Title: As God Commands
Author: Niccolò Ammaniti
First published October 1, 2006
400 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780802170675 (ISBN10: 0802170676)
Rating: 3.92
Overview
Set in the bleak industrial landscape of Italy, As God Commands by Niccolò Ammaniti is a stirring tale of a father and son battling their own demons and the harsh realities of life. Cristiano Zena, who lives with his unemployed, hard-drinking father Rino in the impoverished village of Varrano, dreams of a better life.
When Rino and his friends hatch a plan to turn their fortunes around, Cristiano sees a glimmer of hope. However, fate has other plans, and on a night of catastrophic weather, each person must face the consequences of their actions.
As God Commands is a poignant and thought-provoking story of hope, despair, and the choices we make at life’s crossroads.
About the Author
Born in Rome in 1966, Niccolò Ammaniti is a renowned author with a repertoire of three novels and a collection of short stories. His bestselling book, I’m Not Scared, has been translated into a whopping thirty-five languages, and even won the coveted Italian Viareggio-Repaci Prize for Fiction.
Editoral Review
As God Commands by Niccolò Ammaniti is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that explores the complex dynamics of a family in crisis. Ammaniti, an award-winning Italian author, is known for his gritty, realistic portrayals of contemporary Italian society, and this novel is no exception.
The novel centers around a dysfunctional family living in a small town in southern Italy. The patriarch, Rino, is a violent and abusive man who rules his family with an iron fist.
His wife, Teresa, is a passive and submissive woman who has lost all hope of escaping her miserable existence. Their two sons, Cristiano and Beniamino, are polar opposites: Cristiano is a rebellious teenager who dreams of escaping his family and starting a new life, while Beniamino is a timid and obedient child who idolizes his father.
The plot of the novel is driven by a series of tragic events that unfold over the course of a few days. Without giving away any spoilers, it suffices to say that Ammaniti’s writing is masterful in its ability to capture the tension, desperation, and violence that permeate this family’s life.
One of the strengths of As God Commands is Ammaniti’s ability to create vivid and believable characters. Each member of the family is fully realized and complex, with their own motivations, fears, and desires.
Ammaniti also does an excellent job of depicting the cultural and social context of the novel, painting a bleak picture of poverty, corruption, and dysfunction in small-town Italy.
The novel’s pacing is excellent, with each chapter building on the tension and suspense of the previous one. The plot structure is also well-crafted, with a satisfying resolution that ties together all the loose ends.
One minor weakness of the novel is that it can be quite bleak and depressing at times, with little hope or redemption for the characters. However, this is also a reflection of the harsh reality of life for many people in Italy and around the world.
Overall, As God Commands is an important and impactful novel that sheds light on a dark and often neglected aspect of Italian society. It is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Italian literature or social commentary more broadly.
Rating: 4.5/5
