Loyalty: Book Review

 

Loyalty

By Lisa Scottoline

Galley copy from Netgalley

Lisa Scottoline is known as a mystery-suspense author. In her first novel, She has gone out of the box to shake things up and went out of her usual with Eternal, and now Loyalty. I can't give you my take on Eternal because I haven't read it yet. Instead, I read Loyalty and absolutely loved it. I didn't know what to expect. The only other author I know who wrote out of his usual was Chris Bojhalian. He wrote a spooky novel. In the years past he has written novels out of his usual, with historical fiction as well.  I shouldn't have been surprised then, with Ms. Scottoline writing a terrific novel either. 

I have learned to take notes when there are many characters to keep track of at first. Then once the story is set up I can usually then understand what is going on. As I have gotten older I hate starting a new book. I tense up and get nervous until I know how the story is set up. My reasoning for taking notes in the beginning of the novel.  Is to keep track of the characters. 

Loyalty takes place in Sicily sometime in the 1800s. It takes a bit to get to know who is who is in the novel. The cast of characters includes Franco and Roberto( Franco's twin brother), who work for a wealthy lemon grower, a Baron, a lawyer, Gaetano, and his family, Mafalda is a new mother, and Alfred, a farmer who produces " magical cheese", and Dante a person who intersects the entire story between all the characters. 

The lemon grower, the Baron asks Franco to commit an illegal act, kidnap 5 year old, Dante and murder him. Instead, Franco takes him to the madhouse. Gaetano, who is a lawyer and believes in Justice seeks out and investigates what happened to the little boy, and Alfredo who I'm not sure why he is a character in the book. But does enhance and enrich the folk tale-type novel He is a minor character. I would love to see more of him in the novel. I hope Lisa in the future finds a place to put him in another novel. 

Dante is held in prison for years. Most workers don't understand Dante in the Mad House. They think he is psychotic and crazy. Who wouldn't if you were imprisoned and isolated for years? 

One part I was confused about with Dante as he is older. I was trying to figure out if she was a vision or a real person. If so, how did she get into the madhouse without detection? Maybe I missed something. It didn't take away from the book though. Years later Franco thought his boss loved him. Found out the baron used him as a tool. Instead, Franco takes revenge on the Baron and burns the Baron's property, and ruins the Baron. Franco and his brother rise up to become a group of men and form what is called a mafia. The novel has themes of injustice throughout the novel. 

The novel is a unique novel set in Sicily. Some people will not like the novel because of the many unfamiliar names. But also the characters don't come all together and connect till the end. If you have the patience to let the author play with it. Then you will keep going. It is a wonderful read for the beach. Sicily is a character in the novel. I could imagine the landscape in Sicily, think of the movie, The Godfather. I could see the landscape and the music of The Godfather while reading. If you saw the second Godfather you will know what I am talking about.