La malnata / The Cursed friend
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Autor:
Beatrice Salvioni
Country:
Italy (IT)
Book Theme:
The new writers under 40
Publisher:
Einaudi
Publishing Year:
2023
Beatrice Salvioni was born in Monza in 1995. She studied Modern Philology at the Catholic University of Milan and graduated from the Holden School in Turin in 2021. In the same year, she won the Calvino Prize for unpublished short stories with Il volo notturno delle lingue mozzate. La Malnata (2023) is her debut novel, translated into 32 languages and set to become a TV series.
National Award for Children’s and Young People’s
Abstract
In March 1936, in Monza, two teenage girls, Francesca and Maddalena, become involved in a dramatic event that will mark their lives. Francesca, from a good family, often watches Maddalena, a girl considered “cursed” by the community, play carefree by the river. Despite social differences and rumors, the two girls develop a deep bond. The novel explores themes of friendship, marginalization, and resistance in a historical context marked by the fascist regime and the war in Ethiopia. Through Francesca’s narration, a vivid picture of Italian society in the 1930s is painted, highlighting its contradictions and injustices. La Malnata is a work that blends history and fiction, offering a reflection on the female condition and the courage to fight for one’s dignity.
