Saving Madonna

“We are all saving our country, can’t you see? They might be fighting for our country’s very existence as a free nation. But I am fighting for what comes afterwards. I want to fight to save the madonnas and the concertos and the marble statues and holy relics that are part of our country’s very soul. Who are we, really, if we lose all that?”Inspired by real events, an unforgettable story of love, courage and sacrifice to save a country's cultural heritage.In the fall of 1943, the people of northern Italy are trying desperately to survive, caught up in the intense battles between partisans, fascist militia and the occupying Germans. Against this backdrop, based on actual events, SAVING MADONNA tells the story of Elena, a courageous young art curator, and Luca, a farmer trying to keep his family safe, who, together, risk everything to embark on a dangerous mission to help save Italy’s cultural heritage.‘Simultaneously painful and inspiring, it is a love story, a tragedy, a coming-of-age story, a tale of heroes that tugs at your heart and grips your hand; it’s a journey of cultural liberation.’ - Independent Book Review‘Bristow’s recreation of the political tinderbox Italy had become during the war is meticulous - her research is impeccably rigorous. For the typical Italian unencumbered by fascist ideology, the predicament was all but unbearable, a grim circumstance she brings vividly to life. She astutely explores an issue that transcends mere survival: the protection of the nation’s cultural identity.’ - Kirkus Reviews‘Powerful novel of Italy’s resistance during the Second World War.’ - BookLife by Publishers Weekly‘Bristow’s World War II era-story stands apart through its focus on efforts to protect the art and cultural history of an occupied nation.’ - BookLife Prize 2023‘Bristow exhibits a compassionate comprehension of the human experience, depicting both the positive and negative aspects of human nature. Bristow’s extensive research on this historical period is quite evident and it certainly shines through in the crystalline prose.’ - Coffee Pot Book Club, 5 star review, Highly Recommended Read more