Summary of La Superba
“La Superba” tells the story of a writer who relocates to Genoa in northern Italy and immerses himself in the city’s dark alleys, bars, and underground scenes. At the same time, he writes about his longing for the love of a beautiful woman. It is an entertaining yet often provocative book. At its core, it portrays a modern European city and its challenges—immigration, drugs, alcohol, prostitution, and crime—while also celebrating its rich traditions and long history.
Reasons to read La Superba
“La Superba” is an original blend of grotesque and absurd episodes, autobiographical reflections, historical accounts, and sexual fantasies. What at first may seem like a chaotic and overly abundant book succeeds in telling a compelling and insightful story about modern life on the fringes of society in the northern Italian port city of Genoa. Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer is one of the most prominent contemporary Dutch writers and lives in Genoa himself (the title of the book refers to the city’s nickname). The novel won the Libris Literature Prize in 2014 and the Prize of the Royal Academy of Dutch Language and Literature in 2016. Other notable works by Pfeijffer include “Grand Hotel Europa” and “Alkibiades” (winner of the Boon Prize).
Original title: La Superba
Year of publication: 2013
Nr of pages: 416
