Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
Audio Book Review

Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini

12 hrs and 53 mins
Short Review

Italy, 1962. Richard Burton and Liz Taylor are making the film, Cleopatra.  A young American actress in the film learns she is dying and escapes to Porto Vergogna, a small seaside village to rest.  There Dee meets the innkeeper, Pasquale and they form an immediate and deep connection.

Fast forward 50 years and Pasquale arrives at the director's film studio in California with the desire to find Dee.  The storyline alternates, Italy 1962, with modern day Hollywood studios.
Each character is well developed and is literally a Beautiful Ruin.  The book is aptly named.

The narrater of Beautiful Ruins is amazing.  His perfect diction and Italian accent had me at hello.  Hello! As an audio book, this ranks as one of my favorites of the year.  It was entertaining, full of popular culture with a touch of mystery and several stories, within the main story.  Yet, it is easy to follow.  The ending is so sweet that it makes you believe in love and fate and it will make you exhale a long sigh.

Ahhhhh.

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