Reading Journal 2, Week 2

I have a difficult time embracing the second person, so I will refer to the protagonist as “Laura” rather than myself. However, I will say that, in terms of setting, I greatly enjoyed the centrality of Italy to the work—it was literally like a snapshot of all the great things Italy had to offer without the tourist-heavy “must see the sights, seek the experience” feel. Laura actively struggled against and avoided tourism, and through this displayed a knowledge of both her Italian surroundings and people she met there that made the story seem a great deal more intimate and genuine. Fraser’s version of Italy, from my experience, is more real than any version of Italy we’ve met thus far down to the friends and characters we meet (Nina, Lucia) to the locations we see (Naples, Florence); Fraser is unafraid to examine all the beautiful, the ugly, and even the stereotypical aspects of Italy. I rarely know how Italians feel about their own culture and the representations of it. I imagine it would be like me witnessing American representations—like there is always that trace of something that is not quite right, just a little off—but based on my own experiences I feel that Fraser’s setting is so lush with understanding and appreciation for the highs (it’s beauty and attractions) and lows (its occasionally shotty construction, its heavy crime) that surely even Italians can look at this story and recognize some small part of their own Italy.