Although the book started out OK, about half way through listening became a chore. There weren't any characters I cared about.

The depth of feeling that the author explored the individuals, it was a wonderful story, and wonderfully narrated!

Piscquali!

The one in the dug out where they admired the sketching on the wall under the different sunlight conditions!

A time in Italy

My first Jess Walter book - but will look for others! I picked it based on recommendations on Audible and was NOT disappointed at ALL!

I enjoyed the characters and the connection between characters. The way the story was presented and woven together was intriguing. I loved the dichotomy of old and new throughout.

In terms of structure, Beautiful Ruins reminded me of The Help and The Kitchen House. The overlapping of stories told from different perspectives. However, the story was distinctly unique.

I can't pick one scene that was my favorite but I loved the imagery that made up Italy.

The only downfall of Beautiful Ruins was the rushed ending. While I liked that everything was buttoned up, I didn't like that it felt like a list of what happens.

Made me laugh; could really see this being based on a true story. Lots of interesting characters.

This story line was good but it seemed, to me, to have too many characters. At times I got a bit confused. Also, a bit too much information about sub (and sub - sub) characters especially the last chapter.
But the narrator did a great job with all these voices. I really liked his voice.
One thing I was curious about and did not get in the audio was this: How can you use the name of someone like Richard Burton, was this a true story? If yes or no it would have been nice to at least mention it.
Still, all in all, this was an enjoyable listen.

In the top 3

The settings, vivid characters, and plot. Wonderful story.

His command of the Italian language. Fluid reading.

??

Loved this book. The braided stories and how they all play on each other.

Great book. Fantastic characters that intertwined. This book is well written and the character development keeps the reader engaged and wanting more.

This is my favourite book, so far. There are so many characters and I love 'character' books and movies.

I can't think of another book which compares to this, as it is such a unique approach to a "character" book. The story is just so atypical.

I liked Shane's pitch, as it was a story within the story and I loved their all meeting at Debra's, 50 years later.

Pasquale is such an honourable man; a loving, true-to-himself soul.

My friend is a voracious reader and likely reads 10 books to my one, so she is well-versed in good literature. This is the only book I have ever dared to recommend, nay, insist that she read.

Yes, the underlying themes are mature, about accepting responsibility for your actions, making the right but not always easy choices, and living the life you have. There is a long list of characters who are all struggling with these issues in different ways. Add the rich language, the sympathetic treatment of the characters, and the generally upbeat end, and you have a book that is worth re-reading. The narrator was excellent too!

I liked Dee, who did her best with some pretty hard knocks in her life. Of course, I liked Pasquale too, a decent man, caught up in events that took him over. He struggled to find his way, but once that became clear, did the right thing, though it was very very hard.