Reviews

از غبار بپرس by John Fante

sumiloves's review against another edition

4.0

Arturo Bandini, scrittore, cristiano nel tempo libero, squattrinato e innamorato perso di una donna che non dà a vedere ciò che prova.
Mannaggia a te Camilla…
Per il resto, tanta roba. Ho amato il modo in cui John Fante è riuscito a unire tanti temi diversi in un’unica grande opera. Ha riportato indietro la mentalità storica, rigida, pessimistica medievale del cristianesimo, perciò è stato interessantissimo leggere del modo in cui Arturo pensa che i suoi peccati siano stati la causa di una enorme catastrofe naturale. Toccato anche il tema dell’alcolismo e della droga e dei loro effetti, della sofferenza e del dolore ad essi legati e che ne sono spesso la causa.
Ogni tanto mi ha fatto arricciare il naso… ma erano gli anni ‘30, negli USA. Nulla di cui stupirsi. Nel complesso, tanta roba.

dmccormick's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

krythstal's review against another edition

4.0

vaya amor-odio que he tenido con esta novela. que rigoberta bandini se llame así por arturo bandini... tengo muchas preguntas que hacerle paula ribó.

mrsusan89's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

edlord's review against another edition

dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

robshpprd's review against another edition

3.5

This is not really my kind of novel, but it was good. The intro is by Bukowski, who says “Fante was my god.” I am not a Bukowski fan and I should have seen this as a red flag. But this isn’t nearly as toxic as Bukowski. 

LA in the Great Depression: a poor virgin writer trying to make it big while living on nothing but oranges, a nickel a dozen. I struggled to understand and care about this narrator. He was wildly impulsive and reckless in a way that I really can’t connect with any real person that I know. 

Honestly, Fante’s language, clean and elemental, was probably the most compelling part of this novel. The world is sea and fog and dust and bone and fire and sin.

serenabereading's review against another edition

3.0

I didn't think I'd enjoy this but I did. I liked Arturo's interaction with Camilla. Never knew what would happen next with them.

legiac's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted reflective

3.0

locke_reads's review against another edition

challenging funny reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

kidawalker's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

I initially picked up this book because someone said it was like a Californian version of The Great Gatsby. It was nothing like The Great Gatsby. If anything, it had more in common with The Catcher in the Rye: unexceptional and narcissistic young man resents the world for not worshipping him as much as he worships himself. Another big plot point is the main character's contempt of women and his obsession with the "mystery" of women - of course Bukowski loved him. Bukowski also hated women. The only thing that carried me through this book was the strength of the writing itself, which was so gorgeous that it transcended a lack of plot, horrible characters, and occasional stream of consciousness nonsense.