1923, north-eastern Italy: Maria Vittoria's father has left the village to find her a husband. He has taken his mule, a pack of food and a photograph of Maria. There are no eligible men in this valley, or the next one, and her father will not allow her to marry just anyone. Just as Fascism blooms in the country, the crops ripen, and the state demands babies - a new generation. There is much work to be done, and Maria faces a stony path, but one she will surely climb to the summit. 'A stirring tale of adversity and endurance spanning a quarter of a century ... fans of historical novels will be charmed by all the carefully researched details of rustic Italian life.' - Herald Scotland