Top secret
Book not yet available in English
Summary:
Conflicts with her parents, first love, friendship, secrets, dreams, hopes, swallowed tears, long faces, ruffled thoughts: here she is, Giulia, the protagonist of the book, a normal pre-teen struggling with the turmoil, the emotions and the discoveries of her 12 years. The story, told in the first person, is accompanied by the songs she loves and is interspersed with pages from her diary, the contents of which are obviously Top Secret. Giulia lives in a small mountain village, she is a “girl” but she loves soccer, which only accentuates people’s prejudices, conventions, clichés, which become a reason for contrast, conflict, pain, misunderstanding. In addition, suddenly, another “bomb” explodes: the separation of his parents. Among astonishment, pain, anger and loneliness, the story takes an unexpected turn. [Publisher’s website]
Edited by: Centro MeTRa - Università di Bologna (Italy)
Comment:
“Not everything is as it looks, not always the truth can be understood by listening to the words and explanations of adults. Sometimes, it is just hard to find the right words to tell the truth, both for those who are still growing and those who are now considered adults. Because it means having the courage to really listen to oneself. And to stop being afraid. And this is what Giulia learns and narrates, page after page, day after day. Three generations face each other and important themes such as homosexuality, gender stereotypes, love, and friendship, within the family, at school, and in society: this is the core of this novel, which flows gently and intensely into a heart-stopping ending”. [Publisher’s website]. This short novel deals with the themes of discovering oneself and others, overcoming gender stereotypes, and a certain degree of ‘respectability’ that limits our freedom. Giulia’s story is particularly suitable for girls and boys who ask themselves questions, showing how the answer lies inside us, and how each and every one of us can be what we want in our uniqueness.