Mussolini's Island - Softcover

Day, Sarah

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1472238206 ISBN 13: 9781472238207

Publisher: Tinder Press, 2018

Synopsis

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BETTY TRASK AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA DEBUT CROWN
LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI FIRST NOVEL PRIZE

Sarah Day's MUSSOLINI'S ISLAND is a novel of sexuality and desire, of hidden passions and the secrets we keep locked within us. Based on the true story of the rounding up of a group of Sicilian gay men in 1939, this book is sure to appeal to readers of the Elena Ferrante novels, Anthony Doerr's ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE or Virginia Baily's EARLY ONE MORNING.

'A fascinating debut...the setting and characters are strong and the story is written with verve. Day is a talent to watch' - The Times

Francesco has a memory of his father from early childhood, a night when life for his family changed. From that night, he has vowed to protect his mother and to follow the words of his father: Non mollare. Never give up.

As Francesco is herded into a camp on the island of San Domino, he realises that someone must have handed a list of names to the fascist police. Locked in spartan dormitories, resentment and bitterness between the men grows each day.

Elena, an illiterate island girl, is drawn to the handsome Francesco. Sometimes, she is given a message to pass on. She's not sure who they are from; she knows simply that Francesco is hiding something. When Elena discovers the truth about the group of prisoners, the fine line between love and hate pulls her towards an act that can only have terrible consequences for all.

About this title

About the Author

Sarah Day lives in London, where she works as a science communicator at the Geological Society. She has written columns for a variety of publications, including the Guardian and The Vagenda. After graduating with a Masters in the History and Philosophy of Science from Durham University, she studied Science Communication at Imperial College London. Mussolini's Island is her first novel.

Review

Stunning... a wonderful haunting evocation of this forgotten and neglected story of war―Mary Chamberlain

[An] impressive debut... Day handles her neatly structured plot with great dexterity as she nudges her readers, one revelation at a time, towards the truth about what has happened and about Francesco's hidden history―Sunday Times

A beautiful and sadly relevant story of desire, oppression and defiance. I loved this book―Anna Mazzola, author of THE UNSEEING

Startling. A compassionate and clear-eyed debut which illuminates a grim chamber of 20th century history―Patrick Gale, author of A PLACE CALLED WINTER

Sarah Day's debut novel is striking: a fascinating evocation of a cruel time in Italian history―Amanda Craig

Day's style reminds me of Somerset Maugham - the book is sexy, scary, enraging and beautiful - with a murder mystery at the centre that will keep you guessing―The Pool

Based on a true story, this is a haunting fictional account of oppression, survival and resilience and a powerful portrayal of sexuality and war―Attitude Magazine

A thoroughly absorbing and moving novel, one that convincingly illuminates a strange and largely forgotten aspect of life in Fascist Italy―Andrew Greig

A genuine standout amongst literary debuts. This complex, brave and powerful novel, both tender and hard-hitting, features fine writing and a transporting sense of place―Isabel Costello, The Literary Sofa

A fascinating debut...the setting and characters are strong and the story is written with verve. Day is a talent to watch―The Times

About this edition

• Publisher: Tinder Press
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1472238206
• ISBN 13: 9781472238207
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400