InDiciannove(translatingtoNineteen),GiovanniTortorici’selegant,heartfelt,anddaringdebut,acuriousstudentlearnsthattheroadtoself-discoveryisworthwhile,ifnotnecessary,nomatterhowunfamiliarordauntingthepath.
Eagertoescapehisoverbearingmotherandtheonlylifehe’sknown,19-year-oldLeonardo(ManfrediMarini,whogivesanexceptionalperformance),leavespicturesquePalermotostudyinbustlingLondon.HislandingisbufferedbyhissisterArianna(VittoriaPlaneta)andherroommateGrazia(DanaGiuliano),thoughtheinitialexcitementoflivingabroad—andunrestrictedpartying—wanesquickly,andLeonardofindshimselfenrollingattheUniversityofSiena,focusingonItalianliterature.
Backinfamiliarsurroundings,hefallsinlovewiththemedievalcity,butisnotsokeenonhisliteratureprofessor.Seekingthatindescribablefeelingofknowingyou’vefoundyourplace—beyondjustgeography—Leonardodelvesintotheclassicsindependently,spawningasoul-searchinganddeepinterestinearlymodernauthorslikePulci,Segneri,andLeopardi.Surroundinghimselfwithbeauty,vibrantyouth,andnewideas—aswellasimageshe’dpreviouslyrepressed—hisworldblooms.Ayearintohisunboundjourney,LeonardotravelstoTorinowherehemeetsamanwho,thoughmucholder,mayfinallybeacontemporary—ifnotthekeytounlockinghisinnermostdesires.
