Starred review from February 7, 2022
An Italian man schemes up a phony film production to save his tiny town in Simon’s sparkling, hilarious debut. Vacuum repairman and hotelier Giovannino Speranza needs €70,000 to fix Prometto’s municipal pipes or face relocation along with the other 212 inhabitants. Especially distraught over the prospect of moving away from his daughter and granddaughter, Speranza starts a wild rumor that famous actor Dante Rinaldi is coming to town to film his next project. The locals believe him and get involved, with Speranza’s employee Smilzo writing a script and starting production, led on by Speranza’s implausible explanations. Problems compound when the butcher financing the film insists his son, who has stage fright, have a role; and when Speranza’s uncle siphons off funds to build a theater for the premiere. The rumor moves beyond the town, attracting tourists for the first time in years and straining Speranza’s ability to keep things in check, especially when Dante’s agent starts making threatening calls. The ramshackle film shapes up, but every day brings a new mini catastrophe as the deadline to stop the water shutoff rapidly approaches and Speranza keeps the truth from everyone but a select few. Simon’s wit pervades every page, with colorful portrayals of Speranza and the town’s quirky inhabitants. This triumphant farce is a gem. Agent: Allison Hunter, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.
Starred review from March 15, 2022
Giovannino Speranza has a dilemma. A town-wide plumbing problem threatens the very existence of Prometto, Italy, population 212, unless he, the de facto mayor, can come up with the money to pay for repairs. The town coffers are empty, so he tells a little lie to increase business in the town, declaring that superstar actor Dante Renaldi is thinking of making a film in Prometto. Soon, the whole town is involved--Speranza's assistant, closet screenwriter Smilzo, local priest Don Rocco (who keeps asking for Speranza's confession), the thuggish sons of the town butcher (one of whom wants a singing role in the film), and Speranza's daughter, Gemma (who starts to come out of her shell with the excitement of the movie). So excited are the townspeople, they start filming while waiting for Dante to arrive. Full of slapstick humor (including a rescue from a wild goat) and a large cast of quirky characters, Simon's debut is brimming with heart. As the filming progresses, the stakes keep rising, making this a real page-turner as readers wonder how Speranza will get out of each new predicament. Fans of Fredrik Backman, Phaedra Patrick, and other chroniclers of small-town humor will savor this.
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