Dual time-line novel set in ROME

4th June 2021

Two Women in Rome by Elizabeth Buchan, dual time-line novel set in Rome.

Lottie has come to Rome to be with Tom and she manages to bag a job as an archivist. She discovers archive material that draws her in and takes her back to 1978 and highlights the life and death of Nina Lawrence, a shadowy figure who came to an horrific end; she was a woman who had no ties and no-one to mourn her. At the end, she was a woman abandoned by people, love and by life, and this aspect of her life chimes a chord with Lottie’s own personal experiences, abandoned as she herself had been by her own mother, her father unknown. Among the papers and records there is also a small artwork that surely must offer some clue to this woman’s existence.

The 1970s were a period of quite some political upheaval across Europe and especially in Italy. The kidnapping and killing of former Prime Minister, Aldo Moro, is one facet of the machinations at various levels throughout political and religious institutions that marked the period. There is a lurking sense that Nina was perhaps not the simple gardener and botanist she purported to be. Much of the information gleaned about her is through the diaries and notes she kept, and Lottie finds herself becoming a devoted – obsessed – researcher, a stubborn and dedicated woman on a mission, who simply will not be deterred.

There are several characters who thread their way through the narrative both then and now, right down to Concetta who is Tom’s home help, but whose loyalty lies with his previous girlfriend. Irritated at first, threatened by his paramour who seemingly continues to have a presence in Tom’s life, Lottie has to coax Concetta round. She also has to ensure her work colleagues are on side as she delves deeper into the Nina’s life and discovers secrets and lies at the heart of her story.

Rome is very much a character in its own right and you can feel how much the author has enjoyed bringing the city to the pages of this book. Streets, architecture and the metropolitan vibe come to life in the capable hands of this author as both her lead characters move around. Her writing style is quite wonderful.

For me it felt like quite a slow start to the book and I struggled to really engage with both Lottie and Nina, and that made the story feel just a little flat. Rome is a passionate city, it makes a heady backdrop and I guess I yearned to experience the intensity and colour of the metropolis reflected in the trajectory of the story and its characters, but I just couldn’t get hold of the passion which I could sense was just lurking in the wings. It all felt just a little on the dry side.

A good choice nevertheless if you are heading for Rome. The cover is a REAL eye-catcher and love the combination of purple and yellow.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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