335. The Time of Indifference

The Time of Indifference
Alberto Moravia
1929
Around 300 pages

Based on the title, I fully expected this novel to be about Europe's indifference to war crimes. I had forgotten books could be about subjects other than World War I. I would have enjoyed the novelty more if this wasn't Clarissa: Next Generation.

Leo pulls a reverse Mrs. Robinson: he is having an affair with his mistress's daughter, Carla. Carla wants to escape her life, with no clear idea of what she wants to escape to. She resolves to sleep with Leo on her birthday to start a new life. Leo is...rapacious, to say the least.

There's not much emotional complexity in the female characters. Once again, virginity is framed as some precious jewel women must defend at all costs, otherwise they are "lost." Men can't ruin women, if they could, they wouldn't be so pissed off all the time. Leo was creepy as hell, viewing Carla as daughter/mistress and forcibly grabbing every woman in sight. There's no shortage of toxic masculinity in 1929. 

Unless you want to read about a brutish man chasing around younger women, it's not really worth the undertaking. That's what the news is for!

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Moravia wrote this after a meeting with his friends, where they each agreed to write a novel. 

UP NEXT: Living by Henry Green. Yawn.