The Shoemaker's Wife
by Adriana Trigiani
- Percentage of approved critics who have given this book a positive review.
Critic Rating
76%
Critic Reviews: 43
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- User rating from iDreamBooks & iTunes
Reader Rating
64%
Reader Ratings: 1076
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Synopsis
New York Times Bestselling Author The beloved New York Times bestselling author returns with the most epic and ambitious novel of her career-a breathtaking multigenerational love story that spans two continents, two World Wars and the quest of two star-crossed lovers to find each other again, replete with the all the page turning adventure, sumptuous detail and heart-stopping romance that has made Adriana Trigiani, "one of the reigning queens of women's... more
About Adriana Trigiani
Published: April 3, 2012 by Harper Collins
Genre: History, Romance, Action & Adventure. Fiction. 496 pages
- All Critics: 43
- Positive: 39
- Negative: 4
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USA Today | 1 Apr 2012
You don't need to have an immigrant family history to adore this novel — it ranks as one of Trigiani's very best.
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BC Books | 5 May 2012
I laughed and I cried throughout the story, and found The Shoemaker’s Wife to be a perfect mix of emotions.
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I'm Booking It | 4 May 2012
The writing is beautiful, the story is mentally and emotionally engrossing, the characters are rich and believable.
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The Washington Post | 11 May 2012
Trigliani is a master of palpable and visual detail...
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Look At OKC | 29 Apr 2012
Although this is initially a love story, it gives us a clear picture of the times and the people who immigrated to this country.
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Leeswammes' Blog | 5 Apr 2012
The book spans a period from around 1900 to 1945 and it is very good at setting out a kind of American dream, where immigrants without any money make a good life for themselves through hard work and fair play.
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Kirkus Reviews | 15 May 2012
A long list of life events, without the emotional depth to draw readers in.
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Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf | 6 Apr 2012
Amazingly enough, it turned out to be a spectacular book, one that not only contained lush as well as intricate writing, plot development, and writing, but also one that flew right past my expectations.
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Always With A Book | 6 May 2012
This book is full of rich descriptions so it’s easy to picture the world Enza and Ciro live in.
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Book Reporter | 5 Apr 2012
Rich historical details, memorable characters, vivid and sensual description, powerful emotions and strong images enhance Adriana Trigiani’s stirring novel...
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West Metro Mommy | 12 Apr 2012
Trigiani had a difficult task when she tackled the scope of The Shoemaker’s Apprentice, but she did it successfully.
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Confessions of an Avid Reader | 17 Apr 2012
The Shoemaker's Wife is a beautifully written novel that tells the story of two unforgettable characters.
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Book Matters | 21 May 2012
Vivid. Beautiful. Atmospheric. Lovely. Gripping. Wonderful.
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Richmond Times-Dispatch | 22 Apr 2012
You'll have trouble putting this novel down.
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Amused by Books | 6 Apr 2012
The love story was modern and old-fashioned at the same time, the period details were fascinating and it made the immigrant experience really come to life.
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Lesa's Book Critiques | 17 Apr 2012
It's rich in detail, and rich in the Italian and Italian American experience.
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Valeehill | 3 May 2012
Through the triumphs and tragedy, the love and loss, this book is a moving masterpiece!
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Book Journey | 4 Apr 2012
I have read and enjoyed many of Adriana’s books and this one is no exception...
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Star Tribune | 27 May 2012
Intriguing plot threads are cut off and the final pages, in which lives are tied up too swiftly and neatly, made me wonder if Trigiani did these things to keep her characters faithful to her family's history rather than freeing them to follow their own fictional journeys.
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Reading Lark | 4 Apr 2012
The Shoemaker's Wife reads like a quilt - it is a collection of stories tied together with the threads of love and family - each little detail is important to the larger piece.
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Reel Swell | 16 Apr 2012
THE SHOEMAKER’S WIFE is filled with colorful characters — from the hard-nosed but gentle nuns at the convent to the friends Ciro and Enza make in New York to their own family members.
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Cristina's Library | 15 Jun 2012
A beautiful love story, and a touching tribute to the immigrants that built America, The Shoemaker’s Wife is a must read.
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Book Dilettante | 10 Apr 2012
I found this book an excellent example of immigrant fiction and the historical novel.
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Washington Independent Review of Books
This is a novel with heart and breadth, wonderfully imagined, about love of family, of friends, and of country.
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Bookfoolery and Babble | 17 Apr 2012
...it's too long, but worth persevering to the end.
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Cannonball Read IV | 8 May 2012
My other problem with this love story was larger...He ignored her for years, sleeping with half the women in New York, never even thinking about her.
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Historical Tapestry | 16 May 2012
The author manages to evoke the emotions without having the book become maudlin even as the events of World War I come back to haunt the family in ways that could never be expected.
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Deseret News | 19 May 2012
This book also avoids the cliche. The characters lead fairly ordinary lives without impending doom on every turn that sometimes come with lengthy stories.
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The Savvy Reader | 27 May 2012
It’s the little details and fine touches that really made this book feel special.
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A Work in Progress | 13 May 2012
I mentioned that this is an ambitious novel and Trigiani covers a lot of ground, and does it mostly very well.
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Lancaster Online | 27 May 2012
Like E.L Doctorow in "Ragtime," Trigiani brings fabled celebrities into her fictional narrative as major characters, bolstering the almost overpowering feeling of realism we get from this fantastic book.
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USA Today | 1 Apr 2012
You only need a deep appreciation for exquisite writing and a story enriched by the power of abiding love.
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She Knows | 22 Apr 2012
Trigiani gives the reader a unique, defining immigrant experience centered on love but haunted by separation and loss in The Shoemaker's Wife.
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District | 30 Apr 2012
This is a novel born from 20 years of research, a clear passion and love of the history and its personal significance, but also a showcase of a writer’s ability to create beautiful characters and rich stories.
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EastonPatch | 16 May 2012
As a novel of epic proportion that has taken Trigiani twenty years to write, The Shoemaker’s Wife is a tour de force and the culmination of a personal journey for the author to honor the memory of her grandparents.
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About.com
No novelist has mined the stories of her family with more verve and success than Adriana Trigiani.
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Under My Apple Tree | 25 May 2012
This is the first book I’ve read by Adriana Trigiani and it won’t be the last.
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Historical Novel Society
Once they leave Italy, the pace slows and the story loses focus.
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Life is Short, Read Fast | 5 Apr 2012
Even if you aren’t normally a historical fiction fan…this book will grab your heart and not let go!
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It's a Crazy, Beautiful Life | 30 Apr 2012
I loved every bit of this sweeping story, even when I was shedding tears on the pages.
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Washington Independent Review of Books
Trigiani has given it powerful narrative sweep and drive, with plenty of romantic top-spin.
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Life by Candlelight | 14 May 2012
A wonderful and sentimental read.
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