselves.
I’m certain she was reading over my shoulder when I fell in love with The Good Left Undone—a story that belongs to Matelda, a keeper of family secrets. The revelation of them holds the power to strengthen a daughter, a granddaughter, to transport them back to the turbulence of a world at war, into the hidden life of Dominica, whose choices and fates have shaped the younger generations without their knowing.
The beauty of any book by Adriana Trigiani is her ability to interweave life and fiction. This book is immersive, but it will also have you pausing to consider your own ancestors… or to seek them out. It’s a testimony to the power of family and history, to the value of understanding where we came from. This epic tale is at once real and hopeful, filled with adventure, and yes… stories. Don’t miss your chance to take this unforgettable journey with the Cabrelli women!
Member ratings (13,396)
Anna S.
Bellevue, WA
Absolutely amazing. One of my favorite books this year! Made me feel like I was sitting on a balcony in Italy with a glass of wine. Have already bought it for several people in my life!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jeanine L.
Rochester, MN
An author I’ve never read before—how can that be? Can’t wait to read another of her books—so full of wisdom, memorable characters, great dialogue, amazing plot plus some history. What’s not to love?
Caroline P.
Niantic, CT
One of those books you don’t want to end & has you thinking about it long after it does. Uplifting & heartbreaking. Reminded me of my own Nonna telling bedtime stories about our family. Bellissima! ❤️
Chelsey N.
Menifee, CA
Loved the book. TBH, I got a little lost with all the characters that didn’t really impact the main storyline. I also got a lil lost w character names and cities. Hard to follow. But loved it! 4⭐️s
Shelynn C.
Oak Ridge, TN
I haven’t cried this hard in a book since The Fault in Our Stars. I felt most drawn to Dominica and John’s story, I loved every second of their short romance. Incredible story telling, so full of life