Come l’arancio amaro

‘My Carlotta, of the bitter orange I only know the thorns and they no longer hurt me. But the scent of its white flower is yours, it is that of freedom.’ What is the point of being young and full of plans if you were born in the wrong time? Three extraordinary protagonists face their greatest challenge: finding the meaning of being women in a world that would like to choose for them. Nardina, sweet and patient, who dreams of graduating but ends up trapped in the role of wife. Sabedda, wild and proud, who wishes she could decide her own future but is too poor to do so. Carlotta, proud and determined, who would like to become a lawyer in a world where only males think they can practise the profession. And a secret, which sinks in the night when their destinies are joined forever. Between the 1920s and the 1960s, Sabedda, Nardina and Carlotta fight and love against the backdrop of a changing world, which goes through Fascism and war, and arrives at the new hope of reconstruction. For each of them, life has harsh trials in store, but also the strength of a love greater than the judgement of men. Starting from a true story, Milena Palminteri debuts with a mature and overwhelming novel, written in a nuanced language, populated by characters memorable for the painful pride with which they embrace their destinies.