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Чудесата на Санто Фико

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"Чудесата на Санто Фико" е брилянтно написана и изключително привлекателна история, богата на човешка мъдрост и топлота, изпълнена с пъстроцветието на тосканския край, отразяваща жизнеутвърждаващия италиански дух."
Буклист

Четирима тийнейджъри, неразделни приятели, кроят планове как да съживят своето потънало в провинциална дрямка градче. Но както често се случва, когато любовта и приятелството се смесят, между четиримата пламва вражда и Санто Фико отново потъва в неизвестност. Двайсет години по-късно Лео Пизола се завръща в Санто Фико, за да открие селището още по-западнало. Дълго пазените тайни се разкриват, загадките се разрешават и всепобеждаващата красота на живота възтържествува, когато чудото наистина започва да се случва в затънтеното италианско градче, кацнало на скалистия морски бряг.

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

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D.L. Smith

10 books5 followers

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5 stars
379 (29%)
4 stars
485 (37%)
3 stars
314 (24%)
2 stars
90 (6%)
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20 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
Profile Image for Jess The Bookworm.
597 reviews99 followers
January 10, 2018
This novel is set in the fictional Tuscan village of Santo Fico. This village is in the middle of nowhere, built up by accident. When tourists get lost and end up in the town on their way to somewhere else, the town's people get so excited, and some try to capitalise on the story the 'Miracle and the Mystery' of Santo Fico.

The novel follows the lives of the people living in the village: those that are comfortable to live there forever, those that can't wait to get out and see the world, those with regrets, those with secrets and guilty consciences.

The descriptions in this book were lovely, and I really felt as though I was part of the town. It was such an easy to read book, which is perfect for me at the moment. It also had a scene that literally had me giggling to myself like a crazy person, and any book that can do that is worth reading and recommending to others, in my opinion.
Profile Image for Sandy T.
280 reviews24 followers
August 19, 2008
I took this book with me when I left for the weekend, hearing it was a lighthearted quick read, and I wasn't disappointed!
I was first going to just give this 4 stars because I felt like it took awhile to set the story up... but then I thought that if a book could make me laugh out loud the way this did in a few places, it deserved 5 stars!
This is a heartwarming story set in a little mountain town in Italy. The author paints the Tuscan area and its people so vividly, you really can feel the story unfold just like an old Sophia Loren movie!
...just a lovely little story--so enjoyable!
Profile Image for MaryKay.
267 reviews94 followers
July 2, 2009
The characters in this book have faults. Their lives are not what they would have planned or chosen. But repentance and forgiveness happen. In chapter 16, I liked where it said, "He was pruning the olive trees in the wrong season. His watering was washing away too much topsoil around the vines. But he didn't care. He would do better tomorrow." Some days we aren't able to do things perfectly, but we do the best we can.
122 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2015
Ah, that all books could be this good. I do think you need to be 30 and over to truly enjoy the book. Meaning, you have to have lived life long enough to get the pain and anguish of regret and disappointment and the joy of forgiveness to appreciate the characters. Otherwise, this book would just come across as a fun, delightful read.
Profile Image for Ape.
1,783 reviews38 followers
January 31, 2015
2007 bookcrossing journal:

Hey - I finally finished this book last night =) Strange considering it is light, easy reading (the kind of thing that would be good for a holiday) but I did find it really hard to get into. The second half definately picks up the pace when the miracles finally come into the story, and I did grow to like the characters, in particular I thought the whole storyline with Father Elio was good. I like to read books set in countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece, if only for the sunshine feeling =)

I've got to admit that I wasn't overly impressed with his writing style (getting down to purely technical things). I think in some ways I was expecting too much of this book because it had been highly reccomended to me, so perhaps I couldn't have been anything but disappointed. I also felt that his characters did tend towards the unoriginal stereotypes - particularly national stereotypes which does make it a little shallow. And please try to think of another adjective to describe British people other than 'horsey'!!! As if we are all upper class country gents!

