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A review by appenthaknows
Her Side of the Story by Alba de Céspedes
5.0
I am finally reading this, I was almost afraid to start because I knew it would be REALLY SOMETHING. Let me share, it is a work of profound beauty and genius.
Alessandra recounts the story of her life, of the conditions that created and forged her passionate character. This is a stunning novel, across three parts we read of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. This is not simply coming of age, it is coming of womanhood, of bearing the brunt of all that man has burdened women with. An intensely feminist work, it embraces the very nature of the levels in which we meet and realise ourselves unequal. Set in Rome against the backdrop of WWII, De Céspedes reclaims the female perspective of living under this period, of the vital and dangerous work women did and the horrific conditions the people struggled to survive under. It is perhaps the best explanation of living under fascistic rule I have encountered, the dark malaise that keeps the people unhappy and unquestioning. It is a story of endurance and strength, of drawing upon that reserve of all that has gone before in order to remain.
Love is the principle, foundation and driving force in this book. It motivates and propels every action and reaction and sustains Alessandra through the most harrowing times. Every woman is in here, you are in here. We all are. There’s something both insanely pleasing and terrifying that 75 years after this was written Alba is calling through the ages and we look up to find that we understand her words and yet we are still trapped behind that cold wall.
#albadecéspedes
#Hersideofthestory transl. by #jillfoulston
#Pushkinpress @pushkin_press
#feministfiction #antifascistreading #fictionintranslation #italianfiction #readbeforeyoudie
Alessandra recounts the story of her life, of the conditions that created and forged her passionate character. This is a stunning novel, across three parts we read of childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. This is not simply coming of age, it is coming of womanhood, of bearing the brunt of all that man has burdened women with. An intensely feminist work, it embraces the very nature of the levels in which we meet and realise ourselves unequal. Set in Rome against the backdrop of WWII, De Céspedes reclaims the female perspective of living under this period, of the vital and dangerous work women did and the horrific conditions the people struggled to survive under. It is perhaps the best explanation of living under fascistic rule I have encountered, the dark malaise that keeps the people unhappy and unquestioning. It is a story of endurance and strength, of drawing upon that reserve of all that has gone before in order to remain.
Love is the principle, foundation and driving force in this book. It motivates and propels every action and reaction and sustains Alessandra through the most harrowing times. Every woman is in here, you are in here. We all are. There’s something both insanely pleasing and terrifying that 75 years after this was written Alba is calling through the ages and we look up to find that we understand her words and yet we are still trapped behind that cold wall.
#albadecéspedes
#Hersideofthestory transl. by #jillfoulston
#Pushkinpress @pushkin_press
#feministfiction #antifascistreading #fictionintranslation #italianfiction #readbeforeyoudie