Inthisfour-storysuite,amodernmasterofItalianliteraturedelvesintothewonderandstrangenessofthehumancondition.Eerie,fabulist,andelegant,eachofMoresco’sstoriesfeaturesacentralcharacteratadifferenttimeofhislife:childhood,adolescence,andyoungadulthood.Inthesebeautifulandunsettlingnarratives,adreamlikelogicgovernsavividandstrangephysicalworld.In“BlueRoom,“theadolescentprotagonistcarriesonavoyeuristicrelationshipwithablindoldwomaninamysterioushouse.In“TheHole,“ayoungboybecomesfascinatedbyanouthousetoilet,aportalthroughwhichheobservesbodilywastes,curiosities,andportents.Inthetitlestory,anactofviolencedeepensthenightmarishtonesandmoodofdisorientation.Andin“TheKing,“achildnarrator-whomayormaynotbepresent--witnessesahorrificvisitfromanexiledruler.Fullofbodilyparts,functions,anddesires,Moresco’sstoriesdistorttimeandrealitytosummonaworldofcarnalimmediacyanduncannyhaziness.Aspectralandunnervingworkofart,expertlytranslatedbyRichardDixon,ClandestinityisatestamenttoMoresco’sgenius.
