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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was so suspenseful. I couldn't stop thinking about it, but I also had that after I read his other book. Niccolò writes so well that the stories and characters stay with me even after years have passed?
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As I live on an island that lies between Sicily and North Africa, I have a tendency of gravitating towards literature (and films) from both cultures as it’s very easy to relate to the situations presented in the novel. Add that to the fact that I’m a fan of coming of age novels and you could see why I rate I’m not Scared so highly. Ever since it’s 2003 publication I’ve read the book quite a few times so it does feature heavily when I recommend books to friends.
It’s 1978 in Southern Italy and it’s a blazing summer day (trust me I know what a blazing summer day is. As I’m typing this review at 5:30am I’m already dripping sweat from every pore) and a group of children stumble upon a kidnapped boy who’s being kept in someone’s farmyard. One of the boys, Michele strikes up a friendship and he stumbles upon a lot of disturbing secrets about the boy’s history, which leads to some nasty consequences. It’s also worth noting that in the 70’s there were a lot of abductions happening around Italy and it lasted till the early 80’s so Ammaniti’s plot is not that bizarre or far fetched.
As expected these events lead to a loss of innocence but Ammaniti is not ready to say that there is a distinction between child and adult. In fact both worlds do share many similarities, something the film director Giuseppe Tornatore presents in both Cinema Paradiso and Malena.
Like I said earlier I could relate to a lot of stuff here. Groups of children playing games, fields, the way of life. Not only does I’m Not Scared focus upon growing up but it’s also about the beauty of Southern Italy, a beauty with a dangerous agenda lying beneath it. No matter how ugly the situation is there’s always some aesthetic description scattered throughout the book. The translation is excellent so nothing is lost.
With I’m Not Scared Ammaniti achieves many literary heights but in it’s essence, what you’ve got is an addictive story. As a word of caution, Salvatores film doesn’t do much justice to the book as he adapted the ending of his movie to create a more optimistic outcome but really just makes the film inferior. Seek out the novel first and you’ll be more satisfied in the long run.
It’s 1978 in Southern Italy and it’s a blazing summer day (trust me I know what a blazing summer day is. As I’m typing this review at 5:30am I’m already dripping sweat from every pore) and a group of children stumble upon a kidnapped boy who’s being kept in someone’s farmyard. One of the boys, Michele strikes up a friendship and he stumbles upon a lot of disturbing secrets about the boy’s history, which leads to some nasty consequences. It’s also worth noting that in the 70’s there were a lot of abductions happening around Italy and it lasted till the early 80’s so Ammaniti’s plot is not that bizarre or far fetched.
As expected these events lead to a loss of innocence but Ammaniti is not ready to say that there is a distinction between child and adult. In fact both worlds do share many similarities, something the film director Giuseppe Tornatore presents in both Cinema Paradiso and Malena.
Like I said earlier I could relate to a lot of stuff here. Groups of children playing games, fields, the way of life. Not only does I’m Not Scared focus upon growing up but it’s also about the beauty of Southern Italy, a beauty with a dangerous agenda lying beneath it. No matter how ugly the situation is there’s always some aesthetic description scattered throughout the book. The translation is excellent so nothing is lost.
With I’m Not Scared Ammaniti achieves many literary heights but in it’s essence, what you’ve got is an addictive story. As a word of caution, Salvatores film doesn’t do much justice to the book as he adapted the ending of his movie to create a more optimistic outcome but really just makes the film inferior. Seek out the novel first and you’ll be more satisfied in the long run.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Some of the scenes are a bit hard to read but this is such a page turner
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Child abuse, Death, Fatphobia, Blood
I listened to this one on audio CD where I was not able to speed up the narration so it was read very slowly. It's about a 9 year old boy who lives in Italy. One day he is driving his bike with his friends and is dared to jump out of a window of an abandoned farm house. When he does he lands in a hole in the ground where there is another little boy 9 years old there. It had an interesting plot but I was disappointed with the ending.
Although not my kind of book, still it was not a bad read. Sometimes you didn't know what would happen or what was real or wasn't real. The end was was a little bit confussing. Still a good book.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Non avevo visto il film, non conoscevo nulla della trama eccetto le due righe del retrocopertina. Nella mente avevo solo l’immagine del campo di grano e un bambino che si affaccia su un buco nel terreno. Stop.
Ricordavo vagamente che questo libro venisse consigliato nelle scuole, e che aveva “fatto il botto”, che era “bello”.
Adoro quando mi approccio a un libro sapendo poco o nulla, è una sensazione bellissima ed è fonte dei migliori risultati; lo è stato anche stavolta.
Volevo conoscere Niccolò Ammaniti e ho deciso di farlo con questo libro; e sono contenta, piacere mio.
Da scevra di ogni contaminazione, posso confermare come ribadito da altri che sembra di leggere una sceneggiatura; è un libro decisamente “visivo” e scarno di molti orpelli, il che lo rende la sua forza.
Detesto le avventure di ragazzini nella vita reale, le trovo forzate e non riesco a sorvolarvi – a quel punto preferisco un fantasy; vale anche per i film, mi annoiano da morire. Eppure proprio per la sua schiettezza, è molto reale e credibile: il protagonista prova repulsione sessuale per l’amica grassa, il che è una cattiveria, un’ingiustizia, un’immaturità... ma il non averlo celato per il politically correct imperante lo rende vero. I bambini sono “puri” anche da questo punto di vista, privi di filtri ed educazione.
L’ho letto in due giorni, in un momento in cui il mio rapporto con la lettura si incrinava. Ce n’era bisogno, grazie.