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Dino's Story by Paul Salsini iUniverse
book review by Karolina Blaha-Black
"He was only a boy from a tiny village, but as a raging river ruins a city, he becomes a man."
This brilliant coming-of-age story is set in 1960's Florence, Italy. Young Dino Sporenza, a shy and reserved boy from the tiny village of Sant'Antonio, comes to Florence to study art. Full of doubts about himself and his abilities, he leaves the protective cluster of his village, his hovering mother, and his girlfriend Francesca behind, ready to make his own way in life. In Florence, where he stays with his uncle and aunt while at school, he meets a plethora of interesting characters who greatly influence his lifes decisions: Sofia, the model at the Academia, where he studies; Father Lorenzo, a priest who runs the citys soup kitchen; the Principessa Maria Elena, a wealthy art patron; Penny, the self-assured English student; and Tomasso Nozzoli, a famous football player, among others. For the first couple of years at the Academia, Dino feels content just to play guitar, listen to the Beatles, who, by this time, are becoming famous in England, make art, and work in the local restaurant. He also spends a lot of time thinking about Francesca, his girlfriend back home, and Sofia, the university model, who volunteers at the soup kitchen. But when the river Arno overflows and Florence is flooded, wreaking horrific damage and destruction to the city and its inhabitants, he finds inside himself the courage and willingness necessary to help the citizens in need who have no way to help themselves—the poor, the helpless, the old, and the hungry. Along with his friends and others who mobilize to help the city, Dino realizes that all the art and music in the world is not as important as helping people better their lives.
Movingly written, and with well-rounded, multi-dimensional characters that make the reader care about them, the novel portrays the life of Florentines in the 1960s. Salsini's book might as well be a crash-course in Italian, as native words pepper the pages, giving the book an authentic feel. The font is easy on the eyes and the story flows well, leaving readers hungry for more. Black and white photographs of Florence's famous statues, churches, and cathedrals are scattered throughout the book as well. Readers will laugh, cry, and cheer for Dino, as he comes of age in a city stricken with disaster, and in the end grows up to be a man who better understands himself and others.