Free review copy provided by the publisher!

I’m sorry to say that this book just was not for me. I was looking forward to it since Fitzcarraldo are one of my favourite publishers and anyone who knows my reading taste knows I love a good book about not much in particular. But apparently Grove surpassed my limit, and it was too much nothing 🙈

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I do think this book has its readers who will cherish it. It follows a woman whose partner recently passed away, who decides to take their planned trip to Italy solo. Then in part two she reminisces on her trips to Italy with her family. Then in part three... I’m not sure as my attention span had well and truly checked out. But I think it might offer some comfort and solidarity to the recently bereaved. Those who love Italy and nature writing (or despise eels) might also enjoy this one!

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It did make me realise what I love about books about ‘nothing’, which was lacking in part one (making up 125 pages) of Grove. I love reading about the everyday lives of people, but I love gaining insight into their thoughts, memories, their dynamics with other people in their lives. Part one of this book felt like the very long setting of a scene in a theatre. The narrator just describes what she sees, it’s all very static and we’re not really privy to what’s going on *inside* her head, only what she witnesses. Part two was slightly better, as we had some family dynamics!

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It’s a shame, but I hope this book will find its way into the hands of the right reader! Caroline Schmidt has done a lovely job with the translation from German - it was the content that was not for me.