We
are in the mid-nineteenth century in what we now call southern Italy. But then
it was specifically Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples under the Bourbons. Within
the pages of The Leopard, there unfolds a tale of landed gentry doing their
specific things alongside the nation's general struggle for unification. There
are numerous touches of brilliance, but overall it's a book I probably would
prefer not to have read, despite particular moments of brilliance. Talking
about the Bourbon's palace - Capodimonte - he says that the architecture is
sound, but the decor and detail leave a lot to be desired - rather like the
Bourbons themselves.
There
are betrothals, weddings and much celebratory eating. There are also politics
and liberation for Italy, albeit elevating yet another King, Victor Emmanuel,
who was nevertheless something of a foreigner for these people in the south.
There
is much to commend this book, especially the elegance and wit of the writing.
But the modern reader may find the atmosphere just a little too stuffy.
