Le Perfezioni by Vincenzo Latronico

 

Although with less speed as in the previous months, I´ve conntinued this month my Italian reading agenda. This time, I got Le Perfezioni/La Chiave di Berlino by Vicenzo Latronico, a book set in Berlin at the end of the first decade of 2000s. The book was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and was translated into several languges, including English by Sophie Hughes for Fitzcarraldo Editions. 

As someone who moved to Berlin during the same time, I felt compelled to read this book. The author left Italy at almost the same time - those were the times when I made a lot of Italian friends, brought to Berlin by Berlusconi´s governments, but he is currently back in Italy.

His life in Berlin is reflected in the accurate description of places and events, ways of being and expectations of people the novel - an offline, third person account of the - almost perfect - life of Anna and Tom, Italian creatives, having the best of their life in the city.

Latronice, a member of anti-gentrification collective in Milan, is observing the silent yet radical twists taking place during those time: as Berlin is becoming more international, sought-after, its identity is getting more standardized and the city soulless. The living costs are high and the available apartments dire. The image of the city is turning into an illusion, a projection of what people expect to find here: maybe a smaller or bigger slice of ´home´, a promise of freedom, but at a lower prize.

Anna and Tom may explore other similar ´paradises´: Portugal, Sicily - while turning back and forth to Berlin in their subletted apartment - who may lose an apartment in a city where scarcity is pushing natives out of its urban borders?

The language - for an Italian student - is relatively sophisticated, C1 level and up, in my opinion, but highly literarily enjoyable. The ambiances, including the olfactive moments are very vivid and immersive.

For a contemporary novel set in the 2000s, the show-format, without characters and a proper story, the short length - 136 pages in the original Italian version - suits very well. But exactly this unclear space between essay - on gentrification and spectacle-society we are more and more each day immersed into - and hipster story leaved a space for expectations that wasn´t properly filled.

Berlin is still the hype, even when it is not what it used - or we expected it - to be, therefore, it is still so much to say and in so many different ways. Le Perfezioni uses the commonality of the inspiration, but ends up in many respects mostly as an exercise in imperfection.

Rating: 3.5 stars 

Random Things Tours: The Interpreter´s Secret by Andrew Rosenheim

Cold War may theoretically be over since the 1990s, but its reminiscences and especially behavior patterns are still easily recognizable in the current state of international affairs. As a passionate consumer of international politics, I am always curious about world affairs, although sometimes this curiosity is plainly morbid. 

The Interpreter´s Secret by Andrew Rosenheim, published by No Exit Press is inspired by real events: the meeting between presidents Trump and Putin, with only one interpreter present, who was minutiously searched for possible recordings or notes upon leaving the room. 

The interpreter in Rosenheim´s book is attending an off-the-record meeting with a Russian general, witnessing and translating a terrific arrangement between Kremlin and the White House. But compared to the real interpreter, he saved a trace of the meeting, an accidental recording, the only historical testimony that the event ever took place. 

This recording will clearly define his fate and his life from now on, as the book is evolving into a complex intrigue where corruption of all kind meets high national interests. 

Both the story and the characters are well-crafted and suspenseful. I particularly loved the idea of a professional yet politically uninvolved character being caught in a world bigger than life, and the absurdity of an accident - the digital pen recording the conversation - challenging the simple life for good. 

The Interpreter´s Secret is a meeting of spycraft and literary talent, creating a suspenseful story of corruption, life´s random destiny and also translator´s fate. A recommended read if looking for an intelligent international spy story.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

Orenda Books BlogTour: Love, After All by Ewald Arenz translated by Rachel Ward

Some books and authors do wait until show up on my reading radar. Although I read at least one book - novel - in German every week, I haven´t discover until now the books by bestseller author and teacher Ewald Arenz. Love, After All, translated into English from the German version - published as Die Liebe an miesen Tagen - by Rachel Ward, it is published by Orenda Books, where other books by Arenz were translated.

As usual, Orenda stands for high literary quality and Love, After All did not disappoint. 

Clara, a widowed photographer, and Elias, a younger actor in his 30s, met in the most unlikely life sequence. Clara did not believe in love any more, and Elias is caught into a problematic relationship. As their connection grows, they are slowly falling in love, but Clara´s working circumstances may break the romance. But as Elias is getting sick, it seems that destiny has a dfferent plans for them.

One of the things I´ve loved the most at this book is the deep humanity of the characters and their circumstances. As a reader, one gets closer to the characters because they are so relatable, with their flaws, indecision and vulnerabilities. The fragility of human existence is told with so much tenderness that thanks to the excellent translation survives through languages´ exchange.

A beautiful and humanly insightful story I will remember for a long time.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book club but the opinions are, as usual, my own

The Persian by David McCloskey

There is a new generation of ex-CIA analysts who turned into (very talented) spy (what else?) novels writers and them leaving the Agency enriched the choice of topics and settings of spy thrillers. Particularly when the topics they are writing about are burning the first pages of the media nowadays. When politics and politicians themselves are unable to make any sense of literally anything, maybe the ex-analyst can bring the much awaited clarity in a fictional key.

I haven´t read anything by David McCloskey before, but I´ve read some great recommendations about his work. The topic of his latest book - the intelligence war between Iran and Israel - is politically actual and interests me, therefore, I was grateful to have been offered the ARC of The Persian. 

Set between Iran and Israel, it is built around the Iranian Jew Kamran Esfahani´s final confession while in Evin Prison, waiting for his death sentence. Accepting to spy for Mossad for financial reasons, as he was in a professional dead end as a dental practitioner in Sweden, Kam is sharing the details of his recruitment and training, and his contribution to spectacular Mossad operations within Iran. (The meme-famous general Esmail Qaani is also part of the cast).

Although the story has a high percentage of spectacular moves and unexpected twists, the most important parts are actually concerning the human costs of espionage, particularly how simple life of family members can be for ever affected or at high risk. 

The writing is a pleasure for the soul, and it focuses so carefully to the smallest details, from the sound of the street to the colours of the crayons used to write the confession. 

But there is a part that didn´t work for me at all: the ending is way too syrupy for my spy taste. It just left me speechless but for all the wrong reasons.

Nevertheless, The Persian was a tensed, intelligent and knowledgeable read.  

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

99p. PROMO BLOG BLITZ: The Time of My Life by Samantha Tonge

If you are looking for a good summer read, that is happening in a summery destination, The Time of My Life by Samantha Tonge may be your right choice.  

Currently available for the ridiculous 99p. is about the meeting between two very different women and a couple of secrets. Carrie - 26, she is about to start a completely new life in Greece, leaving behind her old life and selling all her belongings, plus a cat. Eliza, about to celebrate her 75th birthday, is interested in buying everything from Carrie. And this is just the beginning of a story of friendship and many secrets.

It sounds like a tempting book to keep you busy when not busy to enjoy your summer time of your life.

Here is the purchase link: https://mybook.to/TheTimeofMyLife

Many thanks to Rachel from Rachel´s Random Resources for having me for this PROMO BLOG BLITZ.

Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri translated into English by Jhumpa Lahiri and Todd Portnowitz

There are authors that emotionally connect me with my carefree times, when reading and discovering myself through various languages were taking the most of my intellectual concerns - I am still doing it glutonously, but while I am taking much more personal and professional responsibility in other fields. One of them is Jhumpa Lahiri whose works I was reading in the morning only to be ready to discuss with my intellectual friends in the evenings. 

Long after, I followed her testimonies about learning a new language of writing, Italian, that she is using since regularly for writing her new books. My latest read by her doesn´t have anything to do with language, at least not directly, but was written in Italian: Roman Stories, a collection of nine very different stories, that she translated into English, together with Todd Portnowitz. 

I am having my very intense Italian moment right now, but I couldn´t find the book in the Italian version, therefore, I delighted into the English version. Also, I haven´t read short stories in a while, therefore this collection suited my relatively short attention span those days.

Rome - this is where ´Roman´ in the title comes from - is the very discrete background the stories are taking place. Sometimes, we may assume but the specificities of the city are in most cases not relevant for the story - although some residential details, the elegance of women and the summer parties may be. Therefore, there is nothing aimed at increasing your interest towards Rome. Rather, its focus is on human emotions that connect us beyond languages, social status and city of residence. All those are accidental, but the empathy or lack of, are what really define us.

One of my favorite stories in the collection is The Steps where several life-stanzas of individuals living at the top of a densely staired street are brought together, and finely intertwined. The individual stories however aren´t connected. What connects them - nameless characters - is the deep human context and the beautifully chiselled prose.  

Some part of the stories are emotionally demanding, dealing with loss and grief, racism and loneliness, but those feelings are so seamlessly tied to the plot that there is nothing out of place or forcing you to believe.

Roman Stories was a very insightful encounter with a world that shaped and encouraged me to keep doing what I always love: read and connect to beautifully written stories.

Rating: 4.5

Gaslight by Femi Kayode

While requested to investigate the disappearance of the wife of a powerful priest based in Lagos, accused of killing his wife, detective psychologist Philip Taiwo may get caught into the nets of corruption of the highst holy level. 

Gaslight by Nigerian writer Femi Kayode is the second in the series featuring detective Philip Taiwo and my first read by this author. Mixing investigation techniques with psychological observation and deep knowledge of the well oiled machine of local corruption, Gaslight is a paced murder mystery taking place in challenging circumstances.

The story - told by Taiwo himself - operates perfectly in the local environment, seamlessly adapting to it. Hence, the very authentic ambiance and the specific twists of the story that cannot make sense anywhere else. As a side thought, it shows how distorted the realities shaped by corruption of all kinds could be.

The suspense is built through the intermezzo of the fragments attributed to the victim preparing the unexpected dramatic ending.

Through Taiwo´s family story, especially her daughter challenges to adapt to the new school and social environment in general, there are also some no-crime related thoughts about beauty standards and self-acceptance worth considering.

I´ve enjoyed personally reading this book, also because I had the chance to discover a new Nigerian author, and new murder series that hopefully will continue soon.

Rating: 4 stars