READERS’ REVIEWS
“The Paper Man” – A novel to read and then read again. A genuine historical novel, a great pleasure to read it. By the end, one might wish to be Klim, but everyone would wish to be Astrov. Among other reflections, this novel confronts us with a sensation that is both strikingly modern and harrowing—in an era where image is everything—of how little it takes to become invisible to most people. And while it is true that life can be “a long battle in the darkness,” as one of the characters puts it, this book pierces that darkness; it is an excellent way to “use time rather than let it slip away.” Congratulations!
Domenico Addezio
Verified Purchase on Amazon.it
“The Paper Man” – The best book I’ve read this summer. Truly original, well-crafted, and compelling, the kind of novel one happily reads a second or even a third time.
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“The Paper Man” is Eleonora Volpe’s debut novel, set in late 18th-century Russia, and there are many reasons why it deserves to be read. Instead of a traditional narrative style, it employs a screenplay-like structure, an original choice that allows the reader to better visualize the setting and follow the extraordinary web of interwoven stories more effectively. These are tales of power, love, death, and life—or rather, lives in the plural—unfolding through the adventures of three protagonists introduced enigmatically in the subtitle: One Was There, Another One Wasn’t and the Third One Died. The setting is complemented by a series of notes, observations and facts that allow the reader to enrich their knowledge of Tsarist Russia and gain insight into the feudal power, which culminated in the Revolution. The author’s hand is unsparing in recounting episodes that vividly convey what life was like—and how little it was worth—for the masses of serfs; yet, the ruthlessness of the hand wielding the pen is tempered by a gentle, ironic smile and a graceful sense of proportion. There is no indulgence or self-satisfaction here, but neither is there detachment or neutrality. Tolstoy and Gogol. Gogol and Tolstoy. I like to recall two lines that capture the essence of this. One is spoken by the protagonist, Alexander Pavlovitch Astrov—a military officer—reminding his physician father: “…But you said that the art of killing men brings more honour than the art of healing them.” Astrov is a character who rivals the enchantment and reality found in Gogol’s surreal imagination, with final touches reminiscent of Woody Allen’s *A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy*. The other line concerns Tsar Paul, whose ferocity manifests with natural ease and nonchalance, coexisting with grace, refined sensitivity and exquisite manners: “Paul had a sensitive heart and loved beautiful things. One of these was the young Anna Lopukhina…” Naturally, the plot includes a court conspiracy sketched, or rather embroidered, with an unusual narrative pace reminiscent of a television drama. The style is never heavy-handed, yet highly effective. The story is set in a world of privilege and elegance nourished by the pain, tears, and blood of the exploited serfs, yet the allusion to the eternal nature of Power, in whatever form it takes, is unmistakable. Power is always driven, step by step, toward abuse and oppression, toward a cynicism and malice of spirit masked by layers of refinement; inevitably, the dazzling splendour of places like Versailles and the Kremlin—splendour still admired today—descends into the darkness of boundless obtuseness. And ultimately, they meet the end they deserve…
Pino Nicotri
Journalist, Writer, Essayist
(Journalist for *L’Espresso*, former correspondent for the daily la Repubblica and a co-founder of *Il Mattino di Padova* and *La Tribuna di Treviso*)
“The Paper Man” – Finished reading the book. It’s wonderful!!! I truly loved it. The plot is intriguing, the story is well-constructed and the historical references are precise and clear. The writing features vivid and touching imagery, some of it so beautiful it almost hurts.
Viviana Pietrantoni
Former member of the Italian Institute for Culture
