Rainbows in the Fountain is the story of a spirited youth-growing up during and after WWII in Italy-caught between his mother and grandmother's conflict on how to discipline him while the two families lived under the same roof. When the two women died, within two years of one another, and his father married his first cousin, Nics allied with his grandfather, who continued to enchant him with storytelling while instilling in the youth compassion and respect. His grandfather's death three years later left the boy confused, which made him become aware of the importance of school, something he had neglected since his father's marriage.