This rather short novel started out abit on the slow side of things, and certainly did not turn into a sensationalist page-turner. Instead, we follow our very young protagonist through a small part of his life in war-time Liguria, from a sort of regular kid to a member of a partisan group fighting fascists and Nazis.

Easy reading? Nope - the topic is dark and heavy, and there are quite a few characters to remember.

Rewarding reading? Yes! An underrepresented chapter of European history, told through the eyes of quite an innocent narrator (at first), with insights I did not expect. The beginning and above all the ending are what I enjoyed the most.

My second Calvino book after [b:If on a Winter's Night a Traveller|143004|If on a Winter's Night a Traveller|Italo Calvino|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328210872l/143004.SY75.jpg|1116802] was not my last!