Valeria Parrella's novel 'La Fortuna' celebrates Pompeii

Valeria Parrella's latest novel 'La Fortuna' (Feltrinelli, 2022) has been praised as an effective promotional tool for the Archaeological Park of Pompeii. In an interview with Artribune, Parrella discusses her picaresque novel set during the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius, starring the one-eyed protagonist Lucio. She emphasizes that the book is not a historical novel but a picaresque adventure. Parrella, who studied Classics at the University of Naples Federico II under Marcello Gigante, conducted extensive research on material culture, reading works like 'Vita quotidiana a Pompei' and Eva Cantarella's 'Un giorno a Pompei'. The novel received endorsements from Pompeii's Director General Gabriel Zuchtriegel and former director Massimo Osanna. Parrella reflects on accessibility in Italian museums, noting that the Ministry of Culture is catching up after a long delay—Italy's disability law only passed in 1992. She cites the National Archaeological Museum of Naples and MADRE as examples of ongoing accessibility issues. The novel explores how individuals can arm themselves with knowledge and curiosity to face catastrophe, drawing parallels to the pandemic. Parrella describes Pompeii as a site of resilience, intact since its excavation, unlike other ancient sites. She writes aloud to ensure precision, reading the entire manuscript with editors Laura Cerutti and Helena Janeczek. The interview was conducted by Annalisa Trasatti.