Twice Born
Premio Campiello 2009
Twice Born is a major motion picture directed by Sergio Castellitto, starring Penélope Cruz and Emile Hirsch
“Mazzantini’s haunting novel, beautifully written and skillfully crafted, proves that despite the hatred exposed by war, love persists, and even flourishes.”
Publishers Weekly (full review)
“Twice Born is painted on a very broad canvas, a story that strikes universal chords.”
Irish Times (full article)
An international bestseller, a sweeping portrait of motherhood, loss and redemption.
Haunted by memories of Sarajevo’s four-year siege, Gemma reluctantly boards a flight from her native Rome to the war-scarred city with her sixteen-year-old son, Pietro. She hopes to teach Pietro about the city of his birth—and also about Diego, the father he never knew. Once in Sarajevo, however, Gemma is caught between the present and the past, and in her mind relives her love affair with Diego, their determination to start a family, and their deep connection to Sarajevo even under the looming threat of war.
In this haunting and sophisticated novel, Mazzantini masterfully probes the startling emotional territory of what makes a family—in particular what it is to be a mother. As the fate of Sarajevo converges with Gemma’s all-consuming desire to have a child, we learn just how strong and driven she really is, especially as she endures an astonishing revelation that is both heartbreaking and cathartic.
Publication date: 25.11.2008
Publisher: Mondadori
Number of Pages: 540
Country: Italy
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