965. Don't Move

Don't Move
Margaret Mazzantini
2001

Around 300 pages

If you are growing tired of me complaining about the frequent graphic depictions of rape on this List, well, so am I. But they just keep coming, although I guess this one is a shake-up in a way, because it's a female author. See, women can be just as disturbing as men!

Timoteo is a prominent surgeon whose daughter is in the hospital after a motorcycle accident. While she is being operated on, he makes his confessions to her about a relationship he had with a prostitute Italia, which was started when he raped her. There's this section where he pictures Italia reporting him, what his response would be, and how easily he could get away with it. Needless to say, it was a rough and frustrating read.

This reminded me of Last Tango in Paris, where an intensely sexual story is told, consent is basically out the window, and the entire thing feels like an unhappily married man's fantasy. Strangely, this was written by a woman, but you don't have to be a man to write a story with a patriarchal viewpoint.

I did enjoy the pacing and style, but being stuck with Timoteo made this insufferable.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Adapted to film in 2004.

UP NEXT: The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen