Author:Dilly Court
A Classic Family Saga from Sunday Times Bestseller Dilly Court
Phoebe Giamatti lives with her Italian family in the heart of London's East End. With her father killed by a notorious gang years earlier, Phoebe is now responsible for keeping her loved ones out of trouble.
But just as the Giamatti family are about to go to Italy for the winter, Phoebe discovers a secret
about her mother that could tear them all apart. Determined not to betray her mother's trust, Phoebe faces an impossible decision.
Can she confront a dangerous past in order to protect her family's future?
Billy O'Callaghan's writing is so good and true it feels almost magical; Life Sentences is a beautiful book, a small epic, a joy.
—— Sadie JonesO'Callaghan is amongst the finest storytellers and wordsmiths in Ireland today.
—— Anne GriffinA beautiful novel.
—— Eithne Shortall , Sunday Times CultureThe strength of Life Sentences lies in its long range but intimate style . . . A reader could profitably finish the book and go straight back to its beginning
—— John Self , SpectatorPeople who read Sebastian Barry, Donal Ryan, Liam O'Flaherty will really love [Life Sentences] . . . It's my book of the year so far.
—— Ryan Tubridy , RTÉ Radio OneA lovely, piercing book.
—— Sebastian BarryMomentous and epic storytelling.
—— Bernard MacLavertyA superb and moving novel . . . O'Callaghan is one of our finest writers, in the tradition of John McGahern and Brian Friel, and this is his best work yet.
—— John Banville , Sunday Independent *Books of the Year*Life Sentences brilliantly immerses us in its respective time periods, and . . . O'Callaghan's natural gifts as a writer . . . the author often coming out with a stunning turn of phrase.
—— Barry Pierce , Sunday TimesLyrical, poignant, gripping . . . O'Callaghan weaves together a narrative that is compelling and dazzlingly rendered.
—— James Moran , Tablet, *Novel of the Week*The reader is invested from the start . . . So poetically elegant as to be breathtaking . . . Life Sentences is writing at its finest.
—— Claire Fullerton , New York Journal of BooksO'Callaghan's prose is mesmerising in its beauty . . . Profound, moving, sometimes shocking, [Life Sentences is] from the pen of a writer at the top of his game.
—— Anne Cunningham , Meath ChronicleOne of the most beautiful books of the year.
—— Sam Blake, #1 Irish Times bestselling author of the Cat Connolly trilogyThe novel I most look forward to is Billy O'Callaghan's Life Sentences.
—— Maggie Fergusson , Tablet *Highlights of 2021*The accomplished writer . . . O'Callaghan has proved an empathic and expert diviner of the extraordinary in ordinary lives.
—— Marjorie Brennan , Irish ExaminerAn absolutely stunning book . . . A truly beautiful read.
—— Sinéad MoriartyA gifted storyteller.
—— Donal O'Donoghue , RTÉ GuideA terrific family saga.
—— Village BookshelfA lyrical prose reminiscent of William Trevor, and a haunting family drama.
—— Times Literary SupplementOne of the most exciting literary talents to emerge in the last decade.
—— Irish ExaminerAdriana Trigiani knows that a great life is made up of memories and morsels: Kisses and cakes; heartbreak and honey salves. In The Good Left Undone, Trigiani's women share secrets in the safety of kitchens, are carried off to bed during war, fight to keep a sense of themselves, and appreciate that a first love that arrives second is the sweetest and most substantial of all
—— Helen EllisAdriana Trigiani's latest novel is a delicious immersion into a hidden Italy, a world of Vatican jewelers, of ledgers, maps and strega, of people who tell time by the 'bells and the baker,' and are connected to their history and to the far corners of the spinning globe by love, blood, and rubies. And that's just the first course of this literary feast, that is also a profound meditation on old age and an intimate conversation between generations of a quietly dazzling family
—— Alice RandallWith its epic sweep, radiant characters, and uncommon insight, The Good Left Undone expertly spans generations and geography, luring the reader into a world where family love and family legacy are both a gift and an inspiration.
—— Lisa GrunwaldA gorgeous and lush multi-generational epic about the Cabrellis, a vibrant Italian family descended from master jewelers, from the harrowing days leading up to WWII to the modern era, celebrating the pieces they create and the myths that power them and hold families together; an absolute triumph from Adriana Trigiani
—— Gigi LevangieShe's done it again, given us a story deep and wide, written with heart and soul. Each one of Trigiani's books is a rich tapestry, woven with stories that reach back through generations with love and family at the center. . . The Good Left Undone is a complex and absorbing reminder of the connection and grounding of family, the stories that bind us and the resilience of love amidst the devastation of war.
—— Lee WoodruffThis master storyteller has outdone herself with The Good Left Undone. What an epic, wonderful sprawling novel, her writing lush and luminous as she draws us into the world of three generations of women with her signature warmth, humor and huge heart. There is no-one like Adriana, and here she is at her absolute best
—— Jane Green, author of Sister StardustIt's impossible not to be absolutely enthralled by the latest immersive Trigiani masterwork about family, food (oh my God, so delicious), loyalty and legacy. A story bristling with so much generous life, you'll swear you are there for all of it: the great loves, the unfathomable losses, the betrayals and the secrets of the artisan Cabrelli family, especially with matriarch Matelda, caught between the end of her own life, the beginning of her granddaughter Anina's, and the dramatic, love-torn and war-torn life her mother Domenica had led. Spanning Italy, France and England, and decades, The Good Left Undone is thrilling proof that, 'A family is only as strong as their stories.'
—— Caroline LeavittAdriana Trigiani once again proves her mastery at breaking your heart, and then mending it together again. Writing of strong women, steadfast loves, settings that whisk you away, and the legacy of the Cabrelli family, this is Trigiani at her finest. Sweeping yet intimate, The Good Left Undone is a love letter to matriarchs everywhere-prepare to be dazzled
—— Karma Brown, author of Recipe for a Perfect WifeThe Good Left Undone is as exquisite as the jewels the Cabrelli family creates. The breadth of the story, Trigiani's trademark humor, and emotional depth is a memento mori. What a gift for us who now truly contemplate our mortality to follow Matelda Roffo as she contemplates her life and its meaning. Trigiani writes, 'A family is only as strong as their stories.' This family is made of iron.
—— Susan Fales HillIn The Good Left Undone Adriana Trigiani creates a powerful evocation of grief, love and war through three generations of one family. The memorable Tuscan setting is interleaved with tender relationships that bring history to life. Trigiani's love of place and people leaps off the page
—— Lucy Jago, bestselling author of A Net for Small FishesAn epic story that takes its readers on a journey through several generations, from past to present day
—— My WeeklyPraise for Adriana Trigiani
—— :A comedy writer with a heart of gold
—— New York TimesTrigiani is a master of palpable and visual detail
—— Washington PostOne of my all-time favourite novels
—— Whoopi GoldbergHonest, wholesome entertainment
—— Daily MailUtterly addictive
—— GlamourExquisite writing and a story enriched by the power of abiding love
—— USA TodayFull of romance, drama and snappy dialogue
—— PeopleEminently readable and richly imagined
—— Publisher's WeeklyHilarious and romantic. I couldn't put it down
—— Sarah Jessica Parker