A review by changeablelandscape
The Moon and the Bonfire by Cesare Pavese

emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

A beautifully written 1949 novel by an Italian poet, about growing up in rural Italy before WW2.  It is focused through the memories and viewpoint of the narrator, but there is a wide lens on the different kinds of possible lives for both men and women in that place & time.