Rococo by Adriana Trigiani Review
December 12th, 2006 by admin
If you are looking for a light reading book, this is a decent choice. Because the plot isn’t complicated or hard to follow, it’s a good book to read while traveling or while on vacation because you can put it down, pick it back up again later to read more, and easily get back into the story.
When I was reading the book, I found myself much more intrigued by the characters than by the plot which was average and predictable. The main character is “B” or Bartolomeo di Crespi if you want to try and pronounce his whole name. He’s an interior decorator who seems to be happy living the life of a bachelor. During the course of the book he celebrates his 40th birthday, but that’s not the main plot.
His biggest dream as an interior decorator is to renovate and redecorate his church, Our Lady of Fatima. When he hears the church is about to hire an interior decorator, he thinks the job is his since he has been the one who has made the altars look fabulous for many years and because he is devoted to his church. Plus, he’s the only local interior decorator. “B” is shocked, saddened, and angry when he finds out Father Porporino awards the job to an out of town firm.
B wants to go into hiding but his family and friends will only let him have a “pity party” for himself for a short time. In a sudden twist, Father Porporino decides he didn’t make the correct choice of interior designers and gives the job to B. Later in the book we find out why Father Porporino changed his mind.
The story got a little boring to me during the middle when B went to Italy looking to look at the beautiful architecture of churches there in order to get inspiration Our Lady of Fatima. Along the way he purchases statues of the children of Fatima which later play an important part in the story.
While dealing with planning and executing his renovation there are several other characters in the book which liven the story up. There’s his divorced sister who starts dating a married man which is funny and ironic because her divorce was caused by her husband cheating on her. She’s a funny and enjoyable character.
Then there’s his friend Capri and her mother who is holding out hope that Capri and B will get married. Is marriage and romance in the future of B and Capri? And why, halfway through his renovation project does the benefactor pull the remaining funds leaving B scrambling for money to finish it? You may or may not be surprised by the answers to those questions.
My rating (0-10 smilies): 6 ☻☻☻☻☻☻☺☺☺☺