Early One Morning

by Virginia Baily

Book Overview

Two women's decision to save a child during WWII will have powerful reverberations over the years.

Chiara Ravello is about to flee occupied Rome when she locks eyes with a woman being herded on to a truck with her family. Claiming the woman's son, Daniele, as her own nephew, Chiara demands his return; only as the trucks depart does she realize what she has done. She is twenty-seven, with a sister who needs her constant care, a hazardous...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316300403
• ISBN13: 9780316300407
• Release Date: September 2016
• Publisher: Back Bay Books
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

World war ll story taking place in Italy

This story is about a young Woman, Chiara, who happens to be at her friends Gennaro's bar, to help him get rid of the Resistance papers that he hands out, and are kept in his bar/ cafe..which is right by the old Jewish Quarter. Chiara goes and helps Gennaro burn the papers as quickly as the stove will take them...as she knows something is brewing out in the streets. As she leaves Gennaro's she finds herself in the Jewish Ghetto and it is there she see's the tarp covered trucks lining the streets, and the soldiers jumping from the backs of their army trucks, weapons in hands...running from home to home banging on doors with the backs of their rifles, smashing doors, and herding people out roughly to the waiting trucks. Chaira watches in horror, but can't take her eyes off of what is happening. Then out of nowhere a mother and father and their three children are on the truck the last loaded, and she grips Chaira's eyes with a pleading stare...that say everything she can't say..not a word, not a sound because of what would happen to her right on the spot. Chaira can feel, sense, read this womens eyes, the look of agony on her face, and she knows what she must do. The boy is the only one in the family that does not look Jewish, and in one swoop Chaira is at the back of the truck screaming..."take him off " "put him down!" That's my nephew, it's a mistake, yelling ..come to "Auntie dear", and by the grace of God, others around her agree he's not jewish..and they pass her the boy, and tell her to leave immediately. She takes his hand, and as they walk away, she discovers a tag sewed in his coat, with his name Daniele Levi. She rips it out with her teeth, and walks towards home. Thus beginning her life with this new child, that she will protect, and come to love as her own. There is plenty more to the story all told as parts of memories, which was confusing at first, till I realized, around chapter 3, how it was being told. It is full of love, sacrifice, secrets, belonging,and enduring love. Beautifully written, moving and gripping! Really, Really Good !! A must read!