What do you think?
Rate this book
Things That Happened Before the Earthquake
Welcome to LA? Nineties' Hollywood gets an Italian makeover in this poignant and ruefully funny coming-of-age novel featuring a teenage girl who's on shaky ground in more ways than one.
Mere weeks after the 1992 riots that laid waste to Los Angeles, Eugenia, a typical Italian teenager, is rudely yanked from her privileged Roman milieu by her hippieish filmmaker parents and transplanted to the strange suburban world of the San Fernando Valley. With only the Virgin Mary to call on for guidance as her parents struggle to make it big, Hollywood fashion, she must navigate her huge new public high school, complete with Crips and Bloods and Persian gang members, and a car-based environment of 99-cent stores and obscure fast-food franchises and all-night raves. She forges friendships with Henry, who runs his mother's movie memorabilia store, and the bewitching Deva, who introduces her to the alternate cultural universe that is Topanga Canyon. And then the 1994 earthquake rocks the foundations not only of Eugenia's home but of the future she'd been imagining for herself.
Mere weeks after the 1992 riots that laid waste to Los Angeles, Eugenia, a typical Italian teenager, is rudely yanked from her privileged Roman milieu by her hippieish filmmaker parents and transplanted to the strange suburban world of the San Fernando Valley. With only the Virgin Mary to call on for guidance as her parents struggle to make it big, Hollywood fashion, she must navigate her huge new public high school, complete with Crips and Bloods and Persian gang members, and a car-based environment of 99-cent stores and obscure fast-food franchises and all-night raves. She forges friendships with Henry, who runs his mother's movie memorabilia store, and the bewitching Deva, who introduces her to the alternate cultural universe that is Topanga Canyon. And then the 1994 earthquake rocks the foundations not only of Eugenia's home but of the future she'd been imagining for herself.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2017
106 people are currently reading
3780 people want to read
About the author
Chiara Barzini
5 books77 followersChiara Barzini is an award-winning Italian screen and fiction writer. She lived and studied in the United States where she covered Lifestyle and Culture stories for numerous American and Italian publications. She writes and translates both in English and Italian and is the author of the short story collection Sister Stop Breathing (Calamari Press, 2012) and the novel Things That Happened Before The Earthquake (Doubleday, 2017) which was a Best Book of the Year for Vogue, Esquire, Elle, Bustle, and the Guardian, and a best summer book for the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, BBC, and Oprah! magazine. Her fiction has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals. She has a regular column in D Repubblica and is a Literature Advisor at the American Academy in Rome.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
February 12, 2020
Chiara Barzini’s Things That Happened Before the Earthquake was a novel built on a plausible premise, an exploration of assimilation into American culture through the eyes of an Italian teenager coming of age. I neither loved nor hated this novel, but I could see where the author was trying to go, and there did exist moments where I appreciated the bravery of her writing.
Eugenia’s parents come to the U.S. with stars in their eyes, hoping to make it big as filmmakers in L.A. They’re free-spirited in a truly European way, being shocked at the citations they receive for sunbathing topless on the beach and bewildered by things like private healthcare. They buy a Cadillac to fit in and change their wardrobe upon arrival, not wanting to be typecast as Italian gringos, wanting to fit in and instantly conform into their new surroundings.
Eugenia, is a typical teenager in a lot of ways. Aside from the fact that she has to worry about whether or not she’ll be threatened with deportation in American customs at the airport—and the fact that L.A. natives keep confusing her Italian heritage with French, which acutely annoys her—she searches for her own identity in much the same way as many teenage girls raised in the dazzling lights of a big city. She’s needy, clingy to people who often have little interest in her, exploring her surroundings and individuality through her newfound sexuality, the occasional recreational drug and a pretty consistent series of adventures brought on by risky, naïve behavior. She’s hungry for positive attention, desperate to find herself and fit in, from the “pump up” sneakers she thought would be cool to wear her first day of school (the other girls, she finds, have already graduated to wearing heels) to the slew of sexual trysts and arguably degrading positions she finds herself in. There are times when I questioned whether Eugenia was fearless or stupid, brave or simply naïve—but that is what coming of age is, isn’t it? A combination of all these things in its own right. Several of the scenes came off as memories of my own high-school experiences, of the other students around me all struggling to fit in and claim our places in the hierarchy that exists in every American school. Still, there were times where some of the scenes came off as uncomfortable and strange to me—but those were the moments when Barzini’s own fearlessness as a writer was on full display.
A key note to consider about this novel is that Things That Happened Before the Earthquake is exactly what this book felt like: things that happened.
The plot was pretty loose, and, for the most part, simply read like a series of events—misadventures if you will—that happened to a teenage girl after moving from her native Rome to the scorching Los Angeles, California, just after the riots brought on by the beating of Rodney King in ’92. With that in mind, the setting was rich, the landscape described down to the detail so that you could feel the grit in the Valley air, smell the salt of the sea on the shores of Italy. This novel was punctuated by pop culture events, like milestones that moved the story along on a timeline. The earthquake of 94’, the election of Silvo Berlusconi, O.J. Simpson and the white Bronco, gun to his head. It’s all seen through the eyes of Eugenia, commented on by a voice still trying to find itself. And that did have its own appeal, for sure.
Here you’ll find a slow read driven by finding oneself in the midst of chaos, rather than being heavily driven by plotting, irony, or plot twists. That will appeal to a lot of readers. It was a book that read at a lulling pace but that still had its share of shocking, difficult and awkward moments that pierced through the lull. The characters were flawed in a way that seemed real, authentic, unaffected and devoid of pretenses, and for that readers can be grateful, because that can be hard to find. Fiction is littered with unthought-out stereotypes masquerading as engaging characters, but you won’t find a graveyard of those typecast bones here.
Things That Happened had a sort of hippie-ish soul to it, exploring the crevices of Italian culture and how they made assimilation into American society both difficult and noteworthy at the same time. Barzini was at times bold in her depictions of what unaffected thinking sounds like, what authentic living looks like, from “making out” with your grandmother, to rave parties in the middle of the desert to an inside glimpse of commune life. And, the cover art is phenomenal! (5 stars for that!) But, the slowness of the read couldn’t always hold my attention, and the loose plotting failed to grab me the way I wanted to be held by this story within these pages. For that, I award a solid 3 stars. ***
* I received an advance-read copy of this book from the publisher