There Was a Time for Such a Word
In a tiny Italian village in 1942, Davide is the son of an illiterate pig farmer and ardent Fascist. Born with one leg shorter than the other, Davide is a disappointment to his father and a target for the village boys. Teresa, the daughter of the ropemaker, begins teaching him to write. He believes writing is his path out of the village. Everything changes when a group of Jews is relocated to the village by the Fascist government. Among them are Nicolas and his father, who opens an underground school Davide secretly attends. Davide, Teresa, and Nicolas become close, exploring friendships and emotions none of them truly understand. When a German truck is attacked, Nicolas is blamed, and Davide hides him. Fearing for his own safety, Davide flees to Naples, where he becomes a renowned writer and actor. Years later, he searches for Teresa and Nicolas. Finding them brings heartbreak and a semblance of peace.
This is an exquisitely crafted coming-of-age story set in a period of history often chosen, but in a setting rarely portrayed. Filled with ugly truths and personal pain, Solla’s story, and Dixon’s translation, navigate the rocky terrain of adolescence with lyric beauty. The vivid settings place the reader firmly in the village and in Naples. The characters are authentic and fully human, complete with flaws and virtues. Davide’s story is told retrospectively in first person. As such, there are points when he jumps back in time, which left this reader occasionally confused. That, however, is a small criticism. This is a beautiful yet heartbreaking story. Strongly recommended.
