This Magnificent Dappled Sea

A Novel

By: David Biro

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Two strangers - generations and oceans apart - have a chance to save each other in this moving and suspenseful novel about family secrets and the ineffable connections that lead us to one another.

In a small Northern Italian village, nine-year-old Luca Taviano catches a stubborn cold and is subsequently diagnosed with leukemia. His only hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant. After an exhaustive search, a match turns up three thousand miles away in the form of a most unlikely donor: Joseph Neiman, a rabbi in Brooklyn, New York, who is suffering from a debilitating crisis of faith. As Luca’s young nurse, Nina Vocelli, risks her career and races against time to help save the spirited redheaded boy, she uncovers terrible secrets from World War II - secrets that reveal how a Catholic child could have Jewish genes.

Can inheritance be transcended by accidents of love? That is the question at the heart of This Magnificent Dappled Sea, a novel that challenges the idea of identity and celebrates the ties that bind us together.

©2020 David Biro (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Plenty of heart and compassion. Biro’s ambitious dive into the mysteries of family origins will move readers." --Publishers Weekly

"Physician and author Biro examines the secrets that people carry and how they shape and distort the ways one sees the world. A story of interconnection and the boundaries that too often keep us apart." --Booklist

"This Magnificent Dappled Sea by David Biro is a deftly crafted novel by an author with a genuine flair for originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that both entertains and provokes thoughtful reflection. The kind of literary work that will linger in the mind and memory long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf." --Midwest Book Review

Touching story

I enjoyed Luca's story and learning more about what happened to Jews in Italy during WWII. I didn't care for the parts about abortion, and I did feel at times there were some slightly anti Catholic and Christian subtleties that I didn't like. The ending was just ok.

loved the story

dissapointrd woth the ending. frlt a bit rushed compared to the detail of the beginning and middle.

It could have been 5 stars

This book had me enthralled for the first three quarters but then petered out. The story just sort of faded away with no difinitive ending. I was disappointed as it had started out showing promise of being an outstanding story. Cassandra Campbell was excellent, as always.

Magnificent storytelling from David Biro

David Biro's "This Magnificent Dappled Sea" sheds light on a lesser known chapter of history and how one event can forever change lives. Well developed characters and a masterful narrator make it unforgettable.

Will grab your heart…

This was a slow starter - thought at first I was wasting my time. However, once getting into the meat of the story I had a hard time putting it down. You will not forget Luca, Nina and Joseph. Cassandra Campbell was the perfect narrator.

Unforgettable

I loved the way the author weaved these rich, diverse characters together in a multi-layered story. I can’t stop thinking about the places and the people. Loved it.

So much potential

I loved the first part of this book, but the ending just fell flat for me. The narration was great, and the story kept my interest until the last hour or so, then it felt like it just rambled without adding anything to the story.

Wonderful

Loved this story. The narrator captured each character and had me hanging on every word. This is a wonderful story. Kudos to the author.

Truly fantastic

What a wonderful riveting story. I highly recommended, even if you don't care for historical aspects normally.

Heartwarming tale full of surprises

This story is about a boy’s life story in Italy. It starts out serious as he battles a life-threatening illness but his family origin is speculated upon as his life unfolds. The innocence and imagination of this young boy is woven with the dangers of a serious illness. His relationship with his nurse, who helped him to battle this illness, often tells the story as his life unfolds. Definitely a worthwhile listen.