Books from Italy

Three estranged sisters reunite at their wealthy father’s villa on the sun-drenched Italian island of Capri, nearly a decade after their family fell apart. Cora, Diana, and Kiki have built very different lives, but their unpredictable father has summoned them for a reason none of them expects. When his shocking announcement exposes old wounds and deepens their mistrust, the sisters must confront the secrets that have kept them apart. A witty, emotional family drama about sisterhood, betrayal, forgiveness, and the possibility of starting over.

A Girl Returned follows a thirteen-year-old girl who is suddenly sent back to the family she barely remembers after being raised by a couple she believed were her parents. Without explanation, she finds herself living with her biological family in a crowded apartment in a poor rural community in southern Italy. Surrounded by unfamiliar siblings and a mother who feels like a stranger, she struggles to understand why she was given away and why she has now been returned. As she adjusts to her new circumstances, the girl develops a complicated relationship with her younger sister, Adriana, whose boldness and resourcefulness offer both companionship and conflict. Through the protagonist’s perspective, Donatella Di Pietrantonio explores the emotional consequences of abandonment, the divisions between social classes, and the meaning of motherhood and belonging. Written in a restrained, powerful style, the novel captures the vulnerability of adolescence and the lasting impact of secrets within families. It asks whether family is defined by blood, love, or the people who choose to stay.