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A review by ninetalevixen
Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous
3.0
Maybe 4 stars? I have really mixed feelings about this book.
I can certainly see why we were assigned to read this book as a precursor to academic discussions on tolerance, diversity, inclusion, etc.; and in terms of both themes and prose it's not at all like any book I've read. (This is probably going to be a pretty lengthy review since we'll be graded on participation in the aforementioned discussions, so I want to thoroughly note my initial reactions for future reference.)
So first, the prose: if you read each chapter as a transcript of the POV character's police statement/reaction to the murder, it works pretty well. There are tangents and clear bias and colloquialisms that differ with their varying cultural backgrounds, and while it's not exactly technically precise (lots of comma splices) it flows as good conversation should. There's also a lot of "I'm not a racist, but" sentiments that turn most of the characters into caricatures — fitting in a satire, but a little disappointing to a reader like myself who likes character-driven narratives. Lots of misinformation and, yes, everyday racism contribute to the conflict.
The murder mystery aspect is, in my honest opinion, totally minor; the story reads as more "slice of life" with the plot as a backdrop rather than a driving force. Only in hindsight does it strike me that we're supposed to see all the inhabitants of Piazza Vittorio as suspects; I was a little caught up in their very loud opinions of each other (particularly Amedeo) and of immigrants in general.
I'm going to try not to focus so much on the characters' personality so much as beliefs, because I have a feeling that's what's important here. So, what I found psychologically (?) fascinating is how you can only really figure out the truth of the situation by comparing multiple accounts, each of them biased in different ways but offering contrasting views that reveal different parts of the puzzle. The internalized prejudices are quite interesting considering so many of these characters are themselves immigrants; on top of that, the north/south "feud" within Italy just makes matters even more complicated. Since their cultures were such important aspects of who they were (you could even call it the defining factor), I personally couldn't relate to any of them, even Amedeo and his fairly openminded propensity for getting along with all his neighbors: a kind smile amidst all the hatred and judgment.
I can certainly see why we were assigned to read this book as a precursor to academic discussions on tolerance, diversity, inclusion, etc.; and in terms of both themes and prose it's not at all like any book I've read. (This is probably going to be a pretty lengthy review since we'll be graded on participation in the aforementioned discussions, so I want to thoroughly note my initial reactions for future reference.)
So first, the prose: if you read each chapter as a transcript of the POV character's police statement/reaction to the murder, it works pretty well. There are tangents and clear bias and colloquialisms that differ with their varying cultural backgrounds, and while it's not exactly technically precise (lots of comma splices) it flows as good conversation should. There's also a lot of "I'm not a racist, but" sentiments that turn most of the characters into caricatures — fitting in a satire, but a little disappointing to a reader like myself who likes character-driven narratives. Lots of misinformation and, yes, everyday racism contribute to the conflict.
The murder mystery aspect is, in my honest opinion, totally minor; the story reads as more "slice of life" with the plot as a backdrop rather than a driving force. Only in hindsight does it strike me that we're supposed to see all the inhabitants of Piazza Vittorio as suspects; I was a little caught up in their very loud opinions of each other (particularly Amedeo) and of immigrants in general.
Spoiler
Plus, it's ultimately resolved very quickly; there wasn't much to indicate that she was the culprit but the motive, compared against all that dogs-are-superior-to-immigrants fanaticism, is certainly established.I'm going to try not to focus so much on the characters' personality so much as beliefs, because I have a feeling that's what's important here. So, what I found psychologically (?) fascinating is how you can only really figure out the truth of the situation by comparing multiple accounts, each of them biased in different ways but offering contrasting views that reveal different parts of the puzzle. The internalized prejudices are quite interesting considering so many of these characters are themselves immigrants; on top of that, the north/south "feud" within Italy just makes matters even more complicated. Since their cultures were such important aspects of who they were (you could even call it the defining factor), I personally couldn't relate to any of them, even Amedeo and his fairly openminded propensity for getting along with all his neighbors: a kind smile amidst all the hatred and judgment.