The Miracles of Santo Fico, D. L. Smith

 

Characters

Father Elio Caproni Marta Caproni Fortino – widow, married to Franco Carmen – daughter Nina – daughter, blind Albergo di Santo Fico – hotel owned by Marta   Leo Pizzola Franco Fortino – married to Marta, killed in motorcycle accident, having an affair Guido Pasolini “Topo”   Maria Gamboni – weekly confessor Enrico – plumber, husband, reappeared after disappearing 30 years ago   Angelica Giancarlo – spied on by Leo while bathing, owned beauty parlor   Nonno – thought Leo was his youngest son, had gone with man during German occupation to shut off water to fountain, forgot where valve was   Solly Puce – mailman, twitch, romancing Carmen   Paolo Lambolo – family grazed horses on Leo’s land   The Miracles: Duke Casimo healed St. Francis of Assisi and fig tree – tree bore fruit daily as long as St. Francis was alive   The Mystery: Fresco painted in church – artist a mystery, did not age like other frescos

For Discussion:

NOTE: Page numbers are from the hardback edition.

1.       Discuss Marta, Carmen and Nina and their characters from Father Elio’s point of view:

a.       Marta – “humorless, slightly dangerous” (page 84) and “turned to stone” (page 85) after circumstances of Franco’s death.

b.       Carmen – “breath of fresh air…faint scent of brimstone…touch of wickedness” (page 85).

c.       Nina – “Elio recognized in her the hand of God” (page 86) and she “lived a life of grace: a grace he did not possess” (page 87).

2.       Discuss Leo’s character.  Was he a positive or negative character in the novel?

a.       He stole the fresco.

b.       With Topo’s help he devised the scheme to charge the tourists to tour the church and hear the story of the Miracles and the Mystery.

c.       Initially he lied to Father Elio about amount, and kept the extra, but later gave him the correct amount.

d.       He spied on Angelica while she was swimming (although she knew about it!).

3.       Do you think Leo purposefully manipulated everyone or was this just his personality?  For example, he always got Topo to do what he wanted, he arranged for Carmen to meet both Solly and Paolo at Brusco Point which could have been dangerous, and he tried to have Father Elio experience a miracle.  Again, was this positive of negative?

4.       How important was the character of Topo (Guido Pasolini) to the story?  On page 26, the author wrote about Topo’s idea to tell the story to the stranded English tourists, “Who could foresee such a harmless notion bringing such a world of trouble?”  Was it so terrible in the end?

5.       There were many secrets hidden by characters in the novel.  Which ones were eventually revealed?  Were you satisfied with the answers?  Were there other things in the novel that you felt were unresolved?

a.       Father Elio – He hoped God would forgive him for “his terrible sin” (page 2).

b.       Nonno – On page 151 he told Leo he was “sorry about the mountains.  I should have just crawled under the snow and stayed with you and your brother.  Everything’s been bad since I left you.”

c.       Nonno – “Why he bore a personal guilt about the fountain’s missing water was a mystery” (page 129).

6.       Why do you think restoring the water in the fountain had such an impact on the life of the town?

7.       Were you surprised to discover that the artist Giotto Di Bondone died 200 years before the church was built?  Who do you think painted the fresco?

8.       This book was published in 2003.  When you read about Leo’s experience as an alter boy for Father Elio, the author wrote, “Leo had always considered Father Elio to be God’s hand on earth; he’d certainly felt that hand across the back of his head and regions further south enough times” (page 89).  Remembering the publication date, what do you think the author meant?  What was your first thought?

9.       What was your favorite part of the book?

10.   Did you like the ending?  Was it satisfying?  Would you recommend this book to a friend?  Why or why not?