Almarina

Elisabetta Maiorano teaches mathematics to young inmates at Nisida, a detention center in Naples. One day, Almarina arrives, and together they discover a pathway to freedom through love, atonement, forgetting, and starting over. Valeria Parrella's novel is a powerful and moving story of loneliness and the ability to live again.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2023
Publisher: John Murray Press

One of the most captivating books published in recent years, "Nisida" is a profound and poignant tale that delves into the transformative power of imprisonment. Set on a picturesque island nestled between Capri and Bagnoli, off the coast of Naples, the novel follows the journey of Elisabetta Maiorano, a mathematics teacher who arrives at the Nisida detention center every day, ready to impart her knowledge to a group of young inmates.

Inside the confines of the detention center, Elisabetta's world is suspended, and she hasn't spoken to anyone since the day before. However, everything changes when Almarina, a Romanian inmate with a personal history etched upon her body, enters her classroom. Together, confined in a small, claustrophobic space, Elisabetta and Almarina embark on a journey of self-discovery, exploring the possibility of freedom amidst the confines of their prison.

"Nisida" is a warm and intimate novel that touches the depths of the human emotions, offering a voice to the universal loneliness that we all experience. Through the characters of Elisabetta and Almarina, the author explores themes of love, atonement, forgetting, and starting over. The novel is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of hope, even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Translated by Alex Valente, "Nisida" is a remarkable work of literature that deserves to be read by anyone seeking a profound and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.

Weight: 120g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529352443