The Temptation to Be Happy by Lorenzo Marone and Shaun Whiteside (Translator)
| The Temptation to Be Happy by Lorenzo Marone and Shaun Whiteside (Translator) | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Ani Johnson
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| Summary: Just when we may feel there are enough grumpy old men in literature, we're proven wrong. Meet 77 year old Cesare; laugh, cry and join his crusade. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 256 | Date: October 2017 |
| Publisher: OneWorld Publications | |
| ISBN: 978-1786072887 | |
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Cesare is 77, widowed, generally ignored by the offspring he likes and bothered too much by the one he doesn't. Still, he finds ways to fill his days. If he's not taking advantage of his friend-with-benefits arrangement with aging lady of the night Rossana, or keeping an eye on his grandson, he's making mischief in league with elderly neighbours like Signora Vitaliano (local mad cat woman) and Marino (the non-IT-literate computer guy). Their minds are diverted from their usual pursuits when a young couple move into the apartment block providing Cesare with a concern and the conviction that he has to do something, whatever the fall out or personal danger.
Those of us who love to wallow in a good grumpy gent have been well served of late. Harold Fry… Ove… the list goes on making us wonder if the market has reached saturation. Then along comes equally talented Italian author Lorenzo Marone and his excellent translator Shaun Whiteside, making us realise that here's room for at least one more cynical senior. Welcome Cesare!
Cesare is a curmudgeon with a twinkle known for his grumpiness rather than good works and agitation rather than overt support. Yet all that could change with the advent of Emma and her partner. Cesare has his suspicions that Emma's other half isn't as caring as he should be but what can an elderly man do against a young, muscular bloke? Especially if Cesare doesn't want to make things worse. Cue his superannuated Just William ideas and the summoning of his posse and… Game on! It's not all light hearted romp though.
Set against the smirks and giggles generated by Cesare's views and exploits there are indeed quieter moments. There's a wistful poignancy in the old man's tone when he tells us of his marriage to the late Catrina, a woman missed more in retrospect than cherished at the time. All this ties into his desire to do the right thing for Emma and we travel with him on its path not knowing if it will end in redemption or the local hospital.
Gradually over the book we get the feeling that Cesare is revealing more to us in his first person confessions than he's revealed to anyone else before. There are deep-seated reasons why he can't get on with his daughter Sveva and feels drawn towards artistic, gay son Dante instead. (No one has told Cesare that Dante's gay by the way – he worked that out when he saw his son in a coral-coloured shirt.)
Whatever his patchy past, we desperately want Cesare (and Marino, and the cat lady) to win through which is a huge tribute to Lorenzo's talent. This septuagenarian has led a far from blameless life but we forgive him and fall in love with him none the less. Yes, this is definitely someone right up there with the best, including Harold and Ove.
(Thank you OneWorld Publications for providing us with a copy for review.)
Further Reading: If this appeals then do please treat yourself to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce and/or A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Temptation to Be Happy by Lorenzo Marone and Shaun Whiteside (Translator) at Amazon.com.
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The Temptation to Be Happy by Lorenzo Marone and Shaun Whiteside (Translator)
Cesare is 77, widowed, generally ignored by the offspring he likes and bothered too much by the one he doesn't. Still, he finds ways to fill his days. If he's not taking advantage of his friend-with-benefits arrangement with aging lady of the night Rossana, or keeping an eye on his grandson, he's making mischief in league with elderly neighbours like Signora Vitaliano (local mad cat woman) and Marino (the non-IT-literate computer guy). Their minds are diverted from their usual pursuits when a young couple move into the apartment block providing Cesare with a concern and the conviction that he has to do something, whatever the fall out or personal danger. Full review...
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