Flight Through the Forest

The story opens with Lili, a young Jewish woman, fleeing through a forest with a small boy, Theo, as gunfire cracks behind them. The urgency and terror of their flight set the tone for a narrative shaped by war, persecution, and the will to survive. Lili's determination to protect Theo, even as exhaustion and injury threaten to slow them, reveals the depth of her courage and the stakes of their journey. The forest is both a literal and symbolic refuge, a place of danger and hope, as Lili clings to the boy's hand and the promise of one good thing—survival, love, or simply the next breath. This moment of chaos and fear will echo throughout their story, shaping every choice and relationship to come.

Bonds of Sisterhood

Lili's life in Ferrara is defined by her deep friendship with Esti, a vivacious Greek student. Their bond, formed at university, is a source of comfort and strength as the world around them grows more hostile. Esti's stubborn optimism and Lili's cautious pragmatism balance each other, making them inseparable. Together, they navigate the joys of young adulthood—celebrating milestones, supporting each other through grief, and dreaming of the future. But as Mussolini's Racial Laws tighten their grip, the friends are forced to confront the reality that their differences—once a source of delight—now mark them as targets. Their sisterhood becomes a lifeline, a reminder that love and loyalty can endure even as the world fractures.

Shadows Over Ferrara

The encroaching war transforms Ferrara from a place of learning and laughter into a city of suspicion and fear. Lili and her father, Massimo, struggle to adapt as anti-Jewish laws strip them of their rights, livelihoods, and dignity. The city's familiar streets become hostile, and even old friends avert their eyes. Lili's dreams of a writing career are dashed, replaced by menial work and the constant threat of arrest. The birth of Esti's son, Theo, is a rare moment of joy, but even this is tinged with anxiety about the world he's been born into. The family's resilience is tested daily, as they cling to small acts of kindness and the hope that the nightmare will end.

The Weight of Identity

As the Racial Laws intensify, Lili and her friends are forced to reckon with the meaning of identity. Papers stamped "Of the Jewish Race" become both a shield and a target, dictating where they can live, work, and even walk. Esti and her husband Niko, both foreigners, face the threat of deportation, while Lili's own sense of self is fractured by the state's insistence on categories and boundaries. The act of forging false papers—first for survival, then for resistance—becomes an act of defiance and self-preservation. The question of who one is, and who one must pretend to be, haunts every decision, as the line between truth and lie blurs in the struggle to stay alive.

Lines in the Sand

The war's pressures strain even the closest bonds. Lili and Esti's friendship is tested by their differing responses to injustice—Esti's fiery outbursts and Lili's cautious restraint. A weekend trip to the beach ends in humiliation and danger when they are turned away from a hotel for being Jewish, and Esti's refusal to stay silent nearly gets them arrested. The incident forces Lili to confront the limits of her own bravery and the risks of resistance. As Niko becomes increasingly involved in underground activities, the friends are drawn deeper into a world where every word and action carries consequences. The cost of survival is measured not just in rations and hiding places, but in trust, sacrifice, and the willingness to let go.

Sanctuary at Villa Emma

Fleeing the tightening noose in Ferrara, Lili, Esti, and Theo find sanctuary in Nonantola, at Villa Emma—a haven for Jewish refugee children. Here, amid the chaos of war, they build a new kind of family, caring for orphans and forging bonds with local Italians who risk everything to help. The villa is a place of hope and heartbreak, where the children's laughter is shadowed by the knowledge of all they have lost. Lili's role as teacher and surrogate mother deepens her sense of purpose, even as news from the outside world grows ever more dire. The villa's safety is precarious, threatened by rumors of German advances and the ever-present need for false papers and quick escapes.

The Tides of War

The shifting tides of the war bring both hope and new dangers. Mussolini's fall sparks celebrations, but the joy is short-lived as the Germans occupy northern Italy and the threat of deportation becomes immediate. The villa's children are forced into hiding, scattered among sympathetic villagers and the abbey's secret vaults. Lili and Esti's work with the underground intensifies, as they forge papers and organize escapes, always one step ahead of betrayal. The lines between friend and foe blur, and trust becomes a rare and precious commodity. The war's unpredictability demands constant adaptation, and every act of kindness is shadowed by the risk of discovery and loss.

