NoNot always everything is as it seems. Even our families, who we think we know better than anyone, manage to keep secrets from us. The new novel by Alessia Gazzola, A small formalitypublished by Longanesi, play on this theme. And she does it, as this bestselling author has accustomed us, by matching a right dose of mystery in shades of pink, in which passion and sex go hand in hand.
Alessia Gazzola, meet Rachele Braganza
After the saga of the bungling pathologist Alice Allevi, and the trilogy of palaeopathologist Costanza MacallèGazzola gives us one new protagonist ready to conquer us: Rachele Braganza, thirty-two-year-old journalist immersed in a world of celebrities, gossip and fashion.
His glittering routine is suddenly interrupted by two shocking events: the coming out of her boyfriend Alessio, to whom she has been linked since high school, and a phone call from her father about an unexpected inheritance. Uncle Massimo, the antique dealer brother hated by his parent, is dead. Having neither wife nor children, the only heir is Rachele’s father who however does not want a penny from him. The inheritance would then pass to the granddaughter. But Massimo also seems to have left some debts, so Rachele has to contact a notary to avoid making any missteps.
A little formality by Alessia Gazzola, Longanesi, 320 pages, €16.90).
And here Manfredi Malacarne enters the scene, a former schoolmate whom the girl detested for his opinionated attitudes and that he is now a meticulous professional. Meeting after years ignites an overwhelming attraction in both. Although overwhelmed by the editorial work, Rachele investigates her uncle’s life, discovering that it is closely linked to that of her parents. Between thriller twists and moments with a high erotic content with the notary, Rachele will end up understanding herself better too.
Born in Messina, Alessia Gazzola, 41 years oldin her sixteenth novel does not lose the attention to detail that comes from her training as a coroner – career interrupted to devote herself full time to writing – in dealing with legal technicalities, while he paints with lightness and panache the atmospheres of the Milan of the thirties, all events and aperitifs.
Alessia Gazzola, doctor and specialist in Forensic Medicine. The successful TV series with Alessandra Mastronardi and Lino Guanciale was taken from the novels that have Alice Allevi as the protagonist. (Photo: Yuma Martellanz)
After Alice and Costanza, what was it like taking on this new challenge?
I had so much fun exploring this new world. The creative moment in which the characters and the story came to my mind was exciting, the writing was very pleasant.
What is innovative about Rachele Braganza’s character?
The girls I tell about are always at a critical moment in their lives, they try to adapt. Unlike the other protagonists of my novels – precarious, with not always clear ideas and with a ramshackle love life, Rachele has a steady job and a stable emotional relationship. Everything is under control in her life, she is a precise type and does not like the unexpected. She is a journalist, happy with her work which she takes very seriously. The story takes place in a metropolitan dimension, related to chick lit, the escapist literature which is the world I come from.
What role does Manfredi Malacarne play?
Manfredi, who was the superficial and rude classmate, is contacted by Rachele partly out of curiosity, partly because she needs a notary. He has grown up, he seems changed and kind to her. He is careful and scrupulous in his work. The investigation that Rachele has to face will make her discover her family but also find her adolescent self, which had crystallized in her relationship with Alessio, saving herself those blows that make her grow and become a better version of themselves. Manfredi has the merit of supporting her and making this path easier.
The legal part of the narrative is very precise. How was it documented?
I got help from a notary friend. The plot was also intertwined thanks to her intervention. It happened to me to think of a scene and then, confronting myself with her, to discover that it could not work from a legal point of view. The stakes on what Manfredi could or could not do were set by her.
A small formality is a novel about family secrets: each has its own?
I am absolutely convinced of it. In families, everyone has a role. Rachele’s idea of her parents is partial, it corresponds to her daughter’s gaze. She can’t imagine them as young people, animated by existential conflicts that she thinks belong to her generation. And she is well surprised when she discovers that they are far from solved. It is a journey into the family, but also into one’s roots and identity.
Thirty-year-olds continue to be at the center of his novels. How come?
It’s an interesting and fun age group to talk about: the moment of transition from a pretty girl to a beautiful woman, the age in which so many formative events and crucial choices in work and relationships are concentrated, such as getting married or having a child.
Will we meet Rachele again in the future?
I don’t rule it out. I too would like to find her and all her characters in her world.
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