The Cursed Friend
The Cursed Friend
The Cursed Friend
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Description
Description
An unbreakable, life-changing friendship will lead two young girls from different worlds to rebel against the sexism, prejudice, and injustice they face living in 1930s Italy in this moving novel that echoes the spirit of Elena Ferrante and Adriana Trigiani
It is 1936, and in the small Italian city of Monza, on the pebbled bank of the Lambro, two frantic girls scramble to bury a body--the dead son of the city's most prominent fascist. If they are discovered, their lives and the fierce friendship they share will be in jeopardy.
A year earlier, Francesca Strada, the respectable and well-behaved daughter of bourgeois parents, yearns for a life beyond provincial conformity. She is fascinated by Maddalena, the town's rebellious outcast whom neighbors call "the cursed one." Stubborn and proud, the young girl embraces their scorn, flouting social convention and gaining both ire and disapproval. Her indomitable nature-the unrestrained spirit of someone completely unafraid-fascinates Francesca. Then, one day, escaping the vigilant eye of her parents, Francesca finds herself caught in her first ever lie trying to protect Maddalena only to befriend her.
Quickly becoming inseparable, Maddalena teaches Francesca to defy animals, overcome her fear of blood, and revel in her body, recognizing it as something alive and present. But the threat from Mussolini's fascist goons is growing and Maddalena and Francesca become increasingly aware that as girls, they are not the free and independent individuals they yearn to be. Set against the backdrop of the Abyssinian war, The Cursed Friend is a timeless tale of female friendship, navigating loss and adolescence, and discovering the courage to denounce oppression and patriarchy.
Translated from the Italian by Elena Pala
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"Bloody, unapologetic, and wild ... I loved it!" -- Naomi Krupitsky, New York Times bestselling author of The Family
"From its opening pages, The Cursed Friend grabs the reader's attention and doesn't let go. Beatrice Salvioni has written a magnetic coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of 1930's Italy and the threat of fascism. The center of the novel lies in the complicated and yet essential friendship between two girls, Maddalena and Francesca, and their journey toward understanding the boundaries of right and wrong. -- Laura Spence-Ash, bestselling author of Beyond That, the Sea
"Salvioni's debut novel vibrantly captures the exuberance and tumult of adolescence as well as the bonds of friendship." -- Booklist
"In her gripping novel set in fascist Italy, and in the tradition of Elsa Morante and Natalia Ginzburg, Beatrice Salvioni gives powerful voice to the female experience in Italy."
-- Jenny McPhee, author of The Center of Things
"Francesca and Maddalena are vibrant characters for whom we quickly root. Their central relationship and cruel initiation into the world of men is richly imagined. I'm excited to read what Beatrice does next" -- The Observer
"A widescreen, sensory, visual story that starts with an edge-of-your-seat, crowd-pleasing trick ... The characters are big and colourful"
-- The Times (UK)
"This debut grips your soul and never lets go" -- Le Point
"A little gem that proves essential, confirming that Italian women's literature is undergoing a revolution." -- Vogue Spain
"Reading The Cursed Friend, one immediately understands the reasons for the rapturous reception expected ...The intensity of the writing. The tight, believable dialogue ... the visceral and powerful friendship between two different but connected young girls." -- La Repubblica
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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