Customer Reviews

Arturo's Island: A Novel (Italia Series)

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L'isola di Arturo, Arturo's Island, is Elsa Morante's second novel. Published in Italy in 1957, it was very successful at the time, and has since become a classic, taught in schools and widely read.
Arturo's initiation to the tragedies and mediocrities of adulthood is contained within the geographical space of a beautiful Southern island, Procida, where he is born and raised. His wayward (in more than one meaning) father appears and disappears from the son's world. Each time he returns to Procida, he brings back from the continent fables, news of the 'real world', and, in one instance, a new wife (Arturo's mother died giving birth to him). "Arturo's island" is a cruel, yet spell-binding, fable on the enchantment of childhood and on the moment in which our life tips into adulthood. By the time you get to the end of the book, you'll wish you could go back to the beginning and start Arturo's - and your own- life all over again. A masterpiece.

I recall seeing the 1962 filmed version of this watching late night TV with my father back when I was thirteen or so. I haven't seen the film since then, but I remember it being very provocative and moody. Sort of like "The Summer of '42." Or maybe it was just my hormones.

(I also recall seeing Sophia Loren in "Madame Sans Gene" with the Old Man. La Loren was wearing a peasant blouse and helping Napoleon's soldiers to shove a cannon into place. Whew. THAT I remember well.)

But it's the book that's under consideration here. Frankly, I found it a bit disappointing. Whereas the film suggested things, the book states them outright - which is poorer, I think.

Anyway... disappointing. See the film, if you can. (It hasn't been released, but I understand that it has played on TCM.)