Blog Tour & Review: Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani (audio)

Title: Tony's Wife
Author: Adriana Trigiani

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini
Published: November HarperAudio / Harper

Length: 12 hours 39 minutes / 496 pages
Source: Audio - via library / ARC Paperback - Publisher via TLC Book Tours

Summary:
Set in the lush Big Band era of the 1940s and World War II, this spellbinding saga from beloved New York Times bestselling author tells the story of two talented working class kids who marry and become a successful singing act, until time, temptation and the responsibilities of home and family derail their dreams

Shortly before World War II, Chi Chi Donatelli and Saverio Armandonada meet one summer on the Jersey shore and fall in love. Both are talented and ambitious, and both share the dream of becoming singers for the legendary orchestras of the time: Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman. They’re soon married, and it isn’t long before Chiara and Tony find that their careers are on the way up as they navigate the glamorous worlds of night clubs, radio and television. All goes well until it becomes clear that they must make a choice: Which of them will put their ambitions aside to raise a family and which will pursue a career? And how will they cope with the impact that decision has on their lives and their marriage?

From the Jersey shore to Las Vegas to Hollywood, and all the dance halls in between, this multi-layered story is vivid with historical color and steeped in the popular music that serves as its score. Tony’s Wife is a magnificent epic of life in a traditional Italian family undergoing seismic change in a fast paced, modern world. Filled with vivid, funny and unforgettable characters, this richly human story showcases Adriana Trigiani’s gifts as a storyteller and her deep understanding of family, love and the pursuit of the American dream.

My thoughts: It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Adriana Trigiani - I've read just about every book she has written and loved each and every one, though The Shoemaker's Wife is my absolute favorite. No one is able to spin a tale of life and draw you into the lives of her characters as deeply as Adriana is.

This book will grab you from the beginning and pull you in. I was completely wrapped up in the lives of Chi Chi Donatelli and Saverio Armandonada (Tony) as they navigated the trials and tribulations of life. In this epic family saga, we follow these characters from their late teens/early twenties in the 1930s all the way until they are in their 80s in 2000.

Chi Chi is a character I admired from the get-go. She is fierce and independent and willing to stand up for herself. She had a passion for music and a mind for business, both of which served her well.

Tony is a character I was a bit ambivalent about throughout the book. When we first meet him, I liked him. I felt he was driven and was going to do good things. But then there were times I disliked him immensely. I felt he was incredibly selfish and only thought about what he was owed, what he deserved. He never put his family first, thinking only about what he wanted. This was the Tony I didn't like.

This book is so much more that just about the romance of Chi Chi and Tony. It's about the choices we make and how those choices impact our lives. Chi Chi and Tony have a complicated relationship and this is what is at the heart of this book. We see them at their highs and we see them at their lows and through it all, Chi Chi is there to take charge. Very expertly the relationships between mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and man and woman are explored and it is all done so realistically. This is where Adriana draws from her rich Italian American family background, using the social mores of her culture and infusing it into her story. It is rich in detail and just brings the story to life.

This book is big...coming in at just under five hundred pages, but you will easily be swept up in the tale and find yourself completely immersed and engaged in these characters. I have loved every book I have read by Adriana Trigiani and this one is no exception.

Audio thoughts: I decided to listen to this book for no reason other than the fact that Edoardo Ballerini was narrating it and he has one of the most amazing voices. He did a fantastic job narrating this book and really brought the book to life. I found myself completely captivated by the voices he gave to all the characters and am still thinking about the story days later - in the voices he used!

About the Author: Adriana Trigiani is the bestselling author of 17 books, which have been published in 36 countries around the world. She is a playwright, television writer/producer and filmmaker. She wrote and directed the film version of her novel Big Stone Gap, which was shot entirely on location in her Virginia hometown. She is co-founder of the Origin Project, an in-school writing program that serves more than a thousand students in Appalachia. She lives in Greenwich Village with her family.