Product Description

On a small island in the Tyrrhenian Sea lives aninnocent boy, Arturo, whose mother is dead andfather is away. Black-clad women care for him,giving him the freedom to come and go as hepleases, but then his father returns with a newwife, Nunziata, who is barely older than Arturo.At first hatred and contempt are all the boy feelsfor his new stepmother, but as time passes Arturoand Nunziata recreate the tragedy and passion thatare as old as the history of men and women.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1121940 in Books
• Published on: 1991-01-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

Rights of passage
Set with at times unbearable intensity on a small Itallian island just before the Second World War, this is the story of Arturo's right of passage through childhood and adolescence to young adulthood. Morante shows great sensitivity but also painful insights in her portrayal of Arturo's journey towards manhood.

Often sad, this is a story of unrequited love and loneliness. The momentum in the plot gathers towards an unexpected, satisfactory but not unhappy resolution at the end. This is a significant book, which deserves wider recognition in the English speaking world. In this respect, this edition by Steerforth Press is beautifully produced building upon a sensitive translation by Isabel Quigly.

If only more of Morante's work was available in this way!