From Sand and Ash

The book was ok but the audio drove me insane. The narrator attempted many accents and they were all bad. I finally had to return the audio version and just read the physical book. I would have preferred a straight narration without the bad attempts at accents. If you are not a native speaker (or close to it), please don’t attempt a series of horrible accents.

Amy Hartman is such an extraordinary writer and Cassandra Campbell brings this book to life in a way only she could. This story was hard to get through, it was so heartbreaking, but well worth it!

I’ve read many of her books and each has become a part of me. This one is intense. It puts life in perspective, and makes you realize that no matter how bad your day or week or month has been, that nothing compares to the holocaust.
Great narration, there were many conversations with changing accents and tone. She did an excellent job!

A story of friendship, family and faith that changes and gets tested in unimaginable ways throughout the two main characters journey. A beautiful love story set among the atrocities of war that proves love can conquer all and that courage comes in many forms. Wonderful audio performance as well.

Good story, great narration
A little long - could have bee wrapped up sooner but overall a good story.

Great book! Great story! Great characters! Another entertaining book from Amy.

Red history World War II in Italy Rome and of course always a love story Keeps you wanting to listen to the end, the very end.

The whole story is is about love and sacrifices. I highly recommend this book and love the author Amy Harmon second book I have read of hers both excellent!

No matter how many brooks I read about the atrocities that were committed during the holocaust, I imagine that it must have been a million times worse.

When I first started this novel, I dubbed it “THE THORNBIRDS OF FRANCE”, the only similes being Forbidden love of a priest and conceiving his child.

The difference was Poor one legged Angelo, loved with such purity that every word about him made me want to cry. I felt that if I could look into his face I would see an innocent cleanses of both heart and spirit.

Even as I struggle with my hatred of what was done to Jews (or slaves) by people who thought they were better than them. With slaves, they had nothing, ripped from their homeland with nothing, never to see home or family again. Jew had everything ripped FROM them, The only difference? They were able to assimilate. Slaves never could.

Angelo and Eva, Two people fighting against impossible odds, living through the worst evil that man can perpetrate against one another and still find room for forgiveness.
How do we as people who claim to believe in a forgiving being do this to others? I will never know.

This is truly a great romance during a hellish time, and I highly recommend it.

Beautiful book, I wish it was true. But I’m sure there are many real life miracles that could read like this book. I can only hope.

I have avoided this book for over a year, because of the subject matter. However now that I've read From sand and ash I do not regret it for a second....Amys ability to turn history into a work of fiction is Exquisite!

I have heard many stories about the German and Poland Jews but never before the Italian Jews and how Italy was involved in the war.
I could not put this book down and thank Amy for the research and the beautiful way she has written the story.

Another outstanding Amy Harmon novel. Her books never fail. Warning: the plot is very anxiety producing. I couldn’t listen to it at night when I was trying to relax, so I had to limit my listening to the daytime when I was doing chores and running errands.

It was an incredible audiobook, I took it with me every where I went. I ached, cried and lived among them.

Angelo Bianco is a Catholic American who grows up with a Jewish family in Italy, where he is expected to become a priest. He and the family’s daughter, Eva Rosselli, are drawn to each other. When WWII arrives, the family is torn apart.

I appreciated the historical aspects and found it accurate in terms of the Catholic church hiding Jews in Rome and the Nazis’ robbing and roundups. Father O’Flaherty and Rabbi Cassuto were real people and are portrayed convincingly. The first half is set up well, with Angelo and Eva developing strong bonds. I was interested to see how the war would affect them.

It lost me in the second half. I had trouble believing Angelo would go through with ordination when he did not seem particularly spiritual or devoted. The relationship between Angelo and Eva becomes increasingly melodramatic. Toward the end, it requires a huge suspension of disbelief, which I just could not muster. I liked parts of this book, so I am going with a middle of the road rating.

Eva Roselli has always loved Angelo Bianco since they grew up as best friends in Milan, Italy. Angelo has always loved Eva but he loved the church more when he entered the seminary to become a Catholic priest in Rome. When fascist assumed power in Italy, many Italian Jews believed that they would fair better than those in Germany. However, they quickly learned this not to be the case. Angelo used his position in the church to shelter a number of Jews and assist them in finding sanctuary out of the country. When he convinces Eva to join him in Rome with forged documents presenting her as his sister, Eva uses her anonymity to assist her family and other Jews to avoid capture and deportation to concentration camps. However, as Eva becomes more emboldened, Angelo doesn't know how he will continue to keep Eva safe. The ordeal will also reveal Angelo's true feelings about Eva.

I initially began reading this book but finished it with an audiobook. Although the first was enjoyable, the narrator brought the story to life with her skill in dialogue with different dialects. This novel was a touching love story about two individuals who would go to great lengths to save the other. I have read about the impact of WW2 now through many books and from the perspective of numerous characters from across the globe. This book will be included as one of my favorites. I believe that I heard the narrator's voice crack with emotion from time to time as she narrated the book.

From Sand And Ash
by Amy Harmon
Excellent audio performance by Cassandra Campbell

"Italy 1943 - Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II."
Angelo Bianco (American -Catholic) has been sent to Italy for education, with consideration of the priesthood and opportunities that could be provided by close proximity to the Vatican.
He is assimilated into a Jewish family and is raised with Eva Rosseli.
Despite the strong bonds formed between them, he chooses the priesthood and later they are reunited as the Gestapo closes in.
The details of the story are vivid and the circumstances heart wrenching.
"Trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice and the most difficult decision of all."

"From sand and ash, rebirth.
From sand and ash, new life.
With every song and with every prayer, with every small rebellion, she vowed to push back, to make glass from the ashes."

Quotations are from Sand And Ash text and summary.

4.5 *