Blog Tour: Daughters of Genoa by Kat Devereaux

 

Anna relies on the kindness of a select number of people like the banker to help her survive. Other than that, she remains hidden in her apartment with the days running into each other. That's what you have to do when you are a Jewish woman who has lost her husband and whose immediate family has already escaped to America. It's a big change from her previous life where she was a trusted worker in the office of a prominent shipbuilder in Genoa. 

Little did she know but it turns out that things could get worse, when her home is destroyed and she lost what little she had. Left dazed, while she was being comforted, she meets a Jesuit priest. Anna doesn't trust anyone, and certainly does not trust priests but when you have no other options then you have to take a chance.

This is how Anna finds herself hiding in the home of Bernardino and Silvia who are key members of a group that helps Jews escape from Genoa, which is in Northern Italy. Other key members include Father Vittorio, the priest that saved her, and mysterious Mister X. They all face danger as they provide new documents for the Jews who are fleeing the Germans.

Anna, who is using a different identity, uses some of her skills to become useful in helping create the identity cards, often accompanied by the cat. Soon she is spending extended time with both Father Vittorio and Mister X and their friendships and they begin to create a bond. There is, however,  danger in getting close to people when everyone is hiding their true identity and danger lurks around every corner. One unwise word could put the whole organisation at risk, along with the lives of everyone involved

This book really highlights the role of the Catholic church and in particular a group known as DELASEM or the Delegation for the Assistance of Jewish Emigrants, and some of the characters in the book were influential in real life. Several of them were honoured for their work

I really liked that there were several ways that the author connected the story to what was actually happening in Genoa at the time. Before the book even started there was some Essential Information painting the picture of the racial laws that had been enacted before the story in the book started. At the end there was a section called What Happened Next and then What Happened Afterwards. There was also notes on names and sources. 

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host. Thanks to the publisher, Rachel's Random Resources and Netgalley for the review copy. Check out the other stops on the blog tour as well!

Rating 4/5

About the Book

Daughter of Genoa

In Nazi-occupied Italy, keeping secrets could be deadly…

Genoa, 1944:

Widowed and alone, Anna Pastorino has been surviving on her wits since the Germans invaded. The daughter of a prominent Jewish antifascist, Anna lives a hidden life in her small flat near the harbour ... until an RAF bomb destroys her only shelter. When a Jesuit priest approaches her offering help, she has no choice but to accept. She follows her new friend, Father Vittorio, to a safe house above a printers’ shop in a quiet street near via Assarotti.

But the Tipografia Guichard is more than just a refuge. It’s a forgery workshop: a key part of the secret rescue operation headed by Massimo Teglio, the “Scarlet Pimpernel” of Genoa’s persecuted Jewish population. Drawn into a world of clandestine resistance, Anna discovers a new sense of purpose, a circle of friends, and a passion that brings her alive.

Soon, the little flat above the shop holds more secrets than anyone could imagine. As Anna grows closer to both Teglio and Vittorio, she must confront a past trauma of her own: a secret that might endanger her and everyone she loves.

Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/fYISSnd

About the Author

Kat Devereaux was born near Edinburgh, and lived in the United States, Russia, France, Chile, Germany, and the Czech Republic before finally settling in Italy. She is a writer and translator with a special focus on Italian literature.

https://www.katdevereaux.com/

Social Media Links –

Publisher social media handles:

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