Customer Reviews

The Black Madonna: A Novel

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. This tale of three mothers and their sons set in Little Italy is heartwarming, touching and funny. The characters are so finely drawn that you truly feel like you know them and because the stories intertwine over a period of years each time someone pops back in the story its like seeing a friend you haven't seen in years. Just a wonderful read. I highly recommend it.

I loved this book. I read it during a 20-hour bus ride, keeping my above-the-seat light on well into the night. Not so much to see what would happen (although you really don't know that until the last pages); more because I just wasn't ready to say good-night to the characters. This is the best part: Unlike many books I read, the ending was just as good as the beginning. I'll read more of her books.

Ermelino's fresh and gorgeous writing brings to life a host of characters drawn so clearly I became caught up in each and everyone of their lives. She is a rare writer. I've never come across anyone tell such a rich story. It's uncluttered, devoid of trivial descriptions and robust with energy and all that is intensely human. When I was reading this book I felt like I hadn't really read a book in years, all the other books I had read in the past didn't compare to hers. I'll remember THE BLACK MADONNA forever - for the writing, for the characters and for the unique elements which this writer chose to move her story forward. I'm excited to read all that this writer has written and I know I'll be reading whatever else she writes in the future. I hope her next one comes out soon!

"The Black Madonna" is loaded with stereotypes -- the overbearing Italian mama, the rich Jewish family; however, this book is so hysterical that political correctness must, thank God, go by the wayside. Filled with scenes of life in tenement housing in "the old neighborhood," Louisa Ermelino has written great atmosphere with colorful, memorable characters. There is no deep plot, just a delightful splash of life, love, religion, friendship, and aging.

I am a second generation Italian American whose parents grew up on Mulberry and Hester Streets in Little Italy, New York. Ms. Ermelino's vivid descriptions of the neighborhood and sometimes irreverent treatment of its colorful characters helped me recall visits to my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. I laughed at times, felt sad at others and at some level felt a certain frustration about "stereotypes." This entertaining novel helped me see another view of the richness and diversity of the immigrants from Southern Italy that I missed in my sociological readings on my cultural heritage. I heartily recommend this must-read for anyone who appreciates cultural diversity, but more importantly is just looking for an entertaining book! I will definitely be looking for more fiction from Ms. Ermelino.

What a terrific group of people to "meet" and easily get to know. This story takes place in the row houses in Little Itlay in NY. The author does a great job of making the reader feel like part of the "family" of neighbors and tight-knit family. Reading this book was like sitting on the front stoop with these characters catching up on the neighborhood gossip. There are the old world Italians that are actually from Italy and this particular group stick with old customs and beliefs and don't wander to far from Little Italy. Then there are the young, new Italians born in Little Italy but tend to wander out of the neighborhood and meet new friends not from Little Italy or even Italian. We get to meet the overbearing, Italian mother of a son who has a hard time being independent or even wanting to be independent. This story made me laugh at times. I wouldn't call this a comedy, I'd call this a look at a different ethnic culture but also being able to recognize someone familiar. This was an excellent book and story with a lot of people to enjoy. A fun education of "the old ways".

Ermelino writes with grace and style. Her characters are beautifully drawn, the dialogue crisp and real. At times the book was so funny that I laughed out loud. Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

This wonderful novel is the complex voice of a neighborhood, filled with what is shared, what is kept secret and what is known but never said aloud.Ermelino is brilliant at conveying the outer and inner voices of quirky romance and fierce maternal love, obscure enmities, random ambitions, loyalty, hilarity and subterranean magic. It's terrific.

My mother grew up in the area where this book takes place. I bought her this book, and she was said it was wonderful and brought back many memories. The sites mentioned are all real, and some of the people remind her of those she grew up with. If anyone is nostalgiac for that area and era, this is a must-read.

Ms. Ermelino's book wonderfully captures the essence of an old New York Italian neighbor. Yet her finely drawn characters and their escapades in the '30s, '40s and '60s convey a timeless universality that easily speaks to the reader of any ethnic background. As in her first book, "Joey Dee Gets Wise," Ms. Ermelino's spare style delivers fully and is often laugh-out-loud funny. A terrific read!