Lives of the Saints by Nino Ricci is an award-winning literary novel that masterfully blends coming-of-age drama with themes of tradition, superstition, and societal constraints. Set in a remote Italian village, it follows young Vittorio Innocente, whose idyllic childhood unravels when he witnesses a mysterious event involving his mother, Cristina. After suffering a supposed snakebite, Cristina becomes the centre of the scandal, exposing the rigid expectations of their deeply superstitious community.
As Vittorio grapples with the shifting world around him, the novel explores family secrets, resilience, and the struggle between personal freedom and societal norms. The first book in The Vittorio Innocente Trilogy, this evocative tale won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Governor General’s Award for Fiction, solidifying Ricci’s place in contemporary literature.
A compelling read for fans of rich storytelling and character-driven narratives, Lives of the Saints is a poignant journey of love, exile, and self-discovery.
