In Calabria

Like most people who are able to read and enjoy fantasy, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Peter S. Beagle. That's not to say I'm a real fan, however; he's a remarkable writer, and uses language like a virtuoso uses a violin, but I've just never warmed to him.

And In Calabria is a perfect example of why. It's a beautiful book. The characters are marvelous. The intrusion of the rare and beautiful into the life of a reclusive and misanthropic man is intense and utterly real.

But, for me, there's some … thing lacking. I have no idea what. Something holds me back, creates a distance. It was gorgeous and I'm glad I read it, and parts of it will stay with me – but, still…

In any case… while neither this nor any of the other show more Beagles I've read will ever be my very favorite book, it was still a remarkable experience. I saw one review which complained that there was nothing new here, that Beagle has "done" unicorns before, didn't have to do it again – but I think that's … well, insane. It's been a while since I read The Last Unicorn, but I don't think this bears much of a resemblance to that, apart from the obvious: the cataclysmic effect a creature of legend can have on ordinary life. It's not a well, which can be dipped into too often - it's a river, a force of nature, never the same two moments running. Maybe that's why I've never been fonder of Peter Beagle - his extraordinarily comforting last name notwithstanding, his are simply not comfortable books.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review. show less

A new unicorn story by Peter S. Beagle? Sign me up!

Claudio Bianchi has lived alone on his farm in Southern Italy for many years, writing poetry and tending his animals. Set in his ways and resistant to change, his life is turned upside down one morning when an impossible visitor arrives: a unicorn seems to have taken a fancy to his orchard.

This was not the kind of story I was expecting. The focus of the story is on Claudio and his isolated life in modern Italy. It's an interesting tale to see how the impact of having a unicorn on his property forces him back into the world and provides an unfortunately realistic view of a potential reaction from the world when others find out that unicorns are real. While the unicorn does have a part to show more play, she's more of a catalyst for Claudio's personal growth than the main focus. The writing is lyrical and lovely as always. I was just hoping for more unicorns! show less

Overwhelmingly, I enjoyed In Calabria (and Bronson Pinchot's reading of the audiobook). Beagle's prose is as lovely as ever, and he creates an enchanting storyteller's atmosphere, completely free of modern tricks and traps utilized by lesser writers.

I will say, though, that this is the second Beagle book I've read in as many years that felt like it needed a little...more. The first was I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons, which is really no comparison; this novella is better than that was. The story works and it feels complete, even with a slightly trippy ending. Instead, I think the issue is the character of Giovanna. I'm not going to automatically turn up my nose at a story where a young woman falls in love with a much older (25 years show more older) man, but there's just no getting around the fact it feels like wish fulfillment on Beagle's part. Even more, it shows his age that we never get Giovanna's perspective: she's just there, and supportive, and ultimately flings herself at our protagonist. In many ways she's an interesting character, but that particular aspect couldn't feel more archaic if it tried.

I liked the book and I'd read it again. I'm certainly pleased that Beagle is still publishing original work. However, this isn't the book I would turn to if recommending his work to another, especially younger, reader. show less

After having read a few books in the past month that were each disappointing in some way (the length, the plot, and the writing), I determined that my next read was going to be something that was likely not to suffer those faults. This one didn't.

It was quite short, a novella actually. But packed with lots of good stuff. Fantasy, but set in a very real location that's lovingly rendered: the area of Italy known as Calabria. Claudio Bianchi scratches out a living on a small farm on a mountainside, living with a few pigs and cows, an aged dog, three cats, and a goat named Cherubino.

Into this humble setting wanders a unicorn one day, and Claudio's solitude begins breaking down despite his best efforts to resist. Some connections are good, show more some are threatening, and all revolve around La Signora, the unicorn.

I really, really enjoyed the contrast between the gritty, unforgiving world of Calabria and the magical quality of La Signora. The earthy sense of place and people is ripe for her to bring out the best in all the local residents - well, nearly all.

I know that Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn is considered one of the best fantasy novels ever written, and I do have every intention of reading it someday, but at this moment in my life, this was a perfect book.

Five stars. And if I could, a sixth for Bronson Pinchot's narration. show less

At some point all I read were books about unicorns.

They were my escape from the mundane and my outlet into the fantastic and I utterly devoured the books that I could get my hands on. Especially... well, you know the one. The last of her kind, and the king who kept the rest behind a veil of foam and salt and the bull who guarded them. I think I read that book a hundred times if I read it once. There were others of course, there were excerpt books and unicorn treasuries and movies (though I somehow skipped Legend until in my twenties?) and figurines and blankets and all the rest.

For some reason, it stopped.

I got to thinking recently how amazing it would be to have the moments back where I was reading those unicorn books again for the show more first time, those heartbreaking moments of discovery and knowing that truthfully they were real and everyone else was wrong and there was good and magic and honesty and this wild spirit in the world still, hidden from everyone except those precious few. We can never really get those moments back of course, those first times of reading and experiencing something so intense and personal and intimate.

This book though. This book does excellent job at bringing that all back again. No spoilers but I cried, I was 13 and reading a unicorn book again, and it was all going to be alright again. Thank you, Peter S. Beagle, for bringing that sensation back again. show less

On the surface, Claudio Bianchi seems a bit of a curmudgeon. He’s grumpy, prefers solitude, avoids most human contact outside of the man who delivers his mail every Friday or the man’s sister who occasionally takes his place. In fact, Bianchi’s only close friendships are with the animals on his farm. But there is another side to him, one rarely seen by others – he writes poetry, not good poetry by his own admission and nothing he would show others despite the teasing he gets about it but it gives him comfort in his loneliness. Then one day, a pregnant unicorn appears and makes her nest in his field and soon Bianchi’s life is turned upside down. The unicorn’s arrival will bring chaos and even danger as people learn about her show more existence. But it will also bring love and a kind of purpose and contentment to his life that Bianchi never thought he’d find.

In Calabria is the latest book by author Peter S. Beagle. It s a relatively short book, almost a novella and is written in the beautifully lyrical prose he is best known for. It is an engaging and heartwarming tale similar in some ways to his earlier and most famous book, The Last Unicorn, combining and contrasting the noise, chaos, and loneliness of modernity with the magic and happily-ever-after of a Grimms fairy tale awaiting the protagonist as long as he remains brave against all odds and keeps his promise to protect the innocent.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

Series Info/Source: I borrowed the audiobook of this through Audible Plus.

Story (3/5): This was a well written story. It involves a stubborn Italian farmer who is set in his ways and a unicorn who decides to give birth at his farm. The beginning of this story is very beautiful and magical. Unfortunately, two thirds of the way through gangsters and media folks get involved in the story and things went downhill from there. When a cat was tortured and killed that really soured things for me.

Characters (4/5): I was impressed by how well the characters were developed and how beautifully things were described. Claudio’s relationship and connection to the animals on his farm was very well done. I also enjoyed the side characters and the show more unicorn a lot too.

Setting (4/5): I loved the Italian farm setting. It gave a modern day story a very nostalgic feel. The description was very well done and I could picture everything about the setting perfectly.

Writing Style (4/5): This is the first story I have read by Beagle and he has an amazingly beautiful writing style. If he had left out the gangsters and some of the cruel violence towards animals this would have been a five star read for me. Still I loved the beginning and ending and thought the unicorns and characters were amazingly well done.

My Summary (4/5): Overall this made me want to go and read Beagle’s other books. It is beautifully written and magical in a gentle way. Beagle does an amazing job with description and with creating very human characters that are easy to care about. Some of the violence and crime in this story soured it for me, I think it would have been a fine story and a lot more enjoyable without those elements. show less