Rosina - by Miriam Polli

Book Synopsis

Rosina is an innocent, convent-raised girl who emigrates from Italy to America with high hopes and optimism. She marries Nicola Sacco, a passionate advocate for workers' rights and nonviolent protest, and soon finds herself drawn into his world. Befriended by the poet and philosopher, Bartolomeo Vanzetti, they become activists for the cause. However, the political climate is changing and the movement grows violent. The young couple is soon dragged into a nightmare that engulfs her dreams of a peaceful family life. In this sensitive exploration of love, loyalty, and the consequences of bigotry, the story of Rosina is just as relevant today in a climate of social strife and prejudice against immigrants. Will the love and support be enough to save their lives?

Review Quotes

Advance praise for ROSINA

"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 Review

"Immersive...engaging. ROSINA 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 Writer's Project.

"ROSINA 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

"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 of Loving Modigliani