Check out my review of One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart, a book about a young girl in Florence, who is suffering from health (perhaps mental health?) issues.
One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart
To be published by Chronicle Books on March 31, 2015
Source: ARC from the publisher for review
Plot Summary for One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart
Something is not right with Nadia Cara. While spending a year in Florence, Italy, she’s become a thief. She has secrets. And when she tries to speak, the words seem far away. Nadia finds herself trapped by her own obsessions and following the trail of an elusive Italian boy whom only she has seen. While her father researches a 1966 flood that nearly destroyed Florence, Nadia wonders if she herself can be rescued — or if she will disappear.
Review of One Thing Stolen by Beth Kephart
That first line of the synopsis — something is not right with Nadia Cara — is the pervasive feeling that I had while reading this book. I wasn’t sure what was going on with Nadia, and the book doesn’t reveal much until the very end.
This is the second book that I’ve read recently in which the narrative — or perhaps the narrator — seems a little … off. (Bone Gap by Laura Ruby is the other.)
I dislike being confused but I do like stories that challenge the unspoken assumption that we all experience the world in the same way. And reading a book is one of the best ways that we can see the world through someone else’s eyes and share their unique perception of it.
“This is the apartment that does not belong to me. This is where I’ve come to. Florence, Italy. Santa Croce.”
This is the third book I’ve read by Beth Kephart (Small Damages and Going Over were the others) and what they seem to me to have in common is a strong female narrator who finds herself in an unusual situation in a foreign location.
Small Damages is set in Seville, Going Over in Berlin and One Thing Stolen in Florence.
Kenzie in
Small Damages is a pregnant teenager, Ada in
Going Over is in love with a boy on the other side of the Berlin Wall and Nadia in
One Thing Stolen is … I’m not going to tell you much about Nadia, because part of the appeal of the story is allowing yourself to be immersed in Nadia’s world and trying to guess a) why she’s taking objects like a human magpie and b) if there really is this mysterious boy, a boy who leaves her roses.
“I hope you can forgive me.”
I love the metphors in Beth Kephart’s books. In Going Over, I felt as though the Berlin Wall was being used as a metaphor for the roadblocks and obstacles that all romantic relationships face.
In One Thing Stolen, I found a bunch of metaphors: first, the disorienting experience of being a tourist in a foreign city mirrored Nadia’s confusion.
Second, the
1966 flood of the Arno River in Florence was used as a metaphor for a destruction (and painful rebirth) of a much more personal sort. And third, the metaphor of thievery. Yes, Nadia is a thief, but she’s the victim of a theft as well. I don’t want to say more, but if you’ve read this book, you’ll understand.
One Thing Stolen is an unusual and moving reading experience. Nadia’s story, while ultimately heartbreaking, is also a story of friendship and family and faith.
I haven't heard of the author before, but this certainly sounds interesting! Characters that are a little off, as you phrased it, sometimes make for intriguing reading experiences.
I agree! I love books that feature characters who see the world in a way that makes me see things differently!
I hadn't heard of this book. I have You Are My Only on myself but haven't read anything by this author before.
Sounds like another twisty kind of book. There are a lot of them out there right now.
Karen @For What It's Worth
I haven't read You Are My Only, but I did enjoy the three books of hers that I've read.
Yes, this book features a narrator whose reliability you question, but it's not twisty in the same way as some of those recent books.
This is the first time I read about this book, but I love how it sounds.
I really want to give it a chance. Thanks for sharing!
Hope you enjoy it!
This books sounds so intriguing Jen! I never heard of it before and the cover looks great.
Happy Reading
Patrick @ The Bookshelves
I love the cover too!
Ooo, I like metaphors 🙂 For me they really provide a lot of depth in the story. Symbolisms mean a lot to me and the subtle BUT powerful ones are the best. I'll have to check this one out and the author's other works! 😀
Faye at The Social Potato
I also like metaphors when they're subtle…
I haven't read a review this good in a long time. I haven't read this author yet, but I will try out this book. Quality fiction is not so easy to come by these days. Thank you for sharing.
Her books are really wonderful — give one a try!
The feel of this book is very intriguing. I have not read any of the books you detailed here but it does sounds good. Thanks for sharing.
It is — the book is really different, in a good way!
Her metaphors and writing sounds great.