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A review by joecam79
The Temptation to Be Happy by Lorenzo Marone
4.0
It seems that ever since a certain 100-year old man decided to climb out of the window and disappear, there has been a fad for novels featuring unconventional senior citizens on unexpected adventures. Pretty soon we’ll have a dedicated bookshelf (possibly marked “geriatfic” – you’ve heard it here first...)
To be honest, I would not mind it at all if all such novels were as likeable as Lorenzo Marrone’s “The Temptation to be Happy” (La Tentazione di Essere Felici). Its narrator is a seventy-seven year old widower from Naples, Cesare Annunziata. By his own admission, he is a rogue who, whilst his wife was alive, was serially unfaithful to her. His character can be cantankerous and abrasive, even to his own children. His daughter Sveva, a lawyer with a young son, is supposedly close to him, but they argue whenever they meet. His son Dante is gay, but does not have the courage to admit it to his father. Cesare’s only real friends are his ex-colleague Marino, and Eleonora “the catlady”, who is “even older than him”, both of whom live in his same block. And, possibly, Rossana, a mature nurse and part-time prostitute in her fifties with whom Cesare starts to develop a relationship going beyond the occasional awkward, value-for-money tumble.
But things are soon to change with the arrival of a young couple in the flat next door. His new neighbour Emma, Cesare soon learns, is a victim of marital abuse, and pretty soon Cesare, Marino and Eleonora team up to try to help her. Along the way, Cesare reminisces about his life (particularly his amorous adventures), making some unexpected discoveries in the process.
The Temptation to be Happy reminded me of a certain type of Italian movie which I particularly enjoy – comedies like Virzi’s “Like Crazy” or the films of Paolo Genovese. Such movies are entertaining, feature quirky characters, hilarious situations and witty dialogue, but also have an underlying earnestness, more often than not tackling uncomfortable social issues. This novel is very similar. It is very readable and funny, thanks in part to an idiomatic translation by Shaun Whiteside but, where necessary, it pulls no punches and can be surprisingly bleak. It is a balance which is difficult to pull off, but Marrone manages it nicely.
And by the way, there is a film adaptation of the novel called “La Tenerezza”, although apparently director Gianni Amelio tinkers around with the plot and setting. It even won the 2017 "Nastro d'Argento" for best movie. So, that’s one to shift from my “to-read” to my “to-watch” list!
To be honest, I would not mind it at all if all such novels were as likeable as Lorenzo Marrone’s “The Temptation to be Happy” (La Tentazione di Essere Felici). Its narrator is a seventy-seven year old widower from Naples, Cesare Annunziata. By his own admission, he is a rogue who, whilst his wife was alive, was serially unfaithful to her. His character can be cantankerous and abrasive, even to his own children. His daughter Sveva, a lawyer with a young son, is supposedly close to him, but they argue whenever they meet. His son Dante is gay, but does not have the courage to admit it to his father. Cesare’s only real friends are his ex-colleague Marino, and Eleonora “the catlady”, who is “even older than him”, both of whom live in his same block. And, possibly, Rossana, a mature nurse and part-time prostitute in her fifties with whom Cesare starts to develop a relationship going beyond the occasional awkward, value-for-money tumble.
But things are soon to change with the arrival of a young couple in the flat next door. His new neighbour Emma, Cesare soon learns, is a victim of marital abuse, and pretty soon Cesare, Marino and Eleonora team up to try to help her. Along the way, Cesare reminisces about his life (particularly his amorous adventures), making some unexpected discoveries in the process.
The Temptation to be Happy reminded me of a certain type of Italian movie which I particularly enjoy – comedies like Virzi’s “Like Crazy” or the films of Paolo Genovese. Such movies are entertaining, feature quirky characters, hilarious situations and witty dialogue, but also have an underlying earnestness, more often than not tackling uncomfortable social issues. This novel is very similar. It is very readable and funny, thanks in part to an idiomatic translation by Shaun Whiteside but, where necessary, it pulls no punches and can be surprisingly bleak. It is a balance which is difficult to pull off, but Marrone manages it nicely.
And by the way, there is a film adaptation of the novel called “La Tenerezza”, although apparently director Gianni Amelio tinkers around with the plot and setting. It even won the 2017 "Nastro d'Argento" for best movie. So, that’s one to shift from my “to-read” to my “to-watch” list!