Viola Ardone Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Viola Ardone

Author Viola Ardone was born in the year 1974 in Naples, Italy. She is a high school Italian and Latin teacher, with a degree in literature and has also worked in academic publishing.

Viola’s debut novel, called “The Recipe for the Heart in Turmoil”, was released in the year 2012. Her work is from the historical genre.

“The Recipe for the Heart in Turmoil” is a stand alone novel that was released in the year 2012. Is there any cure to heal our wrong loves or our inadequacies, just a drug that would numb the pain of always feeling like you’re a step behind in life? Daphne is an architect living in Milan and is both independent and self-confident, and looks for this cure in the symbols and laws of mathematics, attempting to calculate the algorithms of emotions. However her childhood has stayed hidden somewhere. She’s got no memories. Something became stuck in her. Her analyst suggests to her that she turn back to look for this little girl that got lost inside of her, hold her hand and attempt to listen to her voice.

Through the thread of memories, the adult Daphne locates the child version of herself, her city, Naples, and meeting with her family. It won’t be an easy meeting, since Daphne as child has to tell a story that is moving and tender like a Sunday cake, now a disturbing one, like a nightmare in a dark room. And it’s going to all be right there, in a childhood which has flavors, colors, and sounds from the South.

This Daphne is going to find a recipe, one that is both effective and simple, like those that she learned form her grandmas. It is a special recipe to help us heal from our weaknesses, to understand and listen to one another, face one another, and sometimes, forgive each other.

This is an incredibly smooth and beautiful novel with an engaging plot.

“A Sentimental Revolution” is a stand alone novel that was released in the year 2016. Everybody has got the right to have their own Revolution. Even Zelda, who is a gorgeous university researcher that comes from a good family, that finds herself teaching almost on a whim in some dark provincial high school, and who’s never once contaminated herself with the viscous matter of love.

She believes that she has got nothing to teach, yet her pupils still are able to learn a lot of things from her that she didn’t even expect herself to know. They are all incredibly young and still know next to nothing about life, however they have only started to comprehend what they don’t want. And they don’t want the landfill which poisons their country any longer.

However the Revolution, like we know, is much like a match that once its lit everything ignites, then subverts and goes to zero. And the wind which rises from the Scogliano boys’ protest starts to blow in Zelda’s direction, and it ends up disrupting her aseptic and combed life. So she will also have to go down to the square of her own existence and get her own hands dirty with life’s raw materials: responsibility, care, love, hope, and rejection.

Viola tells a tale about redemption and desire, against the background of a pulsating and real Naples like the passions which, even if they’re dormant, burn within the soul. Because everybody has got the right to have their own Revolution. And the Revolution arrives, sooner or later.

Readers found this to be a highly engaging and interesting novel, one that is flowing tale which alternates moments of reality and those of fantasy.

“The Children’s Train” is a stand alone novel that was released in English in the year 2021. Based on real events, and a heartbreaker of a story about hope, love, family, and survival that is set in post-World War Two Italy, it is the story of poor kids from the south being sent to live with families located in the north to survive the harsh winters and deprivation.

Even though Mussolini and the rest of the fascists have been defeated, World War Two has just devastated Italy, particularly the south. Amerigo, age seven, lives with Antonietta (his mom) in Naples, surviving on his wits and on odd jobs like all the other poor people in his neighborhood. However one day, he learns about a train that will take him away from the rubble-strewn streets in the city so he can spend the winter with some family in the north, where he can be safe and have food to eat and warm clothes.

Together with thousands of other southern kids, he is going to cross over the whole peninsula to have a new life. It is through his innocent and curious eyes that we see a nation that is rising up through the ashes of war, reborn. While he starts enjoying these new surroundings and possibilities of having a new future, he is going to make the heartbreaking decision to leave his mom and become a full member of his adoptive family.

His journey is a moving tale of indelible bonds, self-exploration, memory, and artistry, and is a soaring examination of what family could really mean. Ultimately he comes to comprehend that sometimes we have to give up everything, even a mom’s love, in order to find our destiny.

Viola writes with such heartfelt prose, some well drawn characters that face struggles and hardships, thus portraying the time period well and keeping the plot moving forward the entire time. The novel has been beautifully translated into English and is sure to captivate you. The hopelessness of these kids that live in dire poverty seeps from the pages and into your heart while your mind attempts to comprehend the futility of their actions.

This novel leaves the reader with a great sense of importance of family as well as the touch choices that need to be faced as a result of this love. Viola’s wonderfully crafted tale explores the true meaning of belonging and identity.

One Response to “Viola Ardone”

1. Heather Rogers: 1 year ago

   One of my favourite books I’ve ever read.
   I could hardly put it down and now that it’s finished I’m missing it! Can’t wait to read d her next book. Thank you Viola for your beautiful story!

   Reply