Spatriati: A Novel by Mario Desiati, translated by Michael F. Moore

(Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

Following two outcasts’ tumultuous friendship, this brilliant, Strega Prize–winning novel captures the probing, passionate nature of a generation of global citizens, exploring sexuality and identity.

I never understood, of the two of us, which one was warm and which cold, but I consider myself lucky to have met my opposite front in Claudia Fanelli, the spatriata, the name people around here use for the uncertain, the odd, the unclassifiable and sometimes the shiftless or orphans, as well as unmarried men or women, vagrants and vagabonds, or even, in the case that concerns us, the emancipated.

Claudia enters Francesco’s life on a sunny morning, in the school’s entrance hall: it’s a bolt of lightning, the birth of an entirely new kind of desire, which is, above all, the desire for life. Claudia is peerless and self-assured, extravagant; Francesco is introverted, burning with erotic curiosity, dominated by rustic faith, uncertain. She provokes him: “Did you know that your mother and my father were lovers?” But in the eyes of that meek boy, she glimpses a spark of rebellion: she sees herself in him. They become adults together, in a symbiotic game of escape and pursuit, in which they always end up finding each other.

Mario Desiati captures the complexities of a fluid, uprooted generation: his own. A generation around forty years old today, who weren’t afraid to stray far from home to find their place in the world, who truly feel like citizens of Europe. With a poetic yet biting style, capable of great tenderness, Desiati depicts the myriad forms that desire can assume when given free rein. Without any fear of plucking the chords of romanticism, without any false modesty as he delves into the coarsest details of sensuality and instinct.

my thoughts:

Love, love, loved this wonderful story, Spatriati, by Mario Desiati and translated by Michael F. Moore. The writing is terrific, the story is unputdownable, and the characters are unforgettable. This is truly one story you won't want to mis out on - make sure to grab a copy ASAP!

Growing up in Italy we meet Claudia and Francesco, two like-minded souls that form a never-ending friendship. They want to see the world and escape from their hometown, they want to experience life, they want to fall in love, and yet part of them wants to stay in familiar surroundings and never leave. They are young, they grow up, and they always manage to find one another no matter where they wind up. It's intoxicating, mesmerizing, and poetic all at once. Such a treat to read!

Desiati writes beautifully and realistically about his characters and their flaws, their desires, and their dreams. We get the good, the bad, and the ugly - all of which make for one riveting read. I found myself easily immersed in Claudia and Francesco's lives and couldn't help but want to know more about them, their families, their friends, their town, and the world they sought out. It's always interesting to read how different life can turn out from the plans one sketches out in their youth - it's either right on the money, or far from their intentions. Spatriati is an eye-opening and thought-provoking story that will grab you right from the start and keep you reading late into the night. I enjoyed every second I spent with this story. I would happily recommend to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read - you are going to fall in deep with Spatriati. 

Thank you to Other Press for providing me with a copy of this book!