The second volume in the Neapolitan Novels series. The book opens with Lila’s wedding when she is sixteen. From the start it is clear that the marriage will be a difficult one, with arguments and infidelities on both sides. Lila’s friend Elena, meanwhile, continues with her studies. In general the characters’ love lives are messy, with no guiding principle. Many of them are also violent and confrontational. Lila wants to learn directly from life, and Elena from books. Both want to escape the poverty and restrictions of the Neapolitan district where they grew up. Lila is still ambitious, hot-tempered, impulsive, and thanks to her marriage living in comparative affluence. Elena, the porter’s daughter, manages to leave Naples at 19 to become a brilliant student at the University of Pisa, trying to lead a balanced life. The author’s mastery of feminine psychology is as apparent in this book as in the first. The little events, moments of nostalgia, sadness, and surprise that make up the novel leave a basic message that may be thought-provoking. There are several erotic scenes, including a fairly long one, and touches of obscenity throughout the book.
R.I. (Spain, 2016)