THE REBEL GIRLS OF ROME

A queer Jewish Italian girl joins the resistance during World War II; more than 80 years later, her grandniece attempts to uncover her story.

In 1940s Nazi-occupied Rome, 19-year-old Bruna Mosseri narrowly escaped when her family was sent to Auschwitz. Riddled with guilt over leaving them, Bruna joined the resistance, where she discovered not only a new purpose, but a rekindled bond with a childhood crush. In the present, American college student Lilah Tepper longs to connect with her grandfather Ralph, Bruna’s younger brother, though he refuses to open up about his childhood. When Tommaso Reni, a student in Rome, contacts Lilah about a long-lost family heirloom and a mysterious note from Bruna, she realizes that the great-aunt everyone assumed had been sent to Auschwitz may actually have survived. Lilah and her grandfather travel to Rome to uncover the truth about Bruna, forming a tentative new relationship along the way. Bruna’s and Lilah’s stories mirror one another—both young women cope with grief and must find the courage to pursue love after loss. Taylor subtly juxtaposes the girls’ sexuality: Bruna must keep her queerness a secret, while Lilah has the freedom to be open about her bisexuality. The alternating historical and contemporary storylines weave together, moving toward a satisfying, though perhaps too neatly wrapped up, conclusion.

A complexly woven yet accessible story of family history, trauma, and healing.