‘The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia’ by Juliet Grames. Knopf, 416 pages, $29
People disappear, during war, in crimes, from accidents, even by choice. Juliet Grames explores how each disappearance comes with secrets in her sophisticated second novel, “The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia.”
Set during 1960 in a remote Italian village, “The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia” looks at old-fashioned ways thrust into a modern world, small-town life, politics and the lingering influence of WWII. At the center is a young woman trying to find her way on her own.
Francesca Loftfield, a 27-year-old American, is as lost as that mysterious boy. Francesca has come to Santa Chionia, “nestled in the remote heart of the Aspromonte massif in Southern Calabria” to establish a nursery school. The idealistic Philadelphian believes the school not only will educate the youngsters but also their parents in matters of hygiene and nutrition to reduce the child mortality rate. She wants to save “one needy child at a time.”
This isolated mountain village with its sheer cliffs hasn’t quite been able to embrace the 20th century. The village was ignored by the government after WWII, and a cholera epidemic wiped out a quarter of the residents. There is no running water, electricity, nor a proper road — getting there is quite arduous, as part of the journey must be done on foot. None of this deters Francesca, who believes she can make a difference.
Soon after Francesca arrives, the post office is swept away during a flood following a torrential storm that lasts weeks. This cuts off the mail service and destroys the footpath out of the village. The post office’s destruction unearths a decades-old skeleton that few village people seem to care about. Although busy planning the school, Francesca can’t resist the pleas of the priest’s housekeeper who wants to know if the remains are that of her son, who supposedly left more than 40 years before. Her son, Leo, was 15 years old when he left for America but has never been heard from since. Then a second woman wonders to Francesca if the remains may be her missing husband.
Francesca’s inquiries reveal aspects of Santa Chionia that villagers have tried to hide. The past may be buried even deeper in a place where the residents often refer to themselves as a big family.
Grames’ skill at building solid characters shines in “The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia.” Despite being in her late 20s and living in Italy for a couple of years, Francesca comes to Santa Chionia a bit naïve at the struggles of others, especially those in an isolated area. She thinks she understands the area because her mother’s heritage is Calabrian, but she has much to learn.
Grames subtly shows the contrast between the modern world Francesca is used to and life in the village, where running water would be a luxury. Television and rock ‘n’ roll would be inconceivable. It’s revealed that Francesca is telling events that happened to her more than 60 years before. Her time in Santa Chionia will influence the choices Francesca will make for her future.
Breathtaking vistas of Italy further seal the enthralling story of “The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia.”
