DP Goes A-Roving — Nicholas Romano

DP Goes A-Roving is centred on the ups and down of Dino, a young boy endeavouring to make sense of a hideous war, a matriarchal mother, an absentee father, and Blackshirt vs. partisan goings-on, not to mention puppy love.
In the immediate post-war years, contact with an ill-starred idealistic philosopher, a spell in jail, and an ‘epic' meeting with companions of old ̶ his wartime sweetheart among them ̶ prompt the lad to move to the island beyond the Channel, where he is confronted with larger-than-life characters. His resilience is put to the test, with seriocomic effects.
The expat's virtual return to his native land allows him to overhear a spirited exchange between urban guerrillas and the prominent politician they have abducted and singled out for death.
Subsequently, homecoming in the flesh brings about a dramatic family reunion as well as a brief relationship with a young woman from the Fens and a young man from Down Under. A laborious climb to a castle formerly haunted by a dragon is followed by a precipitous descent and an admission to the local hospital where the survivor finds himself savouring the image of White Cliffs waiting to be revisited…
DP Goes A-Roving is a fantastical tale, woven through with elements of the surreal and bizarre, which will appeal to fans of historical and character-driven novels.