Iris & Lily: The Complete Series

by Julie Scipioni, Angela Scipioni

Overview

Growing up in the '60s and '70s as the youngest daughters in a family of fourteen, Iris and Lily struggle to survive in the chaotic Capotosti household. The rage of their hot-blooded Italo-American father, the demands and dictates of the Catholic church, the abuse and intimidation meted out by half a dozen domineering brothers, and the oppression of poverty pave their lives forcing them to tackle physical and emotional feats beyond their comprehension and power.

During childhood, Iris and Lily lock arms to care for and protect one another, but as they grow, outside forces begin to drive a wedge between them. The blatant favoritism of an aunt, the shame of sexual abuse, socioeconomic shifts, and the eruption of the women’s movement become the catalysts that transform their childhood camaraderie into conflict and their affection into alienation.

Desperate for love, validation, physical care, and freedom they each run headlong into marriage when they are barely out of their teens. When Iris’ marriage transplants her to Italy, the physical and the emotional distance between them seem irreconcilable. Each time the sisters are reunited to celebrate a holiday or grieve the death of a family member, the unresolved conflicts resurface to confront them, challenging their perceptions of the past and the devotion they once knew.

Is the love between two sisters strong enough to survive the truth they have avoided for so long? Can the deeply engrained dynamic that governs their relationship – and their destinies – be altered?

Praised as "beyond excellent", "raw, real and slightly unnerving", "delightful, touching, deep and wise", this novel about two sisters is a compelling saga "you won't want to end".

Product Details

BN ID:	2940149744183
Publisher:	Scipioni Enterprises
Publication date:	06/14/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	105,208
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

When they hatched the idea of co-authoring their first novel, the American sisters Angela and Julie Scipioni had been living on separate continents for more than two decades - Angela in Italy, Julie in New York State. Over the years, they had been fairly good at maintaining their promise to keep in touch, first through letters, then with emails, but neither enjoyed prattle, and time and distance eventually eroded the intimacy they’d once shared. Both women had nurtured a passion for the written word since early childhood and when the idea of writing a novel of their own was launched, they enthusiastically gave life to the fictional sisters of their imaginations, Iris and Lily Capotosti. The two little girls in search of a voice so passionately insisted on telling their story, that Angela and Julie were swiftly swept away. Day after day, their heads, hearts, and hands worked in concert across six time zones and an ocean, devoted to Iris and Lily.

Editorial Reviews

“Angela and Julie Scipioni are two charming American sisters who traveled to Turin for the exclusive debut presentation of Iris & Lily (Bompiani). While telling their story, they also tell us a bit about themselves, taking us inside the minds of their characters with honesty and emotional intensity. Discovered by super publisher Elisabetta Sgarbi, and praised by Andrea De Carlo, this just published novel will be talked about for a long time, and so will its two authors.”

Huffington Post - Giuseppe Fantasia

"An intense, lengthy, and captivating debut novel by co-authors Angela and Julie Scipioni, Iris & Lily tells the story of two sisters who have always confided in each other about everything, except what really counts. With one living in Italy and the other in New York State, they get to know each other all over again, a process beginning with a series of emails, and evolving into an opportunity for each to take a deeper look at the roots which have led to their rebellions against unhappiness."

Io Donna Magazine - Giulia Galligaro

Behind the experiences of the two protagonists, we glimpse the lives of the authors, who knowingly sprinkle the narrative with autobiographical elements, creating a story which follows a curious path, repeatedly crossing over between the destiny of four women, two real and two imaginary, and between Europe and the Unites States. Just like Jo and Amy March, the feistiest of Louis May Alcott’s four Little Women, which for the Scipionis represents a paradigm of children’s literature, and more.

Il Secolo XIX Newspaper - Emanuela Schenone

"Readers are won over by the flowing narrative of novels which encompass an entire world. A new trend among American publishers, and a sign of optimism in times of crisis. Even among first debuting authors there are two tomes we’ll be hearing a lot about. One is Iris & Lily (Bompiani, 1400 pages) written by two sisters, Angela and Julie Scipioni. The publisher describes the novel as ‘two voices delving into a family’s past’.”

Vogue Italy - Valentina Pigmei

"It's hard enough to write a novel on your own. Try to do it with someone else - entirely through email, with someone who lives on another continent - and you've got a compelling story-behind-the-story that has been earning two Rochester-area natives international attention. Julie and her sister Angela Scipioni are co-authors of Iris & Lily, a novel told in alternating chapters and voices that explore themes that include family dynamics, poverty, abuse, addiction and personal responsibility."

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle - Robin L. Flanigan