Terranova, the bookshop, earns its name from Terrranova, the place; i.e. today's Newfoundland, Canada. Vincenzo's maternal grandfather had chance to go to "the seas between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland" and must have been well struck with its name. The bookshop got passed to Vincenzo's father Amaro Fontana, the great Polytropos of his time, and his wife Comba and years later fell into Vincenzo's hands, somewhere in Galicia. The demise of this bookshop was now immeniently threatened when Vincenzo himself was old, and this is where this work of historical fiction begins.
So saying, the Terranova was rather a book itself, revealing all manner of tales and secrets. This is where the story weaves and wobbles at random, at least for me, I had great difficulty following much of the storyline. However, the book spoke of fear as being a big factor - almost a thriller caliber in which some of those folks lived. This was due mainly because of their government's and religious powers-that-be, actions against its citizens. Spanish Inquisition type of fear mongering. Banned books confiscated and citizens exterminated at whim, even for an intellectual's line of poetry.
Smuggled (banned) books seemed to find their way to Terranova's safe keeping, if not to its shelves. Lots of debates from interesting visitors; real and/or imagined stories within stories issued forth from within those walls and bookshelves.
I didn't really care for this book's story though, especially when foul language was used. It also seemed like a short story made long. However, others who love authors of old that speak of Mirasol, Odessus, Polytropos and such, may favor having a go at this book.
In the end, one finds out what happened to this Terranova that had seen many a day. Could it be saved, even as it had tried to save others in its bosom?
~ Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger ~
August 2022
Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.
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