tore through the last 100 pages on my lunch break in a waterstones cafe and had to go back to work in a state of shock bc it captured my attention so tore through the last 100 pages on my lunch break in a waterstones cafe and had to go back to work in a state of shock bc it captured my attention so effortlessly. a somewhat shaky beginning transitioned smoothly into brilliant second and third acts. 4 stars!...more
i have to admit, i'm not at all familiar with the characters and story of 1970s italian cinema that rest at the heart of this novel, nor have i seen ei have to admit, i'm not at all familiar with the characters and story of 1970s italian cinema that rest at the heart of this novel, nor have i seen either of the movies that are being created. therefore, i was going in with completely fresh - and somewhat naive, like our main character nico - eyes.
and what a world that was crafted here! so richly imagined. i adored the structure of vignettes showing the creation of these movies - cast and crew mingling in their everyday lives. the passion these characters had for their art was so admirable - from the commitment to using original techniques to make costumes with such meticulous detail, to the directorial fixation on getting the *perfect* take - and it spoke entirely to the pursuit of creating art and bringing a vision to life. the beautiful prose, with all its wonderful descriptions, really brought this world to life.
the politics of this book, and the darker undertones here, were subtle at times, intense in others, particularly as we flit between the romance and the violent subject matter of the movies they were making. art is political - and we really get to see how pasolini, the visionary director who saw firsthand the devastating impact of fascism, was determined to represent and reflect that in his art. there were passages that struck me where the actors would be impossible to distinguish from the characters they were playing, engaging in violence and hedonism and depravity. like how the book itself intertwines fact and fiction, these passages serve as a provocative blend of reality and art. just how much are these sets, these stories, these characters illusion, and how much is extracting directly from history?
queerness, too, is explored well here. if the book itself is a metaphorical film set, a bubble where reality can be suspended to create art in such controlled conditions, queerness is not necessarily taboo. outside these conditions, though, we see the struggle of being queer in the 1970s pressing in on the outskirts, lingering just beyond the set in a way that cannot be avoided. but these filming processes can't last forever - and it'll be there, waiting, when they venture beyond its confines.
where this novel fell down for me slightly was actually in the characters themselves, who felt a bit flat in the vibrant and lively world that laing has so carefully crafted. the book was somewhat caught between the non-fiction of 1970s italian cinema and the fictional story of nico and dani's relationship that's woven into reality. flashes of brilliance were dimmed slightly when we returned to them, and i don't think i was ever quite convinced by their need and desire to cling to each other, nor did i fully buy into the feelings they might have shared.
a very intriguing story but not 100% captivating. it has made me want to watch these movies, though, and learn more about this time period - which happens to reflect what i enjoyed most about this book!
Loading...
