This author explores the intricate aspects of human existence through a penetrating style and a deep understanding of character psychology. His works often focus on themes of identity, memory, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. With a keen eye for detail and a strong narrative voice, he draws readers into stories that are both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. His writing reveals the subtleties of interpersonal relationships and universal human desires.
Recognized as a notable book by both CrimeReads and World Literature Today in 2023, this work delves into compelling themes that intertwine crime and cultural commentary. It offers a unique perspective on societal issues through its intricate characters and gripping plot, making it a significant contribution to contemporary literature. The narrative promises to engage readers with its thought-provoking insights and masterful storytelling, appealing to fans of both crime fiction and literary exploration.
A family wrecked by patriarchal stranglehold; a daughter who both defends and
defies her father; and the deep rottenness of a society that bends low to
power...make this work biting social commentary as well as edge-of-seat
reading...A rich and readable cautionary tale for strong-minded readers.
-Library Journal, starred review A mesmerizing exploration of failure,
resilience, and profound, multifaceted loss. -Kirkus This oblique
kaleidoscopic approach allows the mystery to slowly and captivatingly resolve
while offering a layered portrait of contemporary Italian life and the abuses
of power that money can excuse. -Publishers Weekly Complex, darkly absorbing
and mysterious literary fiction [...] Lagioia's prose-in Shugaar's
translation-depicts a family living far from the ease it projects; loyalties
and betrayals painted in shades of gray; and a violently alive setting that
plays off its characters. -Booklist A deeply satisfying read all its own...A
page-turner, sure, but smart, smart, smart. -Words Without Borders
[I]ntricately planned...renders moral and political corruption's rampant and
universal prevalence. -BOMB magazine This sumptuous (prose) (...) quickly
wields allegory, social realism, domestic drama, and myth to create a layered
and expansive novel. -Chicago Review of Books A work of startling energy and
structural precision, an ambitious novel whose linguistic brilliance is
frequently at odds with the twists and turns of Michele's quest for the truth.
-Financial Times [Ferocity] ticks all the boxes of a thriller while also being
a masterfully written, baroque, many-faceted depiction of modern Italy. -The
Spectator Ferocity is a portrait of a family tragedy, but also at its heart
explores two competing visions of humanity: one ferocious and deterministic,
the other transcendent and free-willed. -The Guardian Lagioia writes vividly
and conjures up an atmosphere of menace with great skill. -The Mail on Sunday
Lagioia is one of the most interesting Italian authors alive today. -Michele
De Mieri, Domenica del Sole 24 Ore Lagioia brilliantly demonstrates the folly
of his characters: rather than describing them from the outside, he constructs
his narrative by oscillating unceasingly between past and future, premonition
and regret. -Emanuele Trevi, Corriere della Sera A story about family, about
wealth, about Italians, about a humanity that is obscenely spent and
confounded. A powerful, supremely well-crafted novel. -Goffredo Fofi,
Internazionale There's something Balzacian about Ferocity (and something that
puts one in mind of Franzen's The Corrections). It digs beneath current
events, inhabiting a zone that is more opaque and ambiguous than the nightly
news. -Paolo di Paolo, TuttoLibri Nicola Lagioia's latest novel opens with a
scene that is hypnotically, devastatingly beautiful. -Massimo Onofri, Avvenire
This novel reminds one of the Greek tragedies and those ineluctable questions
about the relationship between choice and destiny. -Luca Illetterati, Alias
