The Rebel Girls of Rome — Content Guide for Parents
Found in this book
- ViolenceSupporting
- Scary contentSupporting
- Race & cultureCentral
- Sexual contentBrief
- Gender rolesBriefTraditional roles
- Gender & orientationCentral
Not found
- Religion
- Climate
Couldn't confirm
- Profanity
- Profanity: The sources do not say anything about the book's language.
Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religion
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Part historical mystery, part sweeping romance, The Rebel Girls of Rome brings the stories of two young women to brilliant life: Lilah, a college student looking to understand her grandfather's mysterious past, and Bruna, a queer Jewish woman who joins the resistance during World War II.
From Jordyn Taylor, author of The Paper Girl of Paris, this dual-contemporary and historical tale--where heartbreak, hope, and finding light in times of darkness are inevitably intertwined--is perfect for readers of Ruta Sepetys and Monica Hesse.
Now:
Grieving the loss of her mother, college student Lilah is hoping to reconnect with a grandfather who refuses to talk about his past. Then she receives a mysterious letter from a fellow student, Tommaso, claiming he's found a lost family heirloom, and her world is upended.
Soon Lilah finds herself in Rome, trying to unlock her grandfather's history as a Holocaust survivor once and for all. But as she and Tommaso get closer to the truth--and their relationship begins to deepen into something sweeter--Lilah realizes that some secrets may be too painful to unbury...
Then:
It's 1943, and nineteen-year-old Bruna and her family are doing their best to survive in Rome's Jewish quarter under Nazi occupation. Until the dreaded knock comes early one morning, and Bruna is irrevocably separated from the rest of her family.
Overcome with guilt at escaping her family's fate in the camps, she joins the underground rebellion. When her missions bring her back to her childhood crush, Elsa, Bruna must decide how much she's willing to risk--when fully embracing herself is her greatest act of resistance.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Rebel Girls of Rome appropriate for a 7-year-old?
Bruna joins a resistance fighting the Nazis and Italian Fascists, and an attack ends in tragedy; her family is taken in a Nazi roundup. The story shows a Nazi roundup of Jewish families, deportation to the camps, and the grim realities of occupied Rome.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have violence?
Found (Supporting): Bruna joins a resistance fighting the Nazis and Italian Fascists, and an attack ends in tragedy; her family is taken in a Nazi roundup.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have scary content?
Found (Supporting): The story shows a Nazi roundup of Jewish families, deportation to the camps, and the grim realities of occupied Rome.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have religion?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have race & culture?
Found (Central): Jewish families in Nazi-occupied Rome face persecution and deportation, and Lilah's family deals with the lasting trauma.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have profanity?
Couldn't confirm: The sources do not say anything about the book's language.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have climate?
Not found in the sources we checked.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have sexual content?
Found (Brief): One reviewer describes love scenes between Bruna and Elsa that go beyond kissing, and another notes Lilah feels love and lust for the first time.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have gender roles?
Found (Brief, Traditional roles): A reviewer says women under Mussolini were expected to be wives and mothers, which shapes Bruna's struggle with her identity.
Does The Rebel Girls of Rome have gender & orientation?
Found (Central): Bruna is a lesbian who falls in love with Elsa during the war, and the modern-day Lilah is bisexual.
