Alberto Ravasio's Second Novel 'Lo scrittore come mantenuto' Reviewed

Four years after his debut novel 'La vita sessuale di Guglielmo Sputacchiera' (Quodlibet, 1922), which received largely positive reception, Alberto Ravasio returns with his second book, a crucial milestone in any writer's career according to unanimous critical judgment. The review, written by Mario Barenghi and published on doppiozero.com on August 27, 2026, affirms that Ravasio confirms his non-trivial qualities, starting with a strong personal imprint in his writing. The novel features brilliant linguistic effervescence, a proliferation of hyperboles and paradoxes, a mix of trivial and cultured or specialized registers, and a taste for the grotesque, declined in humorous, satirical, or surreal keys. It also includes a penchant for the repellent, fueled by excrement-dominant imagery, and a gallery of emblematic names and surnames characterized by bizarre ruthlessness. The narrator and protagonist, who remains anonymous, is excluded from this gallery. The review highlights these stylistic elements as evidence of Ravasio's distinctive voice, positioning the book as a significant follow-up in his career.