The Year of Our Love

Bonvicini (Fancy Red) traces the decades-long relationship between Olivia Morganti, from a wealthy family of builders, and Valerio Carneval, the son of the Morganti family’s servants. The story begins in 1970s Bologna and extends to the present, deftly exploring class differences and family dynamics. Olivia and Valerio unite as a couple at her 18th birthday party, but they break up when she goes to Paris and he stays to study law in Bologna. Seven years later, he is still captivated by Olivia, who’s in an unhappy marriage that’s darkened by a violent crime. They unexpectedly meet again at a ski resort; both are married (but not happily). They pursue an affair for months until they are caught, but they continue to write to each other as lifelong intimate confidants. Years later, they meet again at Olivia’s grandmother’s home; Valerio has now become a wealthy real estate developer. Bonvicini’s is not a typical love story. Most of the characters, including Olivia and Valerio, shrug off infidelity and divorce. Keenly observant Valerio narrates the novel in a formal, serious voice. Olivia and her grandmother Manon are well-developed, vibrant characters with virtues and flaws.