Turin, the 1910s. Rosa has fled the countryside to pursue her dreams. She lives alone in an attic, mingles with painters and artists, and seeks a freedom that, for a woman of her time, seems impossible. Just as impossible is the magnetic bond that ties her to her nephew Giò, who was born in America and brings with him the breath of a new world—freer and more ambitious. Then war bursts into their lives, and everything changes. Giò receives his draft notice, and Rosa is left with the role that society imposes on women: to wait. She decides to break the rules—defying the times and everyone’s advice—and makes a daring decision. She disguises herself as a soldier and sets off for the front, not only to be with the man she loves, but also to escape the fate that others have chosen for her. 

With the unmistakable elegance of her writing, Anna Pavignano once again delves into the souls of her characters and the pages of history, drawing inspiration from the little-known and extraordinary story of women—Italian and others—who defied the law by disguising themselves as soldiers to reach the front lines. Following the unforgettable Camilla, the protagonist of Like Salt on the Skin, a new, unmissable heroine emerges: Rosa, romantic and rebellious, headstrong and full of life.

Foreign Rights: Piemme