Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Unavailable
The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel
Unavailable
The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel
Unavailable
The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel
Audiobook17 hours

The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel

Written by Adriana Trigiani

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

The majestic beauty of the Italian Alps at the turn of the twentieth century is the setting of the first meeting of Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy. When Ciro catches the local priest in a scandal, he is banished and sent to hide in America. Soon Enza's family faces disaster and she, too, is forced to go to America.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both build fledgling lives in America. Ciro masters shoemaking and Enza takes a factory job until fate intervenes and reunites them. But it is too late: Ciro has volunteered to serve in World War I as Enza begins her impressive career as a seamstress at the Metropolitan Opera House. Over time, these star-crossed lovers meet and separate, until the power of their love changes both of their lives forever.

Inspired by Adriana Trigiani's own family history and the love of tradition, The Shoemaker's Wife defines an era with operatic scope that will live on in the imaginations of readers for years to come.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherHarperAudio
Release dateSep 4, 2012
ISBN9780062247612
Unavailable
The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel
Author

Adriana Trigiani

Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her "dazzling" novels (USA Today), Adriana Trigiani is “a master of palpable and visual detail” (Washington Post) and “a comedy writer with a heart of gold” (New York Times). She is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including her latest, The Good Left Undone- an instant New York Times best seller, Book of the Month pick and People’s Book of the Week. Her work is published in 38 languages around the world. An award-winning playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker, Adriana’s screen credits include writer/director of the major motion picture of her debut novel, Big Stone Gap, the adaptation of her novel Very Valentine and director of Then Came You. Adriana grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where she co-founded The Origin Project, an in-school writing program serving over 1,700 students in Appalachia. She is at work on her next novel for Dutton at Penguin Random House.  Follow Adriana on Facebook and Instagram @AdrianaTrigiani and on TikTok @AdrianaTrigianiAuthor or visit her website: AdrianaTrigiani.com.  Join Adriana’s Facebook LIVE show, Adriana Ink, in conversation with the world’s greatest authors- Tuesdays at 3 PM EST! For more from Adriana’s interviews, you can subscribe to her Meta “Bulletin” column, Adriana Spills the Ink: adrianatrigiani.bulletin.com/subscribe.

More audiobooks from Adriana Trigiani

Related to The Shoemaker's Wife

Related audiobooks

General Fiction For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for The Shoemaker's Wife

Rating: 3.8741667483333337 out of 5 stars
4/5

600 ratings66 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Enjoyable, but not fantastic. Some lyrical passages, but then also some very trite and predictable stuff. I don't need to be hit over the head with every "main idea"!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    LOVE LOVE LOVE! Sad and sweet at the same time. The parts about the opera were fascinating.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely loved this book. The story of Enza and Ciro is such a wonderful love story. It took them awhile to really find each other but then it was a love that was pure. The story really brought forward some of the struggles immigrants faced at the beginning of the 1900s. It was beautifully written and I can't wait to read more by this author as this was my first glimpse into her writing. This book is a must read.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I had picked up this book because my grandmother always loved reading Trigiani's works and my grandfather's father was a shoemaker from Italy. So it sounded like a match made in heaven. I ended up disliking the characters and the story, although from this far a distance I cannot recall why. At least I have since read a book by Trigiani that I did really enjoy it, so it made up for this doozy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The story is beautiful. It's long, so I recommend taking your time to get to know the characters, the setting, and the time period. Enza sounds like a lovely girl. My heart broke when I read of her sorrow at the loss of her sister, Stella. Ciro and his brother, Eduardo, did not have that idyllic childhood that we all crave. Left to the care of nuns and later separated, that type of childhood will either harden a man or make him cherish the people who truly want to be a part of your life.

    As adults, I think both Ciro and Enza learned that if you want to make it, you have to be willing to work hard. It's not going to be easy and bumps do happen along the way, but it is usually worthwhile. They both shared the same values: work hard, love your family, embrace your friends because sometimes they are your only family.

    While it's not a book that I would go out of my way to re-read (it's almost 500 pages!), I still would recommend it to others. Have a box of tissues handy because if you are anything like me, some parts will make you all teary-eyed.

