Early One Morning

"Utterly breathtaking."

"From the broken Jewish ghetto and dusky countryside of occupied Italy during WWII to the bustling Trastevere cafes of Rome in the 1970s, Virginia Baily offers an affecting contemplation of the past, personal identity, and the complexity and diversity of human bonds. Early One Morning is the sort of book you can't put down and then stays with you, like the best of journeys, long after it's finished."

"Early One Morning heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in fiction, with a story that is instantly engaging, and characters that effortlessly lift from the page and are rendered so rich and full that they wrap themselves around you and refuse to let go. Beautifully written and emotionally taut, Virginia Baily's Early One Morning is a powerhouse of a debut."

"Early One Morning isn't just an incandescent novel, but the rarest of reading experiences, offering a view both wrenching and luminous of how love pushes us past what we're capable of, and somehow-impossibly-reclaims us when we're long past saving. Utterly magnificent."

"Wonderful.... I was completely inside it from the first pages, just that delicious (rare) feeling of knowing you're in safe hands, this writer isn't going to make a mess of anything, or forfeit your trust or your belief. It managed to be so witty and dry and true.... Vividly intelligent, gripping and moving and alive."

"As gripping as any thriller.... [and] crammed with the sort of heart-stopping, heart-breaking scenes that brought a lump to the throat of even this jaded reviewer. Really, really good."

"A real treat; a beautifully written account of the long consequences of war, set in a richly evoked Rome of the 1970s."

"Baily subtly tugs at your heartstrings and by the end of her novel you're likely to be as desperate as the women in Daniele's life to discover his fate."

"A powerful tale of the reverberations of one woman's decision to save a child."

"A powerful story of sacrifice, despair and ultimately redemption."

"A compelling tale about people seeking to define themselves against the tumult of history."

"A fresh approach to this well-worn period."

"A moving assertion of the power of maternal love to overcome unimaginable obstacles."

"A powerful and moving novel about a young man parted from his family during the Second World War-and the long shadow the separation casts."

"Incredibly sure-footed, a big, generous and absorbing piece of storytelling, fearless, witty and full of flair.... [Baily] masterfully explores themes of identity, belonging and loss."

"This will appeal to fans of Maggie O'Farrell and lovers of historical, intergenerational, or Italian fiction."

"Deeply moving."

"A wonderfully moving novel."

"An emotional page-turner that skillfully evokes the terrors of war and the enduring power of love."

"A complex exploration of identity, a tribute to love in its many shapes and sizes, Early One Morning shapes beauty from pain while compassionately touching its readers' hearts."

"A heart-wrenching novel about sacrifices we make for family and loved ones, and redemption during one's lifetime."

"Brilliant."