Cheap I'm Not Scared (Book) (Niccolo Ammaniti, Jonathan Hunt) Price

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Customer Reviews of I'm Not Scared

Horrible and beautiful
Michele is an average nine year old boy who lives in a tiny hamlet in southern Italy. On a very hot summer day in 1978 he and a few of his friends from the village climb a hill on top of which they find a deserted house. When Michele has to cross the house he finds a boy who is locked in chains in a well. He does not tell his friends, but later he goes back to find out what is happening. Slowly but surely it becomes apparent that the boy is kidnapped and that all the grown ups in the village are involved. Michele's father tells him not to get into the vicinity of the boy anymore, but in the end pity wins it from the vow to his father and the end of the story happens at night.

'I am not scared' is a book about a boy who discovers a secret that is not bearable at his age. First he seeks refuge into ideas from fairytales, but in the end reality wins. This book is beautifully written, with grand descriptions of the summer heat in southern Italy and real Italian fights. Absolutely a must read.

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A boy's passion and courage
Niccolo Ammaniti's "I'm Not Scared" is a small wonder. Told in a pulsating, dramatic fashion it is the story of a boy, Michele, who risks everything to save another boy his age, Filippo, as the circumstances surrounding Filippo change. Ammaniti's book is one where the children bear the maturity and the adults are rendered needy of care.

"Im Not Scared" is a tale of the heart. The reader roots for Michele at every turn and watches him as he battles his own fears only to turn them into a breathless triumph. The author beautifully gives a picture of the wheat fields of southern Italy and the "aliveness" of a small town that would otherwise be described as sleepy. Distances and time are presented in a desirably vague way, increasing our imagination of the bravura of Michele.

The one downside is the English translation by Jonathan Hunt. (no relation to me!) It is obviously translated into "British English" so many of the words and phrases are confusing. A better translation for Americans would have made the read a little less jumbled and more satisfying. Still, "I'm Not Scared" is a book not to be missed and can easily be a treasured read of an evening.

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The Italian "Stand by me."
Beautifully, artfully written. It is very suspenseful, and difficult to put down once you start. The author paints such an endearing view of Italy, you will wish you had grown up there, or even more so, you'll want to jump on the next plane out. It transports you back to the carefree days of youth, coupled with the fears and changes adolescence brings. A very fast read, great for a short sabbatical from everyday life!