Rosina - by Miriam Polli

Book Synopsis

Rosina, an innocent, convent-raised girl, emigrates from Italy to America filled with hope and optimism. She falls wildly in love with Nicola, a passionate advocate for workers' rights and nonviolent protest. Introduced to his friend, Bartolomeo Vanzetti, a poet and philosopher, they immerse themselves in a movement-distributing pamphlets and attending clandestine meetings. At first, Rosina embraces Nicola's ideals wholeheartedly, believing in justice and equality.

But as the political climate darkens, the movement shifts toward violence, and Rosina, now a mother of two, is pulled into a nightmare from which there is no escape. Will her choices bring untold horror to her and her family? With searing poignancy, Rosina traces a young woman's journey from love and idealism to sacrifice and devastating loss. Her dreams-a peaceful family life and the promise of America as a land of justice-are shattered.

Rosina is a powerful exploration of love, loyalty, and the consequences of prejudice, a timely and deeply relevant novel in today's social unrest and rising xenophobia.

Review Quotes

"ROSINA by Miriam Polli is a gripping tale of Italian immigrants navigating upheaval during the Red Scare. A richly woven story of love, loss, and resilience that captures the deep toll of injustice while balanced with vivid characters. An excellent journey through history and heartache." David Beaumier, ChantiReviews

"Immersive...engaging. This is historical fiction I can get behind. The narrative, sense of scene, and characterization take this well above anything else I've read in the genre." Andrew Gifford, Santa Fe Writers Project.

"Polli poignantly depicts the saga of Nicola and Rosina-true believers in the goals of the Anarchists, if not the violence-as they become increasingly and frustratingly entangled in a movement that will be their undoing. The narrative moves deliberately through the great social upheaval of the first quarter of the 20th century, painfully tracking Nicola and Rosina's inexorable path to the tragic sham trial that stands as a shameful episode in American history. Undergirding the historical narrative are the couple's love story and Rosina's personal travails, adding emotional color and context to an oft-recounted tale. Sad and disturbing, with a message relevant to today's anti-immigrant fervor." Kirkus

"Polli shows us a young woman in love who matures through sacrifice and suffering only to find her dreams shattered at the end: her dreams of a peaceful family life, and the American dream of equality and justice. A sensitive exploration of love, loyalty, and the consequences of bigotry, Rosina is even more relevant today in the current climate of social strife and prejudice against immigrants."

Linda Lappin, author