This smashing book is a semiautobiographical work, a surprise bestseller in Italy, the work of a 17-year-old girl, Melissa Panarello. It follows Melissa's journey from a narcissistic 14-year-old looking for love, through a number of amorphous sexual relationships that leave her feeling used and humiliated, and on to real love.
Now, I must admit to being of more than one mind on this book. Its graphic sexuality gives the book a reputation as a work of erotica, but the denigrating, self-loathing sexuality depicted is never really arousing. For me, a telling line is found on page 76, "I search for excitement born from humiliation. I search for annihilation."
Instead, this really is the tale of a girl, who does not find the love she needs at home, and goes out searching for it in all the wrong places. Her sexuality does not lead to fulfillment for herself, or for the reader. She must move back from her sexuality, to find love first - to feel loved and to love another.
Overall, I find this book to be a touching story of a girl; a girl in search of something deep, on a terrible journey not taking her where she wants and needs to go. Yes, it is a work of graphic sexuality, perhaps accidentally(?) glorifying the sexuality that the main character finds so debasing.
Do I recommend this book? Yes, I do. But, be warned: it's a book of contradictions. I both loved it and hated it, loved and hated the characters, loved and hated the author. And perhaps a great book is one that takes you where you never expected to go.