Book Rec of the Day 4/1/2007

HISTORICAL FICTION

With this sweeping historical novel of the Nazi occupation of Italy, Russell proves she is a masterful, imaginative writer and not just in the science fiction category. (Two of her previous books, The Sparrow (Ballantine Books, 1997) and Children of God (Ballantine Books, 1999), were set in the future.) Juggling numerous characters and shifting backward and forward in time, A Thread of Grace is an accomplished, satisfying novel of faith and fate.

A THREAD OF GRACE, by Mary Doria Russell (Ballantine Books, 2005)

Russell determined the fates of her characters in the book by the flip of a coin.