People who know me, know that I can be a bit cynical, so this is never going to be my favourite book. There were a few far-too-cheesey moments for in the book - particularly the very last miracle (I won't say what it is incase anyone reading this hasn't read the book!). I was actually a bit shocked by the stunt Leo pulled to teach Carmen to be a good girl - that was actually a really horrible thing to do to her, it could have so easily gone wrong. And then her knight arriving on the back of a rearing horse in a thunderstorm (did he just steal that straight out of a cheap romance or has he not heard of cliches???)

Rant rant rant. He he.

It's a light easy read, and I have set up a little bookring as I am very curious to hear what other people think about this book. As I've already mentioned, this was recommended to me. The woman who told me about it had also said that she thought the book is THAT good that she is telling ALL her friends and family that they have to read it.
Profile Image for Alyson.
1,193 reviews2 followers
August 21, 2015
What a gem! This was a fun book that had me laughing out loud (blotched angel miracle). I enjoyed the setting of a run down, unknown, little Italian town. The characters were well developed and unique. You could easily fall in love with everyone in the town. I enjoyed the mysteries surrounding the town and thought everything came together beautifully. I can’t say I loved any one character more, they were all charming.

I am not big on suspense. I just don’t enjoy it. I’m sure no other person who has EVER read this book would call it suspenseful but it was for me. I was very restless one day while reading it. I couldn't settle down and accomplish anything in my house so I decided to read so that I was at least accomplishing something. Perhaps I should have just sat in a chair and done nothing. As I read I kept getting anxious every time Leo did something that seemed to be breaking the rules. I had to take little breaks, read ahead, call Mara (who chose it for book club) and read reviews just reassure myself that it would all work out in the end. I guess I should never read a book when I am restless!

Every other book we read for book club during the year is at a disadvantage. No other book has the privilege of being highlighted at a dinner in its honor. We enjoyed delicious Italian food, amazing decorations, a handout and our regular great conversations about the book. What a night! I didn’t even mind a rainstorm for the second year in a row.
Profile Image for Candice.
1,468 reviews
August 16, 2007
I read this for our book group, and we all enjoyed it. It was a light story with interesting, memorable and likeable characters. The author has a great sense of humor and he knows when to use it.

What do you think a miracle is? Is it some big, earth-shattering event? Or is it something personal that maybe only a few people know about. This made me think more about what a miracle really is. I think it's something as personal as reuniting with a lost love or finding a better relationship between a mother and a daughter. Nothing earth-shattering there, unless you're one of the lovers, or the mother or the daughter. So I'm going to continue to look for small miracles in my life - like the sweet older woman who called the library yesterday and then said, "Thank you for being so nice to me this morning." Those few words gave me a good start to the day - my small miracle.
Profile Image for Karen Patterson.
668 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2009
I must say this is one of my top 10 books and one I buy often to give away as gifts. You will laugh, cry and feel warm and fuzzy all over at times. Is it action-packed? No, but it's a beautiful and witty story about a middle-aged man who returns home to his small, charming, but falling apart, village. The characters are very interesting and quirky and you find yourself caught up in their day-to-day lives, secrets are revealed, with romance and faith renewed and redemption found. In fact, I was enjoying it so thoroughly that I found myself wishing it could go on for just a bit more. Even my friends' husbands enjoyed reading this book!
Profile Image for Mary.
500 reviews
May 30, 2012
Once in a while, I just want a good story; nothing shocking, nothing shmaltzy, nothing overly suspenseful...just a good story, with interesting characters, a solid plot and a little subtle humor. This little book provided that!

July 9, 2015
Once in a Blue Moon one reads a magical book.
This is that book. I loved the characters and parts of the book had me laughing so hard that I nearly collapsed. I don't usually read books twice but I've read this one three times. I wish Mr Smith would write another book...soon.
Profile Image for Ann.
158 reviews3 followers
January 7, 2021
A beautiful story of love, loss, greed, grief, longing, and yes, miracles; with an ending that is not a spoonful of saccharine, but instead, a clever and perfectly woven masterpiece.

This book is visually enticing, so much so that I found myself wanting to pack a bag and go spend a lazy summer in a Tuscan hill town (maybe somewhere in Umbria).

If you're looking for an easy, uplifting read, one that will make you both sad an happy at the end, and one who's characters will stay with you for a while, I whole heartedly recommend The Miracles of Santo Fico!

