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A review by katschm
Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio by Amara Lakhous
4.0
“Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio” is an Italian novel by Amara Lakous, translated by Ann Goldstein. The story takes place in Piazza Vittorio in Rome, Italy an apartment building. When a resident of the apartment building is killed, all of his neighbors are questioned about their lives and relationship with the victim, as well as one of neighbors, Amedeo, who hasn’t been seen since the murder. The book is separated into 11 sections, each containing two parts: the story from a new perspective, and a “wail” which is all told from one point of view.
“Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio” is so much more than a murder mystery. Each of the residents of the building have different backgrounds and different perspectives on each other as well as Amedeo. As you move through the novel, the holes in the stories of their lives, the murder, and Amedeo’s life are filled with snippets of information that were slowly given by different characters. The novel also focuses on how different topics such as racial identity, immigration, racism, religion, and perspective change how the story is seen though different peoples’ eyes. Characters are presented in stark contrast with each other, highlighting their vicious and atrocious qualities such as racism while also pity for their experiences and their life stories. This is mirrored with Amedeo’s qualities and what role he played in each of their lives.
While short and filled with comedic moments, the novel is much more than a simple murder mystery, being a satire on the most important social and political issue that face the world, not just Italy, today. This book was very different to any that I have read in the past yet I am very glad that I was intrigued by its vague yet compelling description.
I recommend everyone picks up “Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio” to get the multi-perspective insight on important topics facing the world today. Since some themes in the novel may be a bit heavier, I recommend this for high schoolers who are interested about learning about the social conflicts of the world in a lighter, more humorous way than non-fiction novels or articles.
“Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio” is so much more than a murder mystery. Each of the residents of the building have different backgrounds and different perspectives on each other as well as Amedeo. As you move through the novel, the holes in the stories of their lives, the murder, and Amedeo’s life are filled with snippets of information that were slowly given by different characters. The novel also focuses on how different topics such as racial identity, immigration, racism, religion, and perspective change how the story is seen though different peoples’ eyes. Characters are presented in stark contrast with each other, highlighting their vicious and atrocious qualities such as racism while also pity for their experiences and their life stories. This is mirrored with Amedeo’s qualities and what role he played in each of their lives.
While short and filled with comedic moments, the novel is much more than a simple murder mystery, being a satire on the most important social and political issue that face the world, not just Italy, today. This book was very different to any that I have read in the past yet I am very glad that I was intrigued by its vague yet compelling description.
I recommend everyone picks up “Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio” to get the multi-perspective insight on important topics facing the world today. Since some themes in the novel may be a bit heavier, I recommend this for high schoolers who are interested about learning about the social conflicts of the world in a lighter, more humorous way than non-fiction novels or articles.