    Enjoy!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A patron had recommended this as a "must read". I was interested enough to read it quickly, interesting story and setting though it was a little too "preachy" for me.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderful book. Full of detail, yet moves along at a fair clip. The characters are well-drawn and the locales atmospheric. There is a pervasive sense of longing but the author does not wallow. All in all a perfectly balanced book. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Beautiful premise, boring execution. Lovely setting and description. Under-developed characters, too wooden and unapproachable, leading to lack of pathos. The pace was uneven, dragging at first and rushing through major plot developments later. The audiobook was very disconcerting, changing from a competent though underwhelming narrator, and then changing to a frustratingly harsh narrator halfway through the book. Expected more from this author whose Valentine series is impeccably fresh, funny, and heartwarming.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a very sweet, semi-historical novel which was very well written. I enjoyed it except the very last 1/4 seemed to drag to me and thus instead if not being able to put the book down, I found myself actually putting it down and just wanting it to hurry up and end so I could get on to another read. Overall, I liked the writing style and the story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Shoemaker's Wife is currently my favorite book EVER! I have enjoyed all of Adriana Trigiani's books but this one went above and beyond for me. Just thinking about re-reading the book makes me happy. If you like a book with well written and realistic characters, you must read this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The book moved slow for the most part, and then jumped years suddenly. The last couple of chapters were incredibly sad- I shed some tears. Overall, it was a good story, but a bit verbose. Another reviewer called it, "a little predictable and contrived", and I would agree with that.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This review is for the audio version. A professional artist read the first half of the book. She was excellent. Then about 1919 the author started reading, separating the book into the past and the present. (Why was 1919 supposed to be the present and the time preceding the past?). She obviously felt the story deeply and personally, but I found her reading unpleasant. I may have enjoyed the book more had I read it the old fashioned way.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the first time that I have ever read anything by Adriana Trigiani and it will not be the last, I hope. Her Shoemaker's Wife is loosely based on stories from her family, mostly from a few year before World War I and ending after World War II. I don't mind any minor historical or geographical mistakes. Those errors exist in my own family tales. What is more important is learning what is valued the most in the family. In this case, love of family and beauty which includes favorite family foods, memories and any feelings are repeated through out their lives.The main characters, Ciro Lazzazi and his older brother experience the loss of their father far away in United States in a mining accident and later their mother left when she decided that she could no longer take care of them. She had sold all the furniture, most of her jewelry after his husband's death, she had no marketable skills and reluctantly left them at a convent. The nuns took good care of them and they both grew up to be responsible young men who deeply cared for each other. The older brother leaned toward a learned and religious life while, Ciro, the younger was so hurt about being abandoned wanted to be independent and put in an honest day's work. Enza was the oldest daughter in her family so she tended to be a second mother to her siblings. She was deeply heartbroken when her sister died. Strangely the Enza and Ciro first met when her sister had died and was to be buried. From then on, they keep meeting and are separated. It is like fate is throwing them together. Each of them provides something deeply needed from the other.At first, I thought the story moved rather slowly but as story after story built the fabric of a detailed picture of the couple's life with and without each other, I became more and more attached to the two two characters. I can even picture my relatives in similar roles. I love the expression of famiy in this book and it helped me understand more of what my own father when through when he grew up when his father deserted his family. I think this book is very special and I hope that more people will read it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This novel is based on the story of Trigianni's grandparents covering both their lives in Italy and in the United States. Both are followed from childhood through their adult lives. While it's a good book, I thought it ran a little long and that some of the descriptive passages could have been pared back a little. Those of Italian heritage will find it thoroughly enjoyable. I did not think it measured up to her Big Stone Gap trilogy, but it's still a good read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5

    “The Shoemaker’s Wife” was a buddy read that a friend of mine and I decided to do together. I had previously read the novel but was keen to read it again as I remember being quite partial to this particular work.

    As it appears, I had forgotten just how gorgeous this book was. While it's true that the story can be bogged down with descriptions in some parts and the second half of the novel feels rushed through, the overall story is an adventure that is worth reading until the end; the detailed imagery transports the reader into the Italian Alps, and later the USA. The experience becomes even more exquisite if you choose to listen to the audiobook while you read, as I did.

    I truly enjoyed spending my time wrapped up in Enza and Ciro’s love story; which became even more enjoyable when I discovered that the tale was based on the author’s grandparents.

    As for the audiobook version, the narrator did an outstanding job bringing “The Shoemaker’s Wife” to life; full marks to Orlagh Cassidy.