Question: It looks like there was a film made of this book as my Goodreads Friend Carla suggested, (BTW Carla thanks for the recommendation) but I can't seem to find it. If there is anyone out there that knows of it please let me know.
July 29, 2018
What a smile-producing read! Even with all their foibles and ticks, the people of Santo Fico were a joy to get to know. It was such a pleasant interlude to turn to a little novel in which the characters were intrinsically good (or if not good, dead), and the reader could enjoy every turn and twist of the plot knowing full well that all would end well. While the story was light-hearted, the language was well chosen and precise. Describing the gathered crowd in the church in one of the last scenes, the author tell us: "For those in the cathedral that night, it was like being one word in a great poem that had no end or a single note of music in an extraordinary chorale that rolled on forever." If you decide to read this book, I recommend that you save it for your next bout of the blues. Its charm is guaranteed to change your outlook.
Profile Image for Anne Trine.
80 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2020
En sommerlesning som hadde vært perfekt til en ferie i en liten, italiensk landsby (av åpenbare grunner), men som ble lest med klassisk, trøndersk rufsevær i bakgrunnen. Mye ved denne boka var irriterende, som beskrivelsene av nesten alle de kvinnelige karakterene som eksepsjonelt vakre. Men den hadde også mange morsomme øyeblikk, og en fin historie i bunn. Den får 3 stjerner, men det blir mer som et terningkast 3!
Profile Image for Tricia LaRochelle.
Author 5 books50 followers
November 2, 2023
The Miracle of Santo Fico is an intriguing tale about a small town in picturesque Italy that hosts a whole cast of unique and often quirky characters. At the center of the story is the town of Santo Fico itself, with its stifling heat and gentle ocean breezes that seem to breathe life into some while suffocating the hopes and dreams of others. Each member of the town grapples with their own past, riddled with struggle and uncertainty, yet as the story moves forward, those same individuals are challenged by life and each other to face their demons.

The patriarch of the town, Father Elio, is the glue that strains to hold this small but vibrant village together, even though he also carries a dark secret that burdens his soul every minute of every day.
This is a story of the human condition and what one must do to overcome the bad decisions of the past and move forward. It’s a story about how each and every one of us can hurt the very people we cherish the most. The author’s use of analogies and symbolism is spot-on and meaningful.

D. L. Smith is an exquisite writer, one of the best, and this story captured my heart. I was sad to see it end.
Profile Image for Lesley Webb.
34 reviews
March 8, 2024
Absolutely delightful! Likeable characters, fresh & humorous. Plot very nicely paced, and the miracles - ah, say no more! Real Italy!
Profile Image for Sara Isabel.
9 reviews1 follower
September 5, 2020
One of the first books I ever picked up. My mom brought it down from the atic. I didn't know that my first propper book would be one of my most loved
Profile Image for Alexander Rolfe.
329 reviews11 followers
January 1, 2024
The main character is such a shyster that it's a little hard to root for him at times, but the writing is charming and the denouement is very happy and satisfying.
580 reviews3 followers
May 23, 2014
The Miracles of Santo Fico is a combination fairy tale and fable that takes place in a small village in Tuscany. D.L. Smith weaves a story of miracles, both false and real, in this very poor, isolated village. It seems as if every character has a deep, dark secret that takes enormous energy to conceal, often leading to bitterness and barely suppressed rage. The people of Santo Fico go about their lives, while the secrets and mysteries are buried and never discussed. I don't think I've ever read a book where the characters interact with one another in such superficial ways, never really saying much or expressing feelings and what's in their hearts and minds. Nevertheless, it was an intriguing book. I admit the book is very slow to get started - like an engine on a cold morning. But once it gets rolling, the story unfolds and readers are hooked. I enjoyed reading about this Tuscan village and the miracles. As with any good fable, there are lessons to be learned here, some more subtle than others.
Profile Image for Nicole C..
1,148 reviews21 followers
February 21, 2016
I listened to this in the car on my way to and from work for the past few weeks. I think that made it a little harder to get into the story, but it was the same for some of my book club members who read the print version. William Hope is a good narrator, though.

Once the miracles start happening, it becomes more engaging. In sum, the atmosphere and descriptions, though a bit long-winded at times, are worth it. It's a sweet story towards the end, nothing really DEEP despite the title and description. If you're looking for something a little lighter but no less entertaining, pick this one up.

