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Via Roma: Between 2 Worlds, 2 Men
Guernica Editions, Fall 2015
218 pages
Trade Paperback
ISBN13: 9781771830140
ISBN10: 177183014X
English
$15.00 Canada, $15.00 US
Read more from the Essential Prose Series
A story of love and lust with philosophical overtones, Via Roma oscillates between joy and tragedy. Drawn to and intrigued by two men of Italian descent, both equally smart, loyal and attractive, Sophie Wolfe, a native-born Montrealer, chooses one over the other, setting into motion a series of events that culminates in the death of her husband. Part murder mystery, part road trip, this novel asks the question: “Why do people die?” Sophie journeys into the heart of the Italian mainland and discovers this country's wondrous abilities to restore health and happiness to those who grieve. Intensely erotic, outspoken, earthy without being clinically pornographic or gushy, Via Roma is a metaphysical exploration of love, suspense, suffering and redemption.
How is this possible? Suddenly the world looks more as it should: full of promise and merriment and baby blue skies; the prodigal sun has found its way back home eager to settle down and work wonders, changing the colour of my sad thoughts, and all because my eyes have met his for the first time.
Via Roma is an ambitious, encyclopedic, multi-levelled text. It’s peppered with references to large chunks of Western and non-Western culture…. Via Roma interweaves high and low subject matters, the sublime and the demotic, the dream and the fairy-tale-like with the news clip, the poetic turn of phrase with the graphic sexual detail, the refined or erudite locution with the everyday colloquialism…. An extremely rich, engrossing read, with all of Melfi’s witticism, irony and other signature quirks…. a literary milestone.”
Dr. Francesco Loriggio, Italian Canadiana Vol. 32, 2018
Despite its serious subject matter, Via Roma, is fun to read. The voice is original, the novel full of witty one-liners and quirky insights.
The Ottawa Review of Books
Infertility Rites, Guernica Editions: A Bitterly Funny First Novel ... Melfi has taken on an important issue for women and, for the most part, handles it with flair ... The adorably whiny and angst-ridden Nina is a wonderful creation.
The Toronto Globe and Mail
Italy Revisited, Guernica Editions: Mary Melfi explores a mother-daughter dialogue that gives life to the mother's memories of mid-century southern Italy while also revealing truths about relationships that sometimes exist between immigrant mothers and their children.
Concordia University Magazine
Reviews
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'Via Roma' by Mary Melfi
The Winnipeg Review - September 6, 2016
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Via Roma by Mary Melfi
Ottawa Review of Books - December 31, 2015
Books by Mary Melfi
