This is the vivid story of nine-year-old Michelle Amitrano, who, out playing with his friends in the scorching Italian summer of 1978, discovers a secret so devastating that he is forced to choose between obeying the parents he loves and doing what he knows is right. Disturbing, heartrending and unputdownable. The ending left me desperate for more. ( )

This is a beautifully written (and translated) book telling the story of 9 year old Michele who, over the course of a summer, discovers a secret so terrible that it shatters his world.
I had seen the film before reading the book, so I knew what was coming, but I found myself submerged in Michele's life (simple as it is) and could literally feel the heat and discomfort of that hot Summer. His 9 year old confusion over the motivations of his parents and neighbours, and the distinction between moral right and wrong, is extremely moving.
Since reading this I have recommended it to family and friends. ( )

I'm Not Scared is part coming of age story and part morality tale. Niccolo Ammaniti writes in the head of nine year old Michele with ease and gives his characters wonderful depth. Although the plot was not as scary as I anticipated, the ending was a shock and left me wanting more. Michele is the moral center of the novel and makes the reader question what is truly right from wrong. How much courage would you have to do what is right if it meant standing up to your family and friends? A great novel that made me continue to question and think even after the last page was read, I'm Not Scared is a wonderful read.
To read the entire review go to: http://barneysbookblog.blogspot.com/2... ( )

This is a breathtaking thriller which is brilliantly written. The narrator, Michele Amitrano, tell us about the summer of 1978, when he was nine and he discovered the true nature of his family, his friends, and the inhabitants of the little Italian village where he lived. He was shocked by the (illegal) activities of the adults and had to face the childish cruelty of some of his friends. In a very difficult context, the narrator managed to behave with integrity and great compassion. Although he recalls a very hard story, he also manages to convey some very happy moments and some of the joys of childhood. In the narration we are made aware that the world that he describes was complicated and deceptive and that, due to his youth, he was not able to understand fully the events that took place as they were unfolding. Nevertheless he had a great capacity to apprehend the complexity of the characters of the people involved, and to adapt his behaviour to his new discoveries, this adds depth to the narrative and interest to the story. A great book!. ( )

This short, sweet novel is hard to describe without giving anything away. The jacket cover on my copy went a long way to enticing me to read it merely by mentioning that it's about a boy, Michele, who finds a horrible secret while playing with his friends. This happens at the beginning and the rest revolves around his actions in response to that discovery.

I was glad I read it, but I didn't think it was amazing. The psychological ideas presented are interesting, but not all that new. The story was different than most along similar suspenseful lines, which made it a nice read. All in all, I recommend it, but it's not something I'd put at the top of my reading list. ( )