941 reviews6 followers
May 8, 2019
It isn't often that I find a book that just captivates me, start to finish as this one did. I love the way it is written, the characters, the plot (s), the old Italian town, the humor, - just everything about it.
And I was impressed by it's wholesomeness and the absence of those words that slap you in the face and insult God. Five stars may be a bit of a stretch, but four seemed too few. I hope Mr. Smith has written more books and that I can find them!
Profile Image for Mara.
621 reviews
June 1, 2021
This is my new favorite book. This is a delightful and charming story of forgiveness and redemption set in an isolated village on the Tuscan Coast. I laughed out loud in parts and cried at others-( a rare response to a book. This story has a slow start, but keep going. It gets really good.
Profile Image for Erika Schmid.
452 reviews17 followers
September 8, 2018
Oh, my heart. It is filled with so much love for this story and these characters. I would hate living in a small town where everyone knows each others business and yet I love everyone in this small town.

Santo Fico is a small village on the Tuscan coast. It is forgotten by many and rarely visited by tourists. Yet, when Leo returns after being in America for nearly a decade upon the death of his father, the whole of Santo Fico is turned upside down. Schemes go haywire as Leo wraps his old friend Topo into his schemes to sell his family's old farm to get back to America. And when an earthquake hits, the whole town finds that it is in need of a few miracles. It was the characters who were alive throughout this novel. There was Leo who just hated being back home, Topo who was just awkward though wanted to be a part of everything, and then Maria who owned the town's only hotel, yet was far from hospitable to Leo. The past history of these characters sprung forth again, not only with Leo returning, but with Maria's two daughters living their own lives and stumbling upon the past of Santo Fico. Everyone was so dynamic and relatable. Yes, they were stupid about a few things, but that is what made them human. Maria's anger toward Leo was understandable and Leo's desire to get out of Italy made sense. It was the others in the town too, right down to the old man who believed he made the fountain dry out...and he really did. The miracle was how everyone interacted and came over their own personal histories to start new ones. It was just beautiful to read the development and growth of each person in the confines of this small space and time.

I wanted to be lost in Santo Fico forever. I have a longing to return to Tuscan Italy and this book totally encouraged it again. The characters in this novel were so real that I would not be surprised if someone like them wander around Italy somewhere.
Profile Image for Carmen  Pérez.
195 reviews1 follower
June 1, 2023
The plot of this novel is simple, as circumstances fuse to force various townspeople to look into their deepest souls to recognize what is most important to each of them. When Leo Pizzola's relationship with Marta Caproni ended with her marrying Franco Fortino, he left for Chicago to make his fortune and find many women. Leo has no real ties in America after two decades of living there. When Leo inherits the family farm, he returns to his hometown of Santo Fico on the Italian coast of Tuscany, hoping for enough to finance his return to Chicago. Memories plague him. A tour bus is lured into Santo Fico--by ruse or by accident--and once the British visitors are safely ensconced in the hotel restaurant (Albergio di Santo Fico, Marta's father's hotel), Leo and his childhood friend Guido Pasolini (Topo) launch into the lucrative scam that they invented as boys: storytelling to "sell" a viewing of treasures (the ''miracle'' and the ''mystery'') inside the local church. The "miracle" is the stump of an ancient fig tree that once sheltered St Francis, and the "mystery" is a luminous fresco by an anonymous artist, possibly Giotto di Bondone. Leo is encouraged by his dramatic success. But in the night, an earthquake severely damages the church. Yielding to temptation, Leo "saves" the fresco by stealing it with Topo in large chunks and hiding it under his bed. Surely now, he will have enough money to escape. The old priest (Father Elio Caproni, Marta's uncle) is grievously saddened and goes on a hunger strike to expiate his sins, on which he blames the desecration. Marta sets Leo a deadline for a manufactured miracle, and the fun begins as Leo and Topo make farcical attempts to set things right. The priest good-naturedly overlooks (or fails to see) their transparent ploys, yet he manages to perceive miracles everywhere else in the familiar atmosphere of his beloved village. Leo returns to the fresco and finds love with Marta. I give it five stars out of five.
Profile Image for Terilee.
2 reviews
November 9, 2017
I don't usually add anything about the books I read, apart from giving the amount of stars I feel inclined to give them, but this book was so uplifting I just have so say something extra. It is beautiful. It is wonderful. It is so uplifting and impossible to put down. I haven't felt so good about a book since "The Help", and this one is almost better, but in its own way. My good friend gave it to me to read and it is one I am actually going to have to purchase to have in my own library, because I know that someday I am going to want to read it again and feel this wonderful joy that I feel in my heart right now. This book was romantic, but realistic, full of sadness, but happiness as well - it just encompassed everything in life so beautifully. D. L. Smith has created a miracle of his own with this beautiful book. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for crafting such a wonderful story to send out into this troubled world - and our troubled souls. I recommend it to one and all. You may not feel as I do and you "may say I'm a dreamer", but I bet I'm not the only one. Blessings again to the author and to The Author for this literary gem.
Profile Image for Christina.
321 reviews3 followers
July 24, 2022
Plenty of other reviewers explain this book well -- light summer read (and perfect to read while visiting Italy, which I did), flawed characters, funny mishaps and miscues, love, magic and all sorts of mysteries, both human and divine.

