The Leopard

The author, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, was the last Prince of Lampedusa (a minor title in Sicilian nobility). This book tells of a similar Prince and the changes in Sicilian life during the unification of Italy. The Prince in the novel seems to be somewhat based on the author in terms of his philosophical ideas. The book is hailed around the world as a great historical novel, one of most important novels in modern Italian literature. So why didn’t I like it? The author includes beautifully described scenery and characters but none are developed enough that I feel any connection to them. I had no invested interest in their fates. I would have like the book to be written more from Prince Fabrizio’s perspective, more of his inner thoughts and experiences. I especially didn’t like the analogies that referenced modern events - that took me even more outside the characters experiences and hindered any connection to them. Perhaps it reads better in Italian, things are often lost in translation