The Book of Hidden Things 3 1/2 stars-rounded down to 3

[Joanne]

The Book of Hidden Things by Francesco Dimitri

Dimitri is an Italian author and this is first book in English.

This is a story about 4 boyhood friends who grow up in a small Southern Italian town. After high school they all leave-Mauro to become a Lawyer and marry his childhood sweetheart, Tony to study medicine, Fabio to go onto to be a successful Photographer. Then there is Art-the genius who has no direction, no clue where to go in life. Before they all leave to start their adult lives, Art binds them to the Pact. They will meet, every year, same day, same time at their hometown hang-out "American Pizza".

Decades have gone by and the day of their annual meet comes, and Art does not show up. They wonder what could have kept him, not travel or work as he is the only one who still lives in their hometown. They go searching for him, to no avail. Once during their youth Art had mysteriously gone missing, presumed dead, and then he just re-appeared-no explanation as to where he had been or what had happened to him. Was this history repeating its self?

This book is filled with a lot of nasty characters, there's the small town "mafioso" the Corona-There's the priest who could have been a pedophile. And then, of course, there is Art who is self-centered and manipulative. But at the heart of the story is the bonds of family and friendship-just how far would you go to help or protect your mates?

I could not give the book a solid 4 stars, as I hated how it ended, Also because it is not a book I would recommend to everyone. A lot of people shelved it as fantasy-knowing what I now know I would have shelved it Magical Realism/Mystery

WARNING: Violence and graphic sex.

[[deleted user]]

Wonderful review. I've been thinking about adding this one, but I think I will pass for now.