I, too, found it started a little slow, while the author establishes the characters' personalities and flaws. And I found some of the descriptions to be stereotypical of what Americans think of Italians, especially those from the countryside. Does the priest really need to go on a hunger strike so that we can learn how important food is to the local culture? Does Leo really need to hear the lecture from the priest about butterflies and chrysalises to understand that a character transformation is about to take place?

This straightforwardness is ideal for those days when you want a book where you do not have to flip back and forth to figure out who said what or when. Those days when a metaphor leading to an awakening doesn't seem like Plot Point #12 but reads like an a-ha! moment. Under these circumstances, you can rely on the basic structures of a novel or a basic cultural understanding. And sometimes, that is enough.

Profile Image for David Mitchell.
366 reviews1 follower
July 23, 2018
Never before have I wanted to give six stars.

This novel deserves much acclaim. It is a joy. The purest form of its art.

The characters are well chosen and all well developed early in the novel. The humor is intensified by a thorough understanding of the characters and the colorful setting. The author cleverly uses the return of one of the characters to the village; Leo, to both weave the older of the characters back together, and also give life to another generation.

Elio, the priest, is everything a small village priest should be – long suffering, patient and loving. Some of the most lyrical text is reserved for the priest (for example: the description of a butterfly that is towards the end of the novel). It is fitting that the youngest character is the benefit of the depth of the priest’s love.

A screen version of this novel is surely needed.

I came across the book by chance as a discard from the library of the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts. I had the joy of reading it on a weekend journey to Orange, NSW.
Profile Image for Cathy.
456 reviews5 followers
February 1, 2019
Sometimes this book seemed a bit slow and I got a little impatient with the characters, especially the main character Leo Pizzola, who has returned home to the small village of Santo Fico after running away years before to Chicago in the U.S. Marta and Topo were Leo's best friends during their childhood; Leo's old best friend Franco, who married Marta, is now dead. Leo is always up to some scheme, some miracle, to entice people to visit their small out-of-the-way town, or to make money so he can escape again. Topo is his accomplice in all these schemes. Marta is furious when Leo returns to their quiet town, and we don't discover why until late in the book. Marta has two daughters, Nina and Carmen, one of whom causes her much grief. The town's priest, Father Elio Caproni, Marta's uncle, also has his own secrets and struggles.

Despite my impatience with these characters, I'm glad I stuck with the story, because I got more enamored of them the more I got to know them. The story was quite humorous throughout. I ended up really enjoying it. :-)
Profile Image for Katie.
114 reviews
September 1, 2021
This book was a cute easy read. It was kind of long, but it went by pretty quickly. This book was a solid piece of fiction. It had a little bit of everything. It had some mystery, humor, romance, geography, history, religion, it was a good mix. I only give it four out of five stars because it is not the best book I’ve ever read, although there is certainly nothing wrong with it. It was also cheesy at some parts. You could predict where the plot was going to go sometimes, but it had a nice happy ending. I would not re-read this book, but I am happy that I did read it.
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