    I would highly recommend both this novel and its accompanying audiobook; I promise that you will not be able to get through the story without shedding at least one tear.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very few books make me cry, but this one really got to me. I loved reading about both characters growing up, and their devotion to their families was really special.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    loved the sappy story
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Normally I really enjoy Adriana Trigiani's novels as an audiobook but this one changed narrators half way through and really spoiled the tone of the book for me. Ms. Trigiani takes over half way through from Annabella Sciorra and it just doesn't work. The other problem I had with the story was the trite writing for instance, pregnant women repeatedly being described as being at their most beautiful and lush with child.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a gorgeously written book steeped in history. Based off of the author's own family history, every character jumps off the page. Everyone has faults and flaws making them extremely relatable. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were times I had to put it down and just shout in frustration. The twists, turns, and unfairness of life jerk Ciro and Enza in ways that are both realistic and nerve wracking. I recall actually having to stop reading and ranting to my roommate about the happenings in this book and how upset and angry I was.I am a reader that gets emotionally invested in the characters I read about, and as much as it pains me to be so frustrated, to feel my blood pressure rise, and feel my eyes start to tear; That is when I know I have a good book in my hands. I definitely felt that with The Shoemaker's Wife.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Nice read, but predictable and sentimental. It does give a good impression of the life of Italian immigrants in search of a better life in America.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I wish this book had ended about 200 pages earlier than it did. I really liked the first 2/3rds of the story - mostly when Enza and Ciro's stories were told separately. I was completely sucked in to what was going on for each of them and found myself thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it. However, their love story, at least until they get married, didn't feel very realistic to me. Maybe I'm a skeptic, but I've never enjoyed the "we met three times and now we're going to get married" story. I do realize that this was a different time, but I had a hard time swallowing the soulmate theme. But if they had to end up together, I wish it had ended with their wedding; I felt like the rest of the novel was too forced, an attempt to make things happen. I found myself rolling my eyes often and skimming pages towards the end.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiana was the love story of the author's grandparents in novel form. The was an epic story (almost 500 pages) of Colin and Enza, both from Italy who found themselves the U.S. for a myriad of reasons just prior to the Great War. This book tells in vivid detail the family life of Colin and Enza: their food, their love, the vocations, their passions, their friends, their homes, etc. The author has the ability to describe the locations as if one was almost there! This was not your typical love-story fluff. I loved how the author wove in real life personages and events with which a reader could identify. My favorite part of the book was when Enza worked at the Met as a seamstress for Enrico Caruso. It's obvious the author had a vast knowledge of history and culture to be able to write about locales such as Italy, Hoboken, NJ, the Met, and Minnesota. I recommend this book if you want a touch of nostalgia.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Heart wrenching! I couldn't put it down and desperately was searching out any time possible to sit and read. Trigiani weaves such beautiful stories full of rich color and detail, I fall in love every time. This book was no exception and I was on an emotional rollercoaster throughout this story. I am finding that the shoemaker aspect is getting a bit old, however, and am hopeful that she does some research into another area for her next book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The love story of Enza and Ciro. that starts in the Italian Alps, moves to New York and ends in Minnesota. I really enjoyed the stories of Ciro and his brother Edwardo growing up in the convent, also the stories about immigration and ship travel and the stories of Enza as a young girls in her early years sewing for the Met and finding her way in New York. Once Enza and Ciro move to Minnesota, the novel became a bit long and repetative. All in all a good story and I enjoyed this book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Overall I quite enjoyed The Shoemaker's Wife. It tells the story of the intertwined lives of two people, Ciro and Enza, who both grow up in the Italian alps and separately emigrate to the United States in the early 1900s. There is no big surprise in the plot; it just tells a beautiful and complete story about two people's lives. The ending brought several things full circle in a lovely way. My only criticism is that the writing felt stiff. In some ways the descriptions were vivid and really drew me in to the world, but sometimes it felt like she was telling rather than showing how the characters felt. The dialogue sometimes felt unnatural and too "perfect". However, I did feel that the characters were well drawn and I could imagine them as real people. Overall I would recommend this book and I will probably read more books by Adriana Trigiani.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pleasant story about an Italian girl who emigrates to America.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This novel is based on the story of Trigianni's grandparents covering both their lives in Italy and in the United States. Both are followed from childhood through their adult lives. While it's a good book, I thought it ran a little long and that some of the descriptive passages could have been pared back a little. Those of Italian heritage will find it thoroughly enjoyable. I did not think it measured up to her Big Stone Gap trilogy, but it's still a good read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved this. Her best book since Big Stone Gap.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really enjoyed this novel. Of course, the title removes any doubt about who gets the girl in the first half, but the route to marriage is not straightforward. This isn't a book about the plot, but about the journey toward love, family, and human fulfillment. What stood out for me particularly was the sensual nature of the writing: the feel of pasta dough, the scent of the seasons on the mountain, the rich look of satin and velvet -- over and over again the senses are fed.I listened to the audiobook, which has an odd characteristic. The first half is read by an actress with a wonderful voice, lively and varied, a joy to listen to. Then, suddenly, the voice changes to a new woman's voice, with a distracting New York-style, rough voice, without the variety of voices. It became difficult to tell when the character changes, and the accent was distracting from the story. It markedly decreased my enjoyment. I couldn't imagine what happened -- they ran out of money? they lost the original reader? At the end, I discovered the second reader was the author herself and the change was intentional. I think it was a poor decision that affected the quality of the audiobook. I didn't take that into account when rating the book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wonderful Love Story and tear jerker