That Awful Mess On Via Merulana by Carlo Emilio Gadda
The Story of a Crime
This novel is a complex and richly detailed exploration of a crime in 1920s Rome, where an investigation into a theft and a brutal murder in an apartment building on Via Merulana becomes a sprawling narrative that delves into the social, political, and cultural fabric of Italy. The detective in charge of the case navigates through a maze of clues, red herrings, and eccentric characters, revealing not just the underbelly of Roman society but also the inherent chaos and absurdity of life. The narrative is characterized by its linguistic inventiveness, with a mix of literary Italian, Roman dialect, and technical jargon, making it a challenging yet rewarding read that transcends the boundaries of the detective genre to offer a profound commentary on the human condition.
The 1699th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1957
- Nationality
- Italian
- Length
- Moderate
- Pages
- 400-500
- Original Language
- Italian
- Avg User Rating
-
(5.0)
- Alternate Titles
-
- Quer Pasticciaccio Brutto de Via Merulana
- Quer pasticciaccio brutto de via Merulana
- That Awful Mess On The Via Merulana
- The Mess on Via Merulana
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This book is on the following 6 lists:
- 43rd on The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century (Folha de São Paulo)
- 3054th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- List of the 100 best Italian books of the last 200 years (IL RIFUGIO DELL'IRCOCERVO)
- One Hundred Italian Novels (1901-1995) (Cento Romanzi Italiani)
- The 100 Best Novels in Translation by Boyd Tonkin (Book)
- The 100 Novels You Must Read in Your Lifetime (Esquire)