The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan: The new novel by acclaimed and bestselling Italian novelist

An enchanting story, in the unique voice of one of Italy’s greatest contemporary writers.

"Starnone packs a huge amount into a small compass."

“This slim novel represents Starnone at his best.”

“Faultless… The reflection on love, already undertaken in Ties, Trick and Trust, is resumed and refined.” “Domenico Starnone’s gift to shuffle and deal the cards of a story gets ever more impressive.” “It’s impossible not to be struck by Starnone’s power over words.”

“A searching work of autofiction."

"450 pages of vivid, fluid, richly detailed drama, tormented and hilarious."

“A complex family narrative and a masterpiece on the elusive nature of truth.”

“Full of beauty and insight, Starnone’s narrative contrasts youth and old age, education and natural wisdom, dreams and reality. This won’t be easily forgotten.”

“The structure of this novel is intricate and masterful, and like the finest made structures, it is shaped by the storytelling and not the other way around.”

“The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan is imbued with such emotional resonance and passion of feeling that one simply cannot put it down.”

"[Starnone] portrays unflinchingly the violence, physical and verbal, that can erupt within the closest relationships."

“In Starnone’s novels, releasing yourself from whatever bitterness consumed your parents is an ultimately futile pursuit.”

“Starnone uses languages the way a great painter works with colour.” —Jhumpa Lahiri

“One of Italy’s most accomplished novelists.” —The Guardian 

Imagine a child, a daydreamer, always gazing out of the window. His grandmother, busy in the kitchen, keeps an eye on him. The child stares at a balcony on the opposite building, watching the black-haired girl as she dances her reckless dance. For a love like this, a child can push himself to extreme feats. He can turn into explorer or cabin boy, cowboy or castaway; he can fight duels to the death, or even master an unfamiliar language. 

His grandmother is not articulate, but does not lack imagination, and her love for the boy is immeasurable. She tells him about the entrance to the underworld, engraving indelible images in her nephew’s mind. 

An irresistible book, as sharp as the swords of fantasy hidden under the bed, as precious as a family jewel, in which the discovery of love and the discovery of death follow each other, marking the end of childhood.

• | Author: Domenico Starnone, Oonagh Stransky
• | Publisher: Europa Editions (UK) Ltd
• | Publication Date: Oct 10, 2024
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language: eng
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9781787705333
• | ISBN-10: 1787705331