The Night of the Raid

The fragile safety of the villa and the convent is destroyed in a night of violence. Fascist gangs, emboldened by German support, storm the synagogue and later the convent, dragging away rabbis, women, and children. Lili witnesses the brutality firsthand, her sense of powerlessness deepened by the knowledge that help will not come. Esti's attempt to resist ends in injury and arrest, and Lili is forced to make an impossible choice—flee with Theo or risk all their lives by staying. The trauma of the raid leaves scars that will never fully heal, and the friends' paths diverge in the aftermath, each carrying the weight of guilt, grief, and unanswered questions.

False Papers, True Courage

With Esti gone and the world more dangerous than ever, Lili steps fully into the role of forger and protector. She and Theo travel under false names, relying on the kindness of strangers and the network of the underground to move from one precarious refuge to another. Each new identity is a mask, a shield against the ever-present threat of arrest and deportation. The act of forging papers becomes a metaphor for the resilience and adaptability required to survive—a testament to the courage of those who risk everything to help others, and to the strength found in reinventing oneself in the face of annihilation.

The Long Walk South

Forced to flee once again, Lili and Theo embark on a grueling journey south, traveling on foot through a landscape scarred by war. Along the way, they encounter both danger and unexpected generosity—farmers who share their meager food, partisans who offer protection, and strangers who ask nothing in return. The journey is a test of endurance and faith, as hunger, exhaustion, and fear threaten to overwhelm them. Lili's determination to keep Theo safe becomes her guiding star, even as the world around them seems to offer only loss and uncertainty. Each step is an act of hope, a refusal to surrender to despair.

The Kindness of Strangers

Amid the horrors of war, Lili and Theo are sustained by the kindness of strangers—Italians who risk their lives to shelter them, share food, or offer a word of comfort. These moments of generosity are lifelines, reminders that humanity endures even in the darkest times. The Giardinis, a Catholic couple, take them in and treat Theo as their own; a priest in Assisi forges new papers; a cyclist smuggles messages and hope. Each act of kindness is a thread in the tapestry of survival, proof that one good thing—a meal, a bed, a smile—can make all the difference. These encounters shape Lili's understanding of resilience, gratitude, and the power of community.

The Partisan's Path

Joining a band of partisans, Lili and Theo find both camaraderie and new dangers. The forest becomes a place of both refuge and violence, as the group forages for food, evades German patrols, and witnesses the brutality of war firsthand. Lili's friendship with Matilde, a fierce Jewish partisan, deepens her understanding of resistance and sacrifice. The group's losses—friends killed, heads displayed as warnings—are a stark reminder of the cost of defiance. Yet, in the midst of fear and grief, Lili discovers reserves of strength she never knew she had, and the bonds formed in the forest become a source of enduring hope.

The American in Rome

In liberated Rome, Lili and Theo cross paths with Thomas, an escaped American POW posing as a German soldier. Their alliance is born of necessity but deepens into trust and affection as Thomas becomes a protector, friend, and surrogate father to Theo. Together, they navigate the ruins of the city, the lingering dangers of occupation, and the challenges of rebuilding a life from the ashes. Thomas's presence is a balm for Lili's loneliness, and their growing intimacy offers a glimpse of a future beyond survival. Yet, the past—loss, guilt, and the search for Esti—remains ever-present, complicating the promise of new love.

Love in the Ruins

As Rome celebrates liberation, Lili and Thomas's relationship blossoms, offering both solace and new challenges. Their love is shaped by the scars of war—grief for those lost, uncertainty about the future, and the demands of caring for Theo. Letters from the front, news of the camps, and the ongoing search for Esti and Niko keep the wounds of the past open. Yet, in the small rituals of daily life—meals, games, shared stories—Lili finds healing and the courage to imagine happiness again. The decision to leave Italy for America becomes both a risk and a hope, a leap into the unknown fueled by love and the desire for safety.

The Price of Survival

Survival in wartime Italy comes at a steep price—lost friends, compromised values, and the burden of impossible decisions. Lili is haunted by guilt over leaving Esti, by the lies required to stay alive, and by the knowledge that every act of self-preservation may mean abandoning someone else. The liberation of the camps brings both relief and new grief, as the scale of the Holocaust becomes clear and the hope of reunion with lost loved ones dims. The price of survival is measured not just in what is endured, but in what is left behind—homes, dreams, and the certainty of who one is.

