NEl 2024, the literary prize of Io Donna “Heroine of today” went to the protagonists of All the life that remainsThe novel-ruling by Roberta Recchia. The story revolved around the murder, followed by violence, of the sixteen year old Betta Ansaldo, telling the despair of his family and the abysses in which another unknown victim had ended.
In a corner, a fleeting apparition: Luca, a boy unaware of what is going on around him. In his way of writing, Roberta Recchia says he follows “the characters in the paths that trace in my head, and there is no room for nothing and no one else”.
From one of those paths Luca called her, insisting to make his history known. Today the author proposes it in her new novel built on a dense and smooth writing, with characters who know true life, of stumbles and falls. An exciting story in which rebirth is a long wait and forgiveness is a word to handle with great care.
Roberta Recchia has left work in the company to devote himself to teaching. Professor of English in a Roman high school, his debut all his life that remains (Rizzoli) in 2024 won the literary prize of Io Donna and the rights were sold throughout Europe.
This book is not the sequel to All the life that remainsbut an independent story. However, Luca had appeared in a corner, from which he then called her.
In reality Luca had already appeared a few years ago. In my thoughts his history as an adult was already there, then he went through in a lightning way in All the life that remainsbut I left it aside, I dedicated myself to other things. Luca knew how to wait … and I’m happy, telling his story was a great challenge.
Luca undergoes enormous uprooting, from Central Italy, on the sea, is catapulted to Bergamo. As a teacher, she works with teenagers: how do you affect such an event on their emotions?
The roots can be lost in many ways. I teach in a suburban school, I often have guys in class from countries in war. I have a Ukrainian student who has clearly experienced a very strong uprooting. In a place where you do not know anyone you have to recreate from scratch, redesign yourself as a person, learn a new language and codes of conduct. The complexity of the family of origin can also affect. These are things that leave a mark, because being able to feel stable on their roots, especially in adolescence, is fundamental, serves to strengthen your path. But it is also to be said that teenagers have great resources and adaptations.
They must be lucky enough to find around them people who can help them.
Absolutely yes. In the case of Luca, he has a very strong figure close, that of Uncle Umberto, who becomes a pillar to which he can cling to.
The doubt hovers that Luca can commit terrible gestures, which shakes Mara, his uncle’s wife.
Mara confronts the fear that, in some way, boys raised in the same family environment can bring out similar behaviors. His reaction is very human, he has two teenage daughters, perhaps the prejudice is not avoidable. She is a protective mother, other women could, at least instinctively, try her own fear.
“I who wanted you so well” by Roberta Recchia, Rizzoli352 pages, 18 €
Perhaps even the greatest fear of the parents hides, that of not knowing their children.
Alas, yes. Well, this is a novel that greatly deepens the relationship between parents and children and brings out how difficult it is to know the boys thoroughly. However careful, nothing excludes that there is a dark area, sides of the affections of teenagers that parents are unable to see. In the Nardulli family apparently the parents do everything that is right to do towards the children, but then the facts show that perhaps it was not enough, or perhaps the way was wrong. Or simply, as far as they have tried to be flawless, there are instincts in each of us who have nothing to do with the context in which we grow. This I hope that they also help us to eradicate the belief that certain elements grow only in dysfunctional families.
There is a meeting between mothers who have lost both children.
Both, in different ways, have lost them, only that from the point of view of the judging society only one has the right to suffer, it is on the right side of the pain. Around her, all understanding and support are tightened. The other, the mother of the executioner, does not enjoy the same understanding. They live similar pain, I thought it was significant that the first had the generosity of being close to what is left alone in a very difficult moment.
The novel also crosses the strong theme of forgiveness, too often trivialized in the news episodes of our day. I started from a question, that is, how far can it be forgiven? How far does he mean knowing how to forgive? The characters make different choices, more or less shareable. There are those who close the door to any form of contact, there are those who instead forgiveness find it and behave accordingly. And then there are characters who stop in a middle ground, because having loved a lot does not mean being able to hate, but it does not necessarily mean being able to forgive.
Can you heal from suffering?
Yes, absolutely. I also write it in the book. It must be thought of strictly that happiness is possible and that falls are expected in life, but the beauty lies in finding the strength to get up. Luca has acquired awareness of complexity, but also that it must always be given to oneself, and perhaps to others, the possibility of a second occasion to be happy.
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