Hindsight

Eugenia Panisporchi has hindsight—the supernatural ability to see backward in time and understand how present-day happenings and people echo those of the past. In her present life, she’s a 33-year-old Italian-American from South Philly who teaches Chaucer at Temple University; long in the past, she lived in a small town in the Bavarian Alps that was shattered by a series of terrible events. In this lively combination of modern women’s fiction and historical urban fantasy, debut author Tarquini deftly imagines Eugenia’s frustration with repeatedly reliving her unhappy past. Eugenia wants nothing to do with hindsight or any of the people she knew in Bavaria, but they keep popping up in her new lives without knowing who they are or what they’ve done. They have new faces but the same old issues. In the present day, Eugenia means to find a way out of the cycle—for good. Tarquini’s innovative concept is paired with realistic characters and sparkling wit, making this enjoyable novel a keeper. (Nov.)