A review by whatrachelread
Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I'm still trying to decide how I feel about this one. On the one hand, it feels like a classic- there are some truly standout lines and I kept reaching for my journal to copy them down as I was reading. The dialogue is so smart and the prose is so smooth.
On the other hand, it never quite reached the emotional pitch that I was anticipating. Maybe that's just a statement on how disaffected Leo already is when we meet him and maybe I need more historical context to really understand what Calligarich is aiming for here. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and I'd absolutely recommend it, but the ending just didn't fit the tone of the rest of the book, in my opinion.
On the other hand, it never quite reached the emotional pitch that I was anticipating. Maybe that's just a statement on how disaffected Leo already is when we meet him and maybe I need more historical context to really understand what Calligarich is aiming for here. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and I'd absolutely recommend it, but the ending just didn't fit the tone of the rest of the book, in my opinion.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Alcoholism