I bought Vittorio Cotronei’s book because I thought it would contain more information about the fantastic artist Nannetti Oreste Fernando NOF4. At first, I was disappointed that the book turned out to be a giallo [crime story] about three kidnapped kids, but then I read on because it is well-written and as much a beautiful story about today’s Volterra and NOF4 as a giallo. Imagine Donna Leon’s Brunetti in Volterra.
Vittorio Cotronei’s Brunetti is an ufologo (ufologist) in the middle of male menopause. At least two other lead characters of the story are also hetero males in menopause. As a gay man, I found this convincing but considering that Volterra is crowded with figo [cool] male liceo [college] students in white FILA sweat pants who should ask themselves daily: Have I spoken in an obscene manner? Have I looked at obscene magazines, websites, or videos? Have I engaged in impure behavior or committed impure acts with myself or others? instead of listening to Baby Gang’s Lecco, I felt slightly overwhelmed by so much male midlife crisis. Cotronei is good at portraying men in their forties who from average students have become average middle-age men on an average trajectory from Volterra’s beautiful battistero [baptism] to Volterra’s beautiful cimitero [burial].
The story of the kidnapped kids is well-constructed and Cotronei’s ufologist takes us to La vena, La carbaccia, the Manicomio di Volterra, the Museo delle Miniere in Montecatini Valle Cecina, Villamagna and other fascinating places. It is a good introduction to how locals experience Volterra.
The UFO angle is praiseworthy because Volterra already being a world famous breeding place for vampirs and formely home to Italy’s largest lunatic asylum, Volterra’s at least seventeen pizzerias and Italy’s best gelateria wait for hungry UFO otaku tachi [fans]. Vittorio Cotronei keeps a healthy balance between denying undeniable UFO facts and pretending to know what he doesn’t know. To prepare Volterra for future UFO landings, the Italian Civil Aviation Authority built a Elisuperfice [helicopter landing pad] near the old railway station from where you can follow the old railway tracks down to Saline di Volterra. Probably the most beautiful walk near Volterra.
I liked Vittorio Cotronei’s novel and look forward to read his other books.
La Hasa 