Letters and Losses

In the aftermath of war, Lili's life is shaped by letters—missives from Thomas, inquiries to the Red Cross, and the diary Esti left behind. Each letter is a thread connecting past and present, hope and loss. The search for Esti, Niko, and Massimo becomes a quest for closure, but the answers are elusive, and the pain of not knowing is a wound that will not heal. Lili learns to live with uncertainty, to find meaning in the act of searching, and to honor the memory of those lost by carrying their stories forward. The act of writing becomes both a solace and a way to bear witness.

Liberation and Letting Go

As the war ends and the world begins to rebuild, Lili faces a final choice—cling to the past or embrace the possibility of a new life. With Thomas's return and the promise of a future in America, she must decide whether to let go of the search for answers and trust in the hope of happiness. The decision is both an act of faith and a tribute to those she has lost—a recognition that survival is not just about endurance, but about the willingness to love, to hope, and to begin again. As Lili, Theo, and Thomas set sail for a new world, the story closes on the promise of one good thing—a life rebuilt from the ruins, shaped by memory, courage, and the enduring power of love.

Characters

Lili Passigli

Lili is the heart of the novel—a young Jewish woman whose journey from student to fugitive to mother-figure is marked by resilience, doubt, and quiet courage. Her relationships define her: the deep sisterhood with Esti, the devotion to Theo, the complicated love for her father, and the unexpected romance with Thomas. Lili is introspective and cautious, often paralyzed by the weight of her choices, yet she repeatedly finds the strength to act when it matters most. Her psychological arc is one of transformation—from a woman defined by fear and loss to one who dares to hope, love, and choose her own future. Her guilt over Esti's fate and her struggle with identity are central, but so is her capacity for gratitude and her belief in the power of small kindnesses.

Esti Ezratti

Esti is Lili's best friend and emotional opposite—bold, outspoken, and unafraid to challenge injustice. A Greek Jew, she is both an outsider and a catalyst, pushing Lili to take risks and stand up for herself. Esti's journey from student to mother to underground forger is marked by sacrifice and defiance. Her love for Niko and Theo is fierce, and her willingness to risk everything for others is both her strength and her undoing. Esti's fate—captured, injured, and likely lost in Auschwitz—haunts the narrative, her absence a wound that shapes Lili's every decision. She embodies the cost of resistance and the enduring power of friendship.

Theo Ezratti

Theo, Esti's son, becomes Lili's charge and the emotional anchor of the story. His innocence and resilience in the face of trauma are both heartbreaking and inspiring. Theo's questions, fears, and small joys remind the adults around him of what is at stake and what is possible. He is a living link to Esti, a reason for Lili to keep going, and a symbol of the future that might yet be reclaimed. His psychological development—from frightened toddler to adaptable, hopeful child—mirrors the journey from survival to the possibility of happiness.

Massimo Passigli

Massimo is Lili's father, a figure of stability and wisdom amid chaos. His love for Lili is unwavering, and his ability to adapt—signing over his business, fleeing to Switzerland, returning to Bologna—reflects both pragmatism and deep care. Massimo's own losses and illnesses are understated but profound, and his advice to Lili—to keep moving forward, to choose happiness—shapes her ultimate decisions. He represents the enduring bonds of family and the pain of separation, as well as the possibility of reconciliation and new beginnings.

Niko Ezratti

Niko, Esti's husband, is a Greek Jew whose journey is marked by longing for his family and increasing involvement in resistance activities. His absences, driven by the need to save his parents, strain his marriage and friendships. Niko's fate—lost in the chaos of Salonica's destruction—embodies the tragedy of the Holocaust and the impossibility of saving everyone. His love for Esti and Theo, and his willingness to risk everything, are both noble and heartbreaking.

Thomas Driscoll

Thomas is an American soldier whose escape from a German prison and subsequent alliance with Lili and Theo bring a new dimension to the story. He is resourceful, kind, and emotionally open—a counterpoint to the trauma and suspicion that define wartime Italy. Thomas's relationship with Lili is built on trust, shared vulnerability, and the mutual need for connection. His presence offers both a literal and symbolic escape—a chance for Lili and Theo to imagine a future beyond survival. His own psychological journey, from lost soldier to hopeful partner, mirrors the novel's arc from despair to possibility.

Matilde

Matilde is a young Jewish woman who joins the partisans and becomes a mentor and friend to Lili. Her courage, humor, and resourcefulness are a model for resistance, and her stories of loss and survival deepen Lili's understanding of the war's complexity. Matilde's willingness to risk everything for others, and her ability to find joy amid horror, make her a beacon of hope. Her fate is left uncertain, a reminder of the many whose stories remain unfinished.

Sister Lotte

Sister Lotte is a nun at the Florence convent who shelters Lili, Esti, and other Jewish women and children. Her quiet bravery and organizational skills are crucial to the survival of many. She is a confidante, a source of information, and a symbol of the Church's ambiguous role—sometimes complicit, sometimes heroic—in the Holocaust. Her letters and updates are lifelines for Lili, and her grief over those lost is palpable.

Gino Bartali

Gino Bartali, based on the real-life Italian cycling champion, appears as a helper who smuggles false papers and information across occupied Italy. His courage and humility are emblematic of the "good Italians" who risked everything to save others. Bartali's brief but memorable appearances remind Lili—and the reader—that heroism often comes in unexpected forms.

Adelmo and Eva Giardini

The Giardinis are a Catholic couple who shelter Lili and Theo, treating them as family and risking their own safety. Their generosity, resourcefulness, and moral clarity are a testament to the power of ordinary people to make a difference. Their home is a rare oasis of safety and warmth, and their parting gift—a purple coat—becomes a symbol of protection and memory.

Plot Devices

Duality of Identity and False Papers

The novel's central plot device is the use of false identities—papers, names, and stories—as both a means of survival and a source of psychological tension. The act of forging and using false papers is not just a practical necessity but a metaphor for the fluidity of identity under duress. Characters must constantly navigate the line between who they are and who they must pretend to be, and the risk of exposure is ever-present. This device allows for suspense, moral ambiguity, and deep exploration of selfhood, as well as commentary on the arbitrary nature of the categories imposed by the state.

Epistolary Elements and Letters

Letters—sent, received, and lost—are a recurring motif, structuring the narrative and providing insight into characters' inner lives. They serve as lifelines between separated loved ones, sources of hope and despair, and vehicles for exposition. The uncertainty of whether a letter will arrive mirrors the uncertainty of survival, and the act of writing becomes both a comfort and a way to bear witness. The diary Esti leaves behind is a particularly poignant example, offering closure and a final act of trust.

Shifting Settings and the Journey Structure

The novel's structure is shaped by constant movement—flight from danger, journeys on foot, train, and ship, and the search for sanctuary. Each new setting—Ferrara, Nonantola, Florence, Assisi, Rome, Bologna—brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. The journey is both literal and metaphorical, marking Lili's transformation from passive victim to active agent of her own fate. The episodic structure allows for encounters with a wide cast of characters and the exploration of different facets of wartime Italy.

The Power and Limits of Kindness

The title's motif—"one good thing"—recurs throughout as characters find hope and meaning in small acts of kindness. These moments are plot pivots, often determining whether a character survives or not. The device underscores the randomness of fate and the importance of individual choice, while also highlighting the limits of what kindness can achieve in the face of systemic evil.

Foreshadowing and Narrative Tension

The narrative is laced with foreshadowing—ominous references to camps, disappearances, and betrayals—that build tension and prepare the reader for inevitable losses. The prologue's flight scene, repeated later in the story, is a prime example, as is the recurring anxiety about letters and news from the front. The use of real historical events—Mussolini's fall, the liberation of Rome, the discovery of Auschwitz—grounds the story in reality and heightens the stakes.

Analysis

One Good Thing is a deeply human story that reframes the Holocaust narrative through the lens of ordinary people forced to make extraordinary choices. Georgia Hunter's novel is not just about the horrors of war, but about the resilience found in relationships—friendship, family, and unexpected love. The book interrogates the meaning of identity, the cost of survival, and the power of small acts of kindness to shape destinies. It refuses easy answers: survival is never pure, and every act of self-preservation carries guilt and loss. Yet, the novel insists on the possibility of hope—not as naïveté, but as a hard-won, defiant act. In a world where the future is never certain, the story suggests that to choose love, to keep searching, and to embrace the unknown is itself a form of resistance. The lessons are urgent and timeless: empathy matters, kindness saves, and the stories we carry—of loss, courage, and connection—are the one good thing that endures.

Last updated: November 22, 2025