Review: Siracusa

Siracusa by Delia Ephron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put this book down! I got attached to four of the five major characters and wanted to see where this story was taking them. And then it got really interesting when the fifth major character became a key player. Snow is the young daughter of Taylor and Finn, who are on vacation in Italy with Lizzie and Michael, and her actions drive the last third of the story.

We know from the beginning of the story that Finn and Lizzie used to be a couple, and that Michael is having an affair and plans to leave Lizzie. But he ends up falling in love with Lizzie all over again, which makes his girlfriend's Kath's surprise appearance even more awkward that it would have been had he not regained feelings for his wife.

Michael also develops an odd and confusing relationship with Snow. I don't mean odd and confusing to me. I mean to the other characters. The end of the story will really show how odd -- actually, more than odd -- Snow really is.

While a lot of the book is serious and looks deeply into the relationships of the four people (who tell their own stories in alternating, separate chapters) there is quite a bit of comedy as well, especially from Taylor who, God bless her, doesn't mean to be funny.

If I tried to get into the story's specifics I would be giving away to many of the fun and interesting parts. That's why I'm being rather vague. But if you want to hear Delia Ephron talk about it herself, you can go to WESB.com/on-demand and click on today's "LiveLine."

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