The Betrothed: Alessandro Manzoni's I Promessi Sposi - A Classic Novel

Robert Pecchioni: Extraordinary cast of characters involved in an astonishing sequence of adventures.
All of this was set in motion by a young couples desire to wed. Along the way we get a good look at the ways of late medieval Italy under Spanish domination, including a harrowing account of the ravages of plague. There is nonetheless a great deal of humor in the work

I was most impressed with the variety of characters who appear, wreak their havoc, and then on to the next adventure. The principal characters stumble their way along by persistence and dumb luck, and you somehow expect that they will eventually find their way to fulfillment. Meanwhile every variety of scoundrel and charlatan impedes their way, but ultimately fails.

This is a truly great work of literature, and should be better known..

United States on Jan 13, 2023

Saul Cooper: It's a re-packing of a previous English edition -- and looks a bit dowdy.
The text is charming funny send-up of old world ways.

United States on Oct 09, 2022

Scortonphil: Saw this book in a flat I was renting in Milan hence had a nostalgic value for me. It is a good story, quite light hearted and an easy read if a bit long winded, in the style of Victor Hugo and others of that ilk....

United Kingdom on Mar 05, 2021

Stephen Miller: Good cover design, but a cheaply printed paperback. A strain to read, close/small print on cheap quality paper. Lettering lacks clarity in places. If this is what you expect from a paperback then it's okay.

United Kingdom on Jan 05, 2021

Alysson Oliveira: Comecei a ler pela peste, e fiquei até o fim para saber se ficam juntos no final. The Betrothed/ I promessi sposi é um romance histórico, no qual a história é tratada com respeito. Mazoni fez uma pesquisa profunda, e traz relatos detalhados sobre acontecimentos históricos do começo do século XVII, no qual está situado a narrativa. Há inclusive citações de historiadores e notas de rodapé com referências bibliográficas. E essa é a parte mais lenta do romance, a leitura é lenta, há muitos detalhes e fica meio cansativa.

O melhor mesmo é a narrativa da história do casal protagonista, Renzo e Lucia, cujo casamento, logo no começo, é a ameaçado pelo poderoso e mal caráter Don Rodrigo, o que os obriga a fugir, indo cada um para uma cidade. Ela se refugia num convento em Monza, onde é contada então a história da Freira de Monza, que a recebe e protege. Mais tarde, será sequestrada por um sujeito impiedoso cujo o nome o narrador se recusa a pronunciar, e ele passa a ser chamado apenas de “the Unnamed”, cuja vida terá uma reviravolta, que refletirá na trama. Ele via para Milão, onde se depara com uma revolta popular, e desperta-lhe certa...

Brazil on Dec 31, 2020

Harmon: This seems to be a kind of foundational bit of reading if you are interested in 19th century Italy.

United States on Aug 06, 2020

Pamela Richards known as Clare: Interesting. A little heavy for me. A book loved by Pope Francis!

United Kingdom on Sep 08, 2016

Gregory Peck: The Holy Father said in a recent interview that he has read the book ( in Italian, of course) three times AND it is on his night stand to read again. I got the kindle version and have read 75% of it. It is most illuminating and I can see how it would appeal to the Holy Father since it shows great concern for the poor. By the way a friend I met via Foculare is from Italy (Torino) not far from the scenes in the book. He said that Manzoni is a highly regarded author in all of Italy. He has read the book as well only he was surprised that it was out in an English, Kindle version. Anyone with a compassionate heart will love this book. God bless you.

United States on Jan 06, 2014

RF Esher: One of the two great classics of Italian literature (the other being Dante's Divine Comedy), the adventures of the fictional characters are played out against the backdrop of real historical events in 17th-century Italy in a way which resembles (but pre-dates) Tolstoy. The narrative moves smartly along but allows space for some vivid depictions of the war, plague and famine which afflicted the region at the time. There is also plenty of humour, particularly in the early part of the book, and the author's wry comments on the action are delightful, e.g. 'The destruction of sifting machines, the wrecking of bakeries, and the mobbing of bakers are not really the best methods of ensuring long life to a plentiful supply of bread. But that is one of those philosophical subtleties which a crowd can never grasp.' Fluent and unobtrusive translation.

United Kingdom on Sep 28, 2012

Nicholas Warren: I have read quite a lot of "classic" literature in my time, purely for enjoyment. I have to say this is one of the very finest (I would put it in my top 5) works of great literature I have ever read.

It is incredibly absorbing, allows you to enter the period in a way you will understand it. The descriptions of Milan during a plague outbreak are totally convincing.

Yes, it's "religious" (but in a humanitarian way) as well as historical. I'm nominally an English Anglican (= Episcopalian), but not particularly religious, and read the book, all in one go (a major achievement because it's long) in a hotel in Asia. I just couldn't put it down (a wonderful rarity that book lovers will well understand). Had there been a Catholic priest in the room next door, I well might have asked for instruction into "the faith"; it was that moving!

Please read this book and help to make it as well known outside Italy as it is within (it is the equivalent of Dante to an Italian, or Shakespeare to us). Also read The Leopard by Lampedusa (terrific film, too, with Burt lancaster) if you're interested in fictionalisation of Italian history.

United States on Dec 13, 2007