Nino Ricci crafts narratives that delve into the complex interplay of human nature and moral ambiguity. His works often explore the tension between base instincts and the pursuit of goodness, rendered in rich prose that offers deep psychological insight. Ricci's distinctive style challenges readers while remaining accessible, provoking strong emotional responses and thoughtful contemplation.
Set in the Valle del Sole, a tiny village nestled in Italian Appenines, this novel tells the story of young Vittorio Innocente and of his mother, Christina, whose affair with a mysterious blue-eyed stranger abruptly shatters the innocence of Vittorio's childhood.
Exploring the earthly life of Jesus through diverse perspectives, this fictional biography features four intriguing figures who share their powerful and personal accounts. Each character's unique beliefs and desires shape their narratives, offering readers a multifaceted view of Jesus and the impact he had on those around him. The interplay of their stories enriches the understanding of his life and legacy, making for a compelling and thought-provoking read.
The narrative follows seven-year-old Vittorio, who arrives in Canada after a traumatic journey from Italy, burdened by the loss of his mother and the weight of an estranged father’s anger. Spanning two decades, the story explores his life in an Italian immigrant farming community, his university years, and his teaching stint in Africa. Central to the tale are the strained relationships with his father and half-sister, Rita. The novel intricately weaves themes of family dynamics and the immigrant experience, creating a poignant exploration of perseverance and redemption.
Set in Toronto and Italy, this powerful sequel to "In a Glass House" explores the sometimes forbidden aspect of desire and one's longing for what is unrecoverable. Victor Innocente remeets his half-sister in Toronto, shortly after his father's death. Uneasy with their new proximity in each other's lives, they are at first restrained. But gradually what is unspoken between them comes closer to the surface, setting in motion a course of events that will take Victor back to Valle del Sole in Italy, the place of his birth. It is there, where the story had its strange beginning twenty years earlier, that he confronts his past, its secrets and its revelations. Poignant, gripping, and written in luminous, highly charged prose, "Where She Has Gone "is an unforgettable novel - for its vivid portrayal of character and place, and for its extraordinarily moving encounter with the past.
In 1986 Montreal, Alex Fratarcangeli grapples with feelings of inadequacy in his career and love life. Despite being an unremarkable man, he is deeply affected by a transformative experience in the Galapagos Islands. This haunting event challenges the fragile stability of his everyday existence, forcing him to confront his identity and the notion of authenticity. The narrative explores themes of self-doubt and the search for meaning amidst the mundane.