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The Queen of the Big Time: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: Adriana Trigiani
Publisher: Random House
Buy New: $9.99
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Known and loved around the world for her sweeping Big Stone Gap trilogy and the instant New York Times bestseller Lucia, Lucia, Adriana Trigiani returns to the charm and drama of small-town life with Queens of the Big Time. This heartfelt story of the limits and power of love chronicles the remarkable lives of the Castellucas, an Italian-American family, over the course of three generations.
In the late 1800s, the residents of a small village in the Bari region of Italy, on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, made a mass migration to the promised land of America. They settled in Roseto, Pennsylvania, and re-created their former lives in their new home–down to the very last detail of who lived next door to whom. The village’s annual celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel–or “the Big Time,” as the occasion is called by the young women who compete to be the pageant’s Queen–is the centerpiece of Roseto’s colorful old-world tradition.
The industrious Castellucas farm the land outside Roseto. Nella, the middle daughter of five, aspires to a genteel life “in town,” far from the rigors of farm life, which have taken a toll on her mother and forced her father to take extra work in the slate quarries to make ends meet. But Nella’s dreams of making her own fortune shift when she meets Renato Lanzara, the son of a prominent Roseto family. Renato is a worldly, handsome, devil-may-care poet who has a way with words that makes him irresistible. Their friendship ignites into a fiery romance that Nella is certain will lead to marriage. But Nella is not alone in her pursuit: every girl in town seems to want Renato. When he disappears without explanation, Nella is left with a shattered heart. Four years later, Renato’s sudden return to Roseto the night before Nella’s wedding to the steadfast Franco Zollerano leaves her and the Castelluca family shaken. For although Renato has chosen a path very different from Nella’s, they are fated to live and work in Roseto, where the past hangs over them like a brewing storm.
An epic of small-town life, etched in glorious detail in the trademark Trigiani style, The Queen of the Big Time is the story of a determined, passionate woman who can never forget her first love.
From the Hardcover edition.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 33 more reviews...
 Excellent Italian American Story April 18, 2009
Jennifer Alberalla (Orchard Park, NY)
I loved this book. As an Italian - American I enjoyed many of the references. This is a heartwarming story about a girl from age 13 through her 60. It includes the whole family which brought back memories of my childhood. It is told in a simple funny way that made me an Adriana Trigiani fan for life. If you like this one try Lucia Lucia. It is just as interesting.
Loved this! March 27, 2009
G. Bernal (Southern CA USA)
...and any others she has written - all Italian, warm, family-oriented Catholics - hysterical, and so realistic. A lot of her novels revolve around food, religious customs, the trades used to support their families, and many poignant moments. We all know people like this, maybe even in our own families.
This takes place in the late 20's - the setting is a blouse factory in Jersey where the women work. It is a totally character-driven novel. Believable Italians, with a few sad moments thrown it - just like life - when someone dies they don't question why, even if the person is young "it was his time" and it is accepted - it really was like that back then, I remember my own grandparents saying that "he died of some pain or other."
Queen of the Big Time has a misleading title - the "Big Time" is a parade/festivity in their small Italian Jersey town - the celebration is annual, a holy day of celebration for the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a local girl is picked as Queen - the one who sells the most tickets to the event, not necessarily the prettiest. This was my first book of hers, but I am hooked, now on a third novel, and I haven't even gotten to the Stone Gap series yet, but looking forward to it... they are all delightful, real characters. Highly recommended.
 Not as good as Big Stone Gap books March 15, 2009
Linda A. Slott (Oceanside, NY)
Adriani Trigiani revisits the theme of Italian immigrants in her story of Nella Castelluca and her family.
Roseta is a small Italian community in Pennsylvania where Nella lives on the farm with her parents and four sisters. It is the early 1920's and 15 year old Nella longs to go to school in town, and hopes to one day live there. When an accident forces Nella to give up her dreams of an education she goes to work in the local factory, where she meets two men who will become the loves of her life.
While I enjoyed much of this book I found the writing often very simplistic and there seemed to be huge gaps in the storyline. Certain characters are very well developed at first and then seem to fade away. Also toward the end the book seems to fly through the years. However the story of Nella and her determination was often enjoyable, and brought a tear to my eye more than once. I loved her Big Stone Gap books more, and this one wasn't quite as good, but it wasn't a bad read either.
What a great author! March 4, 2009
Peg55 (NJ USA)
I finished this book in no time! It was wonderful. It is a must for everyone! She is a great writer and I also read her Very Valentine, which is her latest. These two books were my favorites. Please pick them up and you won't regret it!
Good book January 12, 2009
S. Hogue (Lexington, KY USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a very enjoyable read. I have read several by Trigiani and have liked them all.
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