Sardinian Stories by Grazia Deledda, Translated by Steve Amoia

A remarkable collection from a legendary Italian writer, Sardinian Stories by Grazia Deledda contains newly translated versions of a selection of her tales by Steve Amoia. Capturing the charm and tension of everything from pastoral versions of justice to magical mysteries in the mountain towns of Italy, these are engagingly varied stories of family tension, cultural expectation, and forbidden love, from the darkly romantic to the eccentrically surreal. The translations are strong, though certain phrases feel anachronistic, and not fully reflective of the mood or time period in which the stories are set. However, the prose is enrapturing, as each story is clever and slow-building in its drama, and just as impactful as it would have been a century ago.