Review: An Italian Obsession by Kfir Luzzato

Title: An Italian Obsession
Author: Kfir Luzzato
Format: Ebook
Publisher: PINE TEN, LLC
Publish Date: September 3, 2012 (Today!)
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're a fiction fan.
• You like stories about dysfunctional families.

 What's the Story?:

Synopsis: "In the lax atmosphere of middle-class post-war Italy, sex and drugs are easy to come by. Roberto tries to find his own balance, but a crush he had for Alessandra in elementary school is reignited and the course of his life is changed forever.

It's the 1970’s, a time of political upheaval driven by disillusioned young people. Roberto is caught up in the times. He makes a new start, but his past catches up with him. Finding himself accused of a crime, he must defend himself even when he isn’t sure he committed it.

A vivid snapshot of European post-war society, this novel is viewed through the eyes of a young adult coming of age."

My Two Cents:

This is a story of how life will always catch up with you. If you think that you can get away with something, you're probably not going to be able to. Things that you think you can run away from will get you one way or another. An Italian Obsession focuses on Roberto, who has always seemed to be focused on whether or not he really fits in. He is also obsessed with keeping what happened in the past to the past.

Roberto wasn't exactly a likeable character. The secrets in the book just seem sort of horrible for him to think that he can get away with keeping them secret. I mean these are huge, game changing, life changing secrets. The first one happens when Roberto is a little younger so I suppose that I can understand why Roberto deals with it in the way that he does. The second secret is even worse because Roberto realizes that he could be found out and does something terrible to stop it. I know that I am being incredibly vague but I really don't want to ruin the secrets as they really make the entire story. Just trust me on this!

Even though Roberto's guilt eventually catches up with him, it almost seemed too little, too late. I wanted something to happen to him to shake him from acting so self-centered and like nothing that he does has a real impact on anyone. He's just not a likeable guy for this very reason.

The writing in this book is good. It took me a little bit to figure out when the story was occurring but the detail in the book definitely picks up a little bit as the story goes on.

Bottom line: Pretty good story about dysfunctional characters.