Eric Lawton reviewed History by Elsa Morante (Aventura)
Review of 'History' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This novel is based on Elsa Morante's real life, on the run from fascists in Italy. I started this before Trump's election "victory" but now we are fighting a real fascist, it is even more topical.
The book continues after the war and continues the portraits of several characters and how their experiences shape their abilities to survive. The character portraits are deeply moving, showing insights into poverty, fear, drug addiction and mechanisms of survival.
Even the dog.
Ida, the main character, is half-Jewish in fascist Italy during WWII. She is raped by a German soldier and this results in pregnancy and a son. The book also paints portraits of several other people.
This is the story of ordinary people in (what I hope remains) extraordinary times, when the main worry is not finding work but survival, in hiding from your own government who wishes you dead.
It is a …
This novel is based on Elsa Morante's real life, on the run from fascists in Italy. I started this before Trump's election "victory" but now we are fighting a real fascist, it is even more topical.
The book continues after the war and continues the portraits of several characters and how their experiences shape their abilities to survive. The character portraits are deeply moving, showing insights into poverty, fear, drug addiction and mechanisms of survival.
Even the dog.
Ida, the main character, is half-Jewish in fascist Italy during WWII. She is raped by a German soldier and this results in pregnancy and a son. The book also paints portraits of several other people.
This is the story of ordinary people in (what I hope remains) extraordinary times, when the main worry is not finding work but survival, in hiding from your own government who wishes you dead.
It is a hard book to read as it is very depressing in places, so I kept putting it down until I could read it, but it was worth while.
