by Luigi Malerba
Luigi Malerba is considered as one of the important contemporary writes in Italy. He just died and therefore I heard a radio feature about him. That feature made me interested. The book in question is a historical novel. It is situated in Rome, right after the death of Pope Leo X in 1625. Leo was a Medici Pope: clerical corruption everywhere, but also the time when Michelangelo, Raffael and da Vinci created their famous art works. The cardinals do not trust each other and therefore they vote for a neutral, compromise Pope: Hadrian. But he turns out to be a bad surprise for them since he really believes in God, he is modest, even austere. He threatens Rome’s cardinals to root out the existing corruption consisting in prostitutes, orgiastic feasts and the accumulation of positions within the cleric hierarchy. Those positions are especially important for their income in order to sustain their huge households. Everybody is nervous now as the new Pope approaches slowly Rome. He comes from Spain where he was located when they elected him.
The time of this journey is the frame of he book. At the beginning of each chapter the Pope’s journey and actions are quickly described. These are historic facts. During the journey many conspiracies unfold in Rome – the fictional part. In between always some authentic descriptions of facts which are marked by an old-fashioned language and orthography.
In the center a cardinal who is hopelessly in love with a red-hair prostitute prostitute. The counterpart is is household manager – a poor, young monk. The young monk is blamed to be possessed by the devil and his boss uses him (saying him that he actually uses the devil inside him) to carry out some crimes. It all culminates in surprising end when the new Pope arrives in Rome.
Malerba does really evoke those times of abundance in the Catholic church but also the common superstitions of the common life back then. In summary: a historic novel of the better kind. You even learn something about the time period since real documents are cited throughout the book. Nothing to do with those pseudo-historic books à la Dan Brown.
The time of this journey is the frame of he book. At the beginning of each chapter the Pope’s journey and actions are quickly described. These are historic facts. During the journey many conspiracies unfold in Rome – the fictional part. In between always some authentic descriptions of facts which are marked by an old-fashioned language and orthography.
In the center a cardinal who is hopelessly in love with a red-hair prostitute prostitute. The counterpart is is household manager – a poor, young monk. The young monk is blamed to be possessed by the devil and his boss uses him (saying him that he actually uses the devil inside him) to carry out some crimes. It all culminates in surprising end when the new Pope arrives in Rome.
Malerba does really evoke those times of abundance in the Catholic church but also the common superstitions of the common life back then. In summary: a historic novel of the better kind. You even learn something about the time period since real documents are cited throughout the book. Nothing to do with those pseudo-historic books à la Dan Brown.
Facts:
English title: n/a
Original title: Le maschere
Published: 1995
