Jukebox Queen of Malta
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Book Overview
The Jukebox Queen of Malta is an exquisite and enchanting novel of love and war set on an island perilously balanced between what is real and what is not.
It's 1942 and Rocco Raven, an intrepid auto mechanic turned corporal from Brooklyn, has arrived in Malta, a Mediterranean island of Neolithic caves, Copper Age temples, and fortresses. The island is under siege, full of smoke and rubble, caught in the magnesium glare of German and Italian bombs.
But nothing is as it seems on Malta. Rocco's living quarters are a brothel; his commanding officer has a genius for turning the war's misfortunes into personal profit; and the Maltese people, astonishingly, testify to the resiliency of the human spirit. When Rocco meets the beautiful and ethereal Melita, who delivers the jukeboxes her cousin builds out of shattered debris, they are drawn to each other by an immediate passion. And, it is their full-blown affair that at once liberates and imprisons Rocco on the island.
In this mesmerizing novel, music and bombs, war and romance, the jukebox and the gun exist in arresting counterpoint in a story that is a profound and deeply moving exploration of the redemptive powers of love.
It's 1942 and Rocco Raven, an intrepid auto mechanic turned corporal from Brooklyn, has arrived in Malta, a Mediterranean island of Neolithic caves, Copper Age temples, and fortresses. The island is under siege, full of smoke and rubble, caught in the magnesium glare of German and Italian bombs.
But nothing is as it seems on Malta. Rocco's living quarters are a brothel; his commanding officer has a genius for turning the war's misfortunes into personal profit; and the Maltese people, astonishingly, testify to the resiliency of the human spirit. When Rocco meets the beautiful and ethereal Melita, who delivers the jukeboxes her cousin builds out of shattered debris, they are drawn to each other by an immediate passion. And, it is their full-blown affair that at once liberates and imprisons Rocco on the island.
In this mesmerizing novel, music and bombs, war and romance, the jukebox and the gun exist in arresting counterpoint in a story that is a profound and deeply moving exploration of the redemptive powers of love.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0684867427
ISBN13:9780684867427
Release Date:August 2000
Publisher:Simon & Schuster
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.65 lbs.
Dimensions:1.1" x 5.5" x 8.4"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
A SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK IN WW II FI CTION
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Really enjoyed this book. The author's deft handling of war, history, intrigue, romance and music makes JUKEBOX a truly compelling read. Though the setting for this work is restricted to the tiny island of Malta during the Axis bombing in 1942, Rinaldi's book is yet another important landmark in the literature of World War II.
A Wonderful Novel to Close the Century
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Written at the tail of the Twentieth Century, "The Jukebox Queen of Malta" takes a look back to mid-Century, spotlighting characters and a people who defy a part of the horrific terror induced by WW II. In so doing, the novel touches upon many of the major intellectual themes of the past one-hundred years (Self-Other, Fragmentation, the Individual, the Absurd), providing a fitting synthesis of these currents for the closing of the millenium. The writing is fluid, lyrical and flows like a dream.
Best book since _Corelli's Mandolin_.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Rinaldi's _Jukebox Queen of Malta_ combines the best of _Corelli's Mandolin_ and _Catch-22_. Against a backdrop of the World War II bombing of Malta, a half-desperate, half-comic romance takes place between a hapless American soldier and a Maltese woman who helps repairs jukeboxes. How Rinaldi manages to extract both love and humor from bombed-out buildings and a war-weary populace is a minor miracle, but he does. Highly recommended, especially for anyone despairing over arid modern novels.
A compelling story of individual love in a time of war.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
The Jukebox Queen of Malta is a captivating narrative that takes the reader on a magical journey through time and place, through the human struggle with love and war. Keenly sensitive to the subtleties of language, the author creates an imagistic tour de force that weaves historical and literary concerns into a most compelling work of fiction. Highly recommended!
A great WWII novel with stellar historical tidbits and love!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
Rinaldi's The Jukebox Queen of Malta gives us Rocco Raven, an American radio operator trapped on Malta during the German and Italian bombardments of WWII. Rocco quickly learns he cannot escape the enchantment of the island, it's charismatic people and the love he feels for Melita. Rinaldi weaves history with stories of perserverence and will, providing a humorous and fantastical account of the human spirit in times of war. Through the lunacy of the constant bombing, servicemen like Fingerly hoard tidbits of Maltese history-Dragut's dagger, a one hundred pound suit of armor and mummies from Egypt. I loved this book, it's timeless characters and prescient storytelling!
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