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When I asked Mr. Bingles to borrow a book for me from the local library he thought I would have appreciated a novel about an Italian guy who after the II WW decided to have a big adventure and ride his bike to Australia.
Well I’m sure my husband knew two things about me when deciding which book was best:
- I like riding my bike,
- Since I arrived here, I’ve been enjoying reading novels about Australia or by Australian authors
The above two things don’t necessarily lead to the fact that I would enjoy reading this novel (but how could Mr. Bingles know it?).
When I first started reading it, I didn’t get involved in the story that much. It was about Luigi, the main character, a boy living in the Tuscan hills. It was about pre-war lives and the II WW.
I got involved by the story by the time the novel started telling about Partisans and Luigi’s dreams for an after war life. His main dream was riding his bike till the end of the world (Australia).
I liked the description of his journey to Australia and the fact that once he arrived in Sydney there is a description which I can’t but agree with:
Unlike Tuscany where a few hours by foot or bicycle would get you to the next village, in Australia there could, even travelling by motorised bicycle, be a whole day between settlements.
I already knew it but reading this novel has made me realize how much I miss Europe and its great varieties of places to visit, cultures, languages, history, architecture etc…