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A Thread of Grace

A Novel

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A Thread of Grace

By: Mary Doria Russell
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
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Summary

 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A powerfully imagined novel . . . [a] profoundly moving book that engages the heights and depths of human experience.”—Los Angeles Times

It is September 8, 1943, and fourteen-year-old Claudette Blum and her father are among the thousands of Jewish refugees scrambling over the Alps toward Italy, where they hope to find safety now that the Italians have broken from Germany and made a separate peace with the Allies. The Blums will soon discover that Italy is anything but peaceful, as it quickly becomes an open battleground for the Nazis, the Allies, Resistance fighters, Jews in hiding, and ordinary Italian civilians trying to survive.

Tracing the lives of a handful of fascinating characters—a charismatic Italian Resistance leader, a priest, an Italian rabbi’s family, a disillusioned German doctor—Mary Doria Russell tells the little-known story of the vast underground effort by Italian citizens who saved the lives of 43,000 Jews during the final phase of World War II. A Thread of Grace puts a human face on history.

Praise for A Thread of Grace

“An addictive page-turner . . . [Mary Doria] Russell has an astonishing story to tell—full of action, paced like a rapid-fire thriller, in tense, vivid scenes that move with cinematic verve.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Hauntingly beautiful, utterly unforgettable.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Rich . . . Based on the heroism of ordinary people, [A Thread of Grace] packs an emotional punch.”—People

“[A] deeply felt and compellingly written book . . . The progress of each character’s life is marked or measured by acts of grace. . . . Russell is a smart, passionate and imaginative writer.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer

“A feat of storytelling . . . an important book [that] needs to be widely read.”—Portland Oregonian

“Mary Doria Russell’s fans (and aren’t we all?) will rejoice to see her new novel on the shelves. A Thread of Grace is as ambitious, beautiful, tense, and transforming as any of us could have hoped.”—Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club

“A story of love and war, A Thread of Grace speaks to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit in the midst of unimaginable horror. It is, unquestionably, a literary triumph.”—David Morrell, author of The Brotherhood of the Rose and First Blood Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Italy War Survival Holocaust Imperialism Middle Ages Alps
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Critic reviews

“A powerfully imagined novel . . . [a] profoundly moving book that engages the heights and depths of human experience.”—Los Angeles Times

“An addictive page-turner . . . [Mary Doria] Russell has an astonishing story to tell—full of action, paced like a rapid-fire thriller, in tense, vivid scenes that move with cinematic verve.”—The Washington Post Book World

“Hauntingly beautiful, utterly unforgettable.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Rich . . . Based on the heroism of ordinary people, [A Thread of Grace] packs an emotional punch.”—People

“[A] deeply felt and compellingly written book . . . The progress of each character’s life is marked or measured by acts of grace. . . . Russell is a smart, passionate and imaginative writer.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer

“A feat of storytelling . . . an important book [that] needs to be widely read.”—Portland Oregonian

“Mary Doria Russell’s fans (and aren’t we all?) will rejoice to see her new novel on the shelves. A Thread of Grace is as ambitious, beautiful, tense, and transforming as any of us could have hoped.”—Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Book Club
“Fans of Mary Doria Russell’s The Sparrow and Children of God will be thrilled by her masterful new novel. A Thread of Grace is a rich, multi-layered narrative that offers fresh insight into a devastating time in world affairs. A story of love and war, it speaks to the resilience and beauty of the human spirit in the midst of unimaginable horror. It is, unquestionably, a literary triumph.”—David Morrell, author of The Brotherhood of the Rose and First Blood

“Essential reading for people who love Italy. You will lose yourself completely in this ecumenical epic of Italians working together to save Jewish refugees during the German Occupation of 1943-1944. Russell has a deep empathy for her characters and writes with genius about the horrors of guerrilla war. This wholly absorbing historical novel ends with perhaps the most moving coda in fictional history.”—Susan Cahill, author/editor of Desiring Italy and The Smiles of Rome
All stars
Most relevant
The story of Jews and Italian partisan fighters in rural Italy during WW2, this was always going to be gritty, but I was amazed at how deeply moved I was, by the story and by the characters, their astonishing bravery and unselfishness, and their ability to remain human in a world that had lost its grip on 'humanity'. Wonderful, insightful and deeply moving - beautiful. The narrator struggles to differentiate between different accents and it's not always easy to tell which character is speaking, but as some characters were pretending to have different nationalities she can perhaps be forgiven for this.
Thoroughly recommend this book although you may find it harrowing at times.

Haunting, shocking, stays with you.

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I'm not quite finished it yet but so glad I bought this, multilayered, cultural, historical, romantic it's got the lot. As with all really good books I'm desperate to know what happens next but will be sad when it's over!

Lovin it!

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The story started well and was very instructive about tragic events. It also ended well. However during the middle sections it did seem to lose its way for a while. Some of the language although fitting for some characters seemed excessive when listening as an audio book.

Very well read.

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Would you consider the audio edition of A Thread of Grace to be better than the print version?

Never read the print version

What other book might you compare A Thread of Grace to, and why?

This does not compare to other books as every book tells a different story.

Have you listened to any of Cassandra Campbell’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I thought this narrator was outstanding, her italian accents were perfect. her ,voice was gentle but meaninful.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sadly I am not a film producer, but I could see this being a film or TV dramatisation.

Any additional comments?

Without giving the plot away, it was a very moving story of what it was like to be a Jew in Italy during world war two. Woven through the book was a german doctors story, which pulled the book together beautifully. .

Moving story of Italian Jews in WW2

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As always Mary Doris Russels work is stunning beautiful and thoughtful. The subject matter of this work is about much more than a window into a part of WW 2. It is an exploration of Grace finding its way wherever it can and of what happens when it cannot.
Heartfelt thanks to both author and narrator for a bitter sweet treat.

Beautifully written and narrated

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