The Year of Our Love

by Caterina Bonvicini, Antony Shugaar (Translator)

An extraordinary story of friendship and love across class lines, this rich, evocative novel traces the history of modern Italy, from 1975 to 2013, through the fate of one couple.

Valerio and Olivia grow up together in the Morganti family’s opulent villa in Bologna, inseparable friends even though they come from vastly different worlds: Olivia, the Morgantis’ daughter, is the heir to a large industrial fortune, while Valerio is the son of their gardener and maid. Largely sheltered from the dangers rampant in the unstable Italy of the 1970s, the two share their first innocent kiss at five years old, which heralds the start of a decades-long relationship.

From Valerio having to move to a poor neighborhood in Rome and Olivia making her entrance in high society, life tries to separate them at every turn, but without success, so strong is the bond between them. Year after year they meet only for a few moments, which feel like they’re eternal, and their friendship turns into something more intense, and scary. They take different paths: Olivia travels the world looking for herself, while Valerio devotes himself to a prestigious career that doesn’t satisfy him, in a country that is quickly losing its identity in the political crises of the Berlusconi era. Still, they keep meeting again and again at crossroads in life.

Genres: Fiction, Italy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2014

About the author

Caterina Bonvicini è una scrittrice italiana.

Vive e lavora fra Roma e Milano; si è laureata in Lettere Moderne all'Università di Bologna, città nella quale è cresciuta, trasferendosi poi a Torino, dove ha lavorato per la casa editrice Einaudi.

Pubblica con Einaudi i romanzi Penelope per gioco (2000) (Premio Letterario Edoardo Kihlgren, premio Città di Penne, premio Rapallo-Carige opera prima), Di corsa (2003) Premio Fiesole Narrativa Under 40.[2] e la raccolta di racconti I figli degli altri (2006).

Con il romanzo L'equilibrio degli squali, pubblicato da Garzanti nel 2008, vince nello stesso anno il Premio Rapallo Carige per la donna scrittrice, il Premio Fregene per la narrativa[3] e il Premio letterario Frignano,[4]. Il romanzo viene tradotto in Spagna (2009, Alfaguara), in Germania (2010, Fischer Verlag), in Olanda (2010, De Geus) e in Francia (2010, Gallimard), dove vince nel 2010 il premio internazionale Grand prix de l'héroïne Madame Figaro. Nel 2010 esce Il sorriso lento (Garzanti) che nel 2011 vince il Premio Bottari Lattes Grinzane e viene tradotto in diversi paesi

Reviews

[Maria Yankulova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Знаех си, че историята на Валерио и Оливия ще
ми хареса и се оказах права.

Обичам драматични истории за неосъществена любов, за влюбени, разделени от обстоятелствата. Това, което не ми допадна в романа са причините, които не позволяваха на главните ни герои да бъдат заедно, а именно, власт, пари, богатство.

Страшно много харесвам италианските автори и Катерина Бонвичини не прави изключение. Определено бих чела още нейни заглавия ако издателство Лемур ги издадат.

Нещото, което ми направи най-силно впечатление и ми хареса най-много в романа беше как авторката успя да ме потопи в световете на Оливия и Валерио. Този на Оливия е изпълнен с изкуство, музика, приеми, утоци по тенис и разкошни ваканции. Света на Валерио е рязличен - майка му е камериерка, а баща му е градинар на богатите индустриалци Морганти. Имаше едно вълшебство в ранните детски години на двамата. Когато класата и социалното положение нямаха никакво значение и Валерио бе част от семейството.

Любим образ за мен е бабата на Оливия - Манон. През цялото време си представях София Лорен ❣️

Още нещо любимо за мен е атмосферата в Рим и Болоня, която истински усетих!

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Това е роман, който ще се хареса на хора, които искат да се сблъскат с реалния живот в книгите, и особено много на онези, които знаят нещо за периода, в който се развива действието. Защото това е особено време в Италия, години, подобни донякъде на 90-те в България.
Повърхностно погледнато от перспективата на днешния ден, поведението на двамата главни герои може да изглежда дразнещо или детинско, но всъщност то е толкова естествено, дори бих казала доста типично, че заедно с описанията на ситуацията и събитията, ни пренася с изключителна достоверност в Болоня и Рим от края на 20 век.
Няма нищо случайно, че книгата се препоръчва за хора, които са харесали Normal People. Взаимоотношенията между Валерио и Оливия са също толкова нормални, по човешки несъвършени, че на моменти ни идва да им се скараме за изборите, които правят или да ги прегърнем.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of two people who can’t seem to ever get their immature, spoiled, self-centered asses together, and so are destined to make each other and everyone around them miserable for their entire lives.

Italy through the eyes of the outrageously wealthy, outrageously corrupt, and outrageously emotionally stunted, more than a travelogue, not quite a political analysis, mostly unsatisfying.

I’m not sure how much of this comes down to translation. The forward, written by the translator, is excellent and worthy of a read for anyone who wants a quick overview of the Years of Lead. But the book itself is so full of bombastic, pretentious verbiage you have to ask yourself if a translator needs to first and foremost translate the words as intended by the author and stay true to that style, or if they need to translate the story into something that will resonate with the cultures who read in that language. Maybe the point of all that bombastic, muddled, run-on navel-gazing was supposed to be ironic? I don’t know. There are words and phrases here that I’ve never heard another English speaker utter. Who says ‘God fortends’? No one, that’s who.

These characters are mostly despicable. Cute and endearing as children, they grow into every possible worst-self into which they can possibly meld. Corrupt in business and love, negligent as parents, cruel as friends and lovers, and ultimately spineless. I have to say, though, that this book is an accurate reflection of the outrageously wealthy Florentine family for which I au paired. Cortina and Forte deli Marmi and yachts? Indeed, they were all traditional annual vacations — Cortina with the Roman grandmother, FDM with the au pair, the yachts with the family and friends.

That’s the only reason I’m giving this rambling mess of demoralizing angst three stars: it resonated with a life-changing experience I had over thirty years ago.

[Tsvetomila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Един роман за съзряването, за вечното лутане между различните представи за щастие и успех. Роман, който говори открито за илюзорната сигурност, която идва с властта и парите и то на непосилна цена. Роман, който ще ви накара да се замислите за вашите собствени избори, грешки и най-ценните уроци, научени от тях.

Докато го четях имах чувството, че съм седнала някъде с Валерио и той ми разказва живота си. За детството, семейството, незабравими ваканции и разбира се - първата любов, с която някак все се разминават. И макар че действието се развива в Италия, а героите са измислени, може да открием доста сходства със собствени избори и "грешки на растежа".

Още за книгата споделям тук: https://azcheta.com/godinata-na-nasha...

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai beaucoup aimé cette histoire d’amour impossible entre Valerio et Olivia qui démarre quand ils avaient 5 ans: lui fils des employés de maison, elle héritière de l’empire familial. Leurs vies vont se croiser, se décroiser, s’effilocher, se racommoder pour s’ancrer et devenir un vrai amour. Tout se passe avec en arrière plan les années berlusconiennes. On voit à quel point la richesse des uns se fait sur le dos des autres: pots de vin, marchés fictifs, détournement des allocations européennes....Pour autant Valerio qui critique cela sera celui qui rejoindra le club des nantis/pourris pour montrer qu’il peut se hisser au niveau de sa belle. Olivia parce que n’ayant pas de vraies contraintes refusera toujours ces règles et choisira l’anti-conformisme. Mais pour autant ne quittera pas le cocon.

De manière très ironique et réaliste, l’auteure reussit à nous emporter dans une belle histoire d’amour d’aujourd’hui.

Un bon 4⭐️

[Marie-Christine Michels · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’est tellement tout ce qu’on lisait dans les journaux
sous l’aire berlusconienne ! Je ne me suis pas ennuyée . Mais attention c’est aussi deux vies ,deux personnages qui cherchent un sens dans tout ce chaos . Corruption,blanchiment d’argent, constructions illégales,tout y est .

[The book of Lora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Обичам да чета любовни романи, но този за мен се оказа разочарование.
Прекалено излишно се наблягаше на родословното дърво на Оливия : бабата, дядото, родителите и пр до девето коляно .... По същия начин и за Валерио - майка му и баща му, втория му баща , сестра му и пр.
Не ми е проблем да чета книги с много персонажи, но имаше прекалено много излишен пълнеж на чужди и други съдби и проблеми.
Симпатизирах много на Валерио, че успява от бедното квартално момче, с ум да постигне пари и власт, които, естествено не го правят щастлив.
Отвратих се от Оливия , която като богата наследница и явно имаща и получаваща всичко наготово, не оценяваше нищо - горделива, вискоромерна и неморална.
Още защо книгата НЕ ми хареса споделям във видото си : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4P_q...

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the HBO show "Succession" were a love story, it would look like this. A story all about class codes. The on-again-off-again relationship between the servants' kid (Valerio) and the industrialist's granddaughter (Olivia) lets the reader move from rough neighborhoods in Rome to different categories of the Very Rich (Americans might register these as rich like the Kennedys, or rich like the Trumps) around Bologna & Milan.

Cute little kids grow up to be privileged, self-centered adults; I couldn't wait to see what awfulness the people in this world got up to next. Valerio and Olivia's relationship became beside the point, because I so loved the ridiculousness of their lives and all the never-happy people around them with their wasted educations, petty but deep grudges, constant regifting of silver picture frames, yacht parties, affairs, presents to make up for affairs, blackmailing (emotionally *and* literally) of family members, always getting what they want only to discover they don't really want it. This is a mash-up of a 19th century Russian novel and a show like "Real Housewives."

We move through decades of intense politics in Italy, from kidnappings & bombings, to magistrates trying to prosecute corruption, to the oligarchs dominating like they do in so many countries now. Excerpts from an early Berlusconi speech made him sound . . . well . . . smarter than Trump (which isn't saying much, but Trump was often compared to Berlusconi back in 2015-17).

The narrator's sister is the only well-adjusted character in the story (so of course we don't see much of her). The narrator's father and Olivia's grandfather hold the moral center, mostly by their silence and absence. Everyone else is frustrated and flawed and often cruel (especially about love & relationships), full of rationalizations. Social commentary, non-stop. Loved it and would read a prequel about the grandparents.

[Anna Giovane Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una piacevole scoperta, una lettura velata di malinconia...
Ve ne parlo meglio sul blog: http://appuntidiunagiovanereader.blog...

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

J’ai adoré l’écriture, l’atmosphère....

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this. Tried. I figured that if it was worth translating it was worth reading; but no.

[Camille Bdr · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Du reste, nos désirs ont des pouvoirs enfouis qui généralement nous dépassent. Parf parfois il voit plus loin que nous, il reconnaisse ce que nous ne pouvons pas reconnaître et, sans vraiment nous consulter, il décide à notre place." (p. 94)
" Parfois j'ai la sensation que les âges de la vie restent en nous pour toujours et que la maturité est simplement notre capacité à les reconnaître, ces âges que nous n'avons jamais oubliés, que jamais nous n'oublierons, qui s'accumulent dans notre esprit pour le plaisir de nous confondre encore un peu plus." (p. 132)
"Soudain, elle n'était plus rien . Parce qu'elle était tout. Elle était les innombrables femmes que j'allais aimer, gentilles ou méchantes, froides ou douces, distantes ou passionnées, elle était une ou mille, la réalité, la fantaisie: en somme, une érection." (p. 136)
"Notre amour était un fleuve souterrain, mais la sensation était toujours celle d'un commencement. Nous n'étions plus deux enfants qui appréhendent leurs corps en roulant l'un sur l'autre, ni deux jeunes qui mythifient le sexe sans oser jouer. Nous étions deux adultes responsables, avec une certaine expérience, conscients d'avoir entre les mains, une chose très précieuse, à savoir une lointaine et mystérieuse complicité. Complicité. Une chose qu'on pouvait véritablement appeler intimité." (p. 223-224)
" Il y avait en elle un tel désir de vivre - ensemble -, de manger, de boire, et de faire l'amour, un tel désir de jouir - ensemble - que je sentais mon cœur se serrer de bonheur. Par moments, je devais prendre une grande respiration, pour alléger un peu la pression que je sentais dans mes poumons." (p. 276)

[Kathleen Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book, and enjoyed many of the phrases in Italian. However, the story fell a little short for me. I loved this story of Olivia and Valerio seeming to fall in love and become soul mates from the time they were five years old. However, throughout the book it never happened that they were together, even after four decades. I kept hoping that at least in the end when he was ready to give everything up for her, they would finally find their happiness but it was not to be. Possibly the story loses something in translation and the fact that I did not live through Italy's politics in the 1970s maybe caused me to miss something in the story. The idea that family obligations seem to outweigh love was woven throughout the story. There was a lot of bad behavior and privilege throughout on the parts of all involved. My favorite parts of this story were the descriptions of Olivia and Valerio as children and how they interpreted all of the behavior going on around them. I also loved the character of Manon, the stories/fairy tales she told to the children, the descriptions of how she dressed and behaved I also thoroughly enjoyed.

[Ex Libris Meis]

In the summer of 2021, I have discovered the Italian writer Caterina Bonvicini. Her book was sold in a bookshop in Los Angeles.

The same summer but another month, I discovered the Canadien writer with Indian origins, Rupi Kaur. Her book was sold in a bookshop in Firenze, Italy.
Both books were translated into English.

And this is one definition of globalization for me, and I am happy with this.

<The drive to nursery school was an adventure.
First of all her grandfather drove us in person, and he was one fast driver. Then because there was a bullet hole in the windshield of his armour-plated Fiat Ritmo, with a spidery array of cracks radiating out across the glass.

“–Gianni, who shot you?”
http://www.exlibrismeis.com/en/2021/0...

[anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

In many ways, this seems like a vert typical story - two kids from very different socio-economic status grow up together and are very close while simultaneously just missing each other. Olivia and Valerio have different resources, standing, parental expectations (or lack of) - but continue to separate and come back together. They both live in a world with questionable morals and ethics, but there doesn't seem to be much in the way of reflection or pause about this.

For no reason, I expected the novel to switch perspectives, and when it didn't I was a little disappointed (even though that probably would have been pretty gimmicky).

I enjoyed the read, but never felt invested in their love (or anti-love) story. I did love the final page.

[peyton glass · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a review a started a while back but I deleted it due to the rambling length of its contents. Here is my second and more concise attempt at describing my experience with this book.
My first main point is the fact that this book was written to an Italian audience in Italian. Therefore, me, as a non-American would not fully grasp the depth of this book. This includes phrases that do not translate from Italian to English smoothly, an inadequate understanding of the in-depth and extremely turbulent history of Italy in this time period, and to speak on the last point, never experiencing events like the events normalized in this book. While this is not the author’s fault or the translator’s fault, I think a lot of the historical value of this book was lost on me.
My second and most prominent reason for not enjoying this book was because of the characters. I firmly believe that each of the characters are arrogant, self-serving, and cruel brats. While I would consider myself to have grown up rich compared to the rest of the world, the main female character grows up filthy rich, entitled, and demanding. She has an air about her that shows to you that she can do anything she wants, including multiple divorces, affairs, and moping. The main male character grew up poor, known for his hard working nature that eventually leads to him heading up a corrupt company. However, in relationships, he settles and does not pursue what he wants to truly pursue, leaving him empty. His solution is also affairs and divorce. Both of the main characters are morally awful people who justify affairs with the worn-out childhood love interest. Each party lustfully pursues the other, knowing and admitting multiple times that they know the other is not good for them. This way of life does not sit well with me and never will.
The last point is that the story did not have a happy ending. At the end of the day, the male character is pressured out of getting a divorce with blackmail and is left unhappy. Both characters leave the story hating themselves, their spouses, their life decisions, their children, and taking no responsibility for the actions. If you made it this far, thanks for reading and sorry for the harsh review.

[Martina Nedelcheva · Rating 1 out of 5]

Определено не беше моята книга.
В началото беше интересна, впоследствие стана някак неврзачна. Главните герои сякаш зациклиха в тийнейджърството и така и не видях развитие в техния начин на мислене.
Очаквах и действието да се представи през перспективата на Оливия, майката и бащата на Оливия, родителите на Валерио, сестра му, но това липсваше. Имаше странни хаотични фрагменти, в които не проличаваше ясно кой разказва историята, която се разказва.

[Laura Ghitoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure I had much to like about this book. I saw it in a Florentine bookshop and instantly knew I wanted to read a book by an contemporary Italian author (as opposed to non fiction written about Italian by British and American transplants). But I did not ending this more than the half dozen books about Italy I have been reading.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

J'ai aimé le style d'écriture mais l'histoire ne m'a pas emportée. Quelque part, j'ai trouvé Olivia toujours un peu trop superficielle, un peu trop égoïste et que l'histoire manquait d'un sens, d'une fin, qui justifie qu'on la raconte.

[Colleen Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about two people who meet as kids and are intertwined as lovers throughout the years despite being married and having kids. The characters acted childish and selfish as adults which made it hard for me to get into their characters and this book.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romance sprawls across decades, as childhood besties re-encounter one another at various points during their lives. The question: will their choices of partners and vocations ultimately allow them to be together or keep them apart?

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!

okay so you are saying that you are gonna make me care about this couple that is in love but also hates each other and cheats through their lives together and then they don't even end up together?????????????????? I guess that is what they get for cheating.

[Patrice Chisholm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with some of the other reviews here where it was stated that this was a story of two spoiled people that got in their own way. The story dragged in spots. It wasn’t a bad story but wasn’t great either.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising story with the history of Italy intertwined in a dramatic love story

I didn't know what to expect throughout the entire novel. This book brought out many emotions and shared many lessons of life,history, and love.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai adoré cette histoire qui se retrouve en parallèle avec les années Berlusconi.

[Michael Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a painful read...the story didn't flow well. The storyline was tragic. I know this book was an Italian bestseller, but to me it fell short.

[Katrina Gonsalves · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars, rounded down. Lovely story. I really enjoyed the writing/translation.

[Michele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compelling enough read, but did not like one of the characters.

[Maruša · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well written, but hated the characters. Couldn't stomach the violence against women and children.

[Patrick Greenwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible story dripping with loves reality. A true must read for those who experienced a never ending love with no hope to experience a conclusion.