Title: Haunting
Review: I've read many books on World War II and yet somehow remained unaware of the history behind this novel. This book was haunting and beautiful and heartbreaking. The characters are rich and varied. Ms. Russell convincingly shows that the presence of doubt does not mean the absence of faith. Iacopo, the Italian rabbi, tries to address the issue of why God allows suffering and his thoughts on this subject are some of the best I've read. The horrors that the Italians and Jews suffered at the hands of the Nazis are vividly portrayed. The way two of the characters try to do penance for their wartime atrocities keeps the characters deep and three-dimensional. The only reason this review is not 5 stars is that I found the complexity daunting -- too many locations and minor characters. Regardless, I highly recommend this novel.
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