This is the first (and only) English-language version of the award-winning Italian novel, The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia. Nine Lives is a love story about a cat, a family, and an Italian town. Mixing fiction with fact, Nine Lives tells the story of the town of Amelia, Italy, throughout the 32 centuries of its history. In fact, Amelia is considered the first organized city of central Italy, being four centuries older than Rome. The author uses the multiple lives of a cat named Tito as the way to span the centuries.
Author Ettore Farrattini Pojani is the heir of the Farrattini dynasty, a centuries-old family in Umbria whose family palazzo is in Amelia, north of Rome. Tito’s first life occurs in pre-historic Umbria, and his ninth is in the future. Tito’s mission through all nine of his lives is to help the town and the family to succeed.
A changing cast of characters traces the Farrattini line through the centuries, with Tito joining up with a Farrattini in each generation. Using his feline wiles, Tito bends humans to his will, helping them through many challenges from drought to wars to lovelorn marriages to selfish politicization of joint crises.
In this highly imaginative novel, the author mixes fictional lives with non-fictional information about historical figures as well as the Farrattini family and the town of Amelia. Readers are left wondering about details, such as what is fiction and what is fact. The last chapter will evoke surprise, though a clue that the surprise is coming is contained in the very first chapter. Originally published in Italy in 2022, this first English-language translation is published by Bayou City Press in Houston, Texas, and includes additional drawings, maps, lists of characters, a listing of foreign words and special terms, and notes on sources.
Ettore Farrattini Pojani is the heir of the noble Italian Farrattini dynasty, whose family palazzo is in Amelia, Italy, north of Rome. A music expert and critic, Ettore has published extensively on music topics and currently is a collaborator on the website Broadwayworld.com.
This, his second book, was published in Italy in 2022 and has won numerous awards. Prior to focusing on writing, Ettore studied art restoration and specialized in furniture restoration. For almost 20 years he had a workshop in Rome in which hundreds of valuable, unique pieces were brought back to their splendor thanks to his dedication and expertise. In 2001 he transformed the family palazzo into a hotel de charme, which he personally ran for 15 years until it was damaged by the 2016 earthquake.
A dedicated traveler, Ettore is fluent in French and English besides his native Italian.
“Cats are animals sent by the gods for specific tasks.”
The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia by Ettore Farrattini Pojani is a delightful historical fiction that will capture both your heart and your imagination. What exactly does it mean when we say a cat has nine lives? Dive into this unique tale and find out how one cat spends all nine lives with the carefully chosen ancestors of Hephaestus, starting in 1134 BC in the Italian town of Amer.
Tito is no ordinary cat, and yet perhaps he really is just an ordinary cat. Anyone who has had a cat, known a cat, or even been around a cat certainly knows that cats have perfected the art of being enigmatic. In this story, however, the author takes readers on a feline journey like no other, offering a lovely glimpse into the possible purpose of the cats that often mysteriously come into our lives.
Rather than the popular notion that a cat can cheat death nine times, this story has Tito living out nine separate yet connected lives across the ages. You see, Tito is called back as a kitten when his special skills are needed to ensure the continuation of Kephri’s lineage. Sometimes humans need a little help achieving their destiny, and who better to do that than a crafty and very determined cat?
The nine chapters naturally detail Tito’s nine lives, starting in 1134 BC and going all the way to 2026 AD. Tito has seen some things, and now we get to see them too! The author expertly delivers a fabulous mix of well-researched history and the fictional tale of Tito and his extraordinary purpose. While humor is not a main category for this story, there are a few humorous moments, such as when Tito gets a new name with each new life because the silly humans cannot understand his meows telling them that his name is Tito! Tito! Tito!
Attention: You definitely do not want to miss out on the epilogue, because that is where you get to meet the real Tito, who will steal your heart, of course, and his very special human (the author of this book).
The writing style is fresh, informative, and entertaining, which is most definitely a winning combination. As an added bonus, a few major themes are standing around in plain sight among all the progress and procreation throughout Tito’s nine lives. Purpose, kindness, and trust are a few important aspects highlighted in this story. The author, through Tito, shows readers that everyone, even animals, can have a purpose to uphold and fulfill. Showing kindness and trust go a long way in giving each living entity the legs, voice, and heart to see that purpose to the finish line, even if it takes nine lives interspersed across the past, present, and future.
Choosing a favorite life of Tito’s can be a challenge, but his seventh life is right up there. This seventh reincarnation is somewhat of a volta (shift or turn) in the overall narrative and holds a bit of rebellion, romance, intrigue, passion, and a significant amount of cat hair.
However…
Tito’s ninth life is absolutely brilliant—every single word of it—and should come as no surprise if you have been reading carefully (I read carefully, but I was still caught off guard and could not stop smiling). Bravissimo!
P.S. I have never dedicated a book review before, but I dedicate this review to my sweet cat, Artemis (1995-2006).
Enter the giveaway on or before November 10, 2024, for a chance to win an autographed copy of The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia by Ettore Farrattini Pojani.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
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Oh, I love this review and this book sounds purrrrrrrfect. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.