What starts as a light and breezy read, soon turns much darker and is fabulously plotted.
Its not often that the book of a cover or something that is billed as summer read, set in a beautiful location turns out to be something so completely unexpected.
Set in a small town along the coast of Puglia, Three Summers follows the story of Rafaella Parisi who is currently dating Fon Giannelli but she is desperately waiting for the arrival of summer visitors including Cosimo – son of the wealthy Franchetti family. Spanning across as the title suggests three summers, we follow the same group as their lives grow increasingly complex and filled with tragedy.
With this book, Karen Swan has created something so very different from what she has previously written that it is filled with plenty of surprises. Yes there is romance, but it is complicated with references to the mafia, violence and tragedy that lead to a really shocking finale although everything is tied up to great satisfaction.
It is consistently clear just how much thought, research and detail that the author has put into every aspect of the story. Yes perhaps some of the more vivid descriptions of the violence feel slightly overblown, but there is no denying that the reader is thoroughly swept into the world of each of the characters and of course Italy.
While early on in the book is very much description based, it helps to really ensure that when tragedy hits it shows no matter how beautiful a location is darkness can always turn up. There were actual moments reading this I thought this could make for a good television drama – not something that I always tend to think when reading a book.
The drama and tension is built up beautifully, while it is also difficult to resist the will-they-won’t-they romantic uncertainty between Rafaella and Cosimo that really gives the story its emotional core, as does the inner conflict that Fon undergoes as more about his story is unveiled.
It is a slow burn read that does require a bit of patience before anything significant occurs and on some moments it is possible to see exactly what Karen Swan has intended for her characters but these are minor flaws in a book that is consistently engaging to read with all of its twists and turns.
Overall, Three Summers is a brilliant read and has something in it for everyone whether you are a long term Karen Swan reader or just discovering her work for the first time.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️