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alisonburnis 's review for:

Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich
4.25
dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is an Italian classic, finally translated into English. The blurb compared to The Great Gatsby, and honestly - I see it. Leo has come to Rome for a job, but after the job ends, he stays on, not really doing much of anything. At a party, he meets Arianna, and they have a passionate, confusing love affair over a series of summer months in Rome. 

The contrasts: ambition versus aimlessness, wealth versus poverty, the sober mornings versus the booze soaked evenings. Last Summer in the City felt at once familiar, likely because it feels so timeless and iconic, and also frustrating to follow Leo and his drifting. I expect to return to this many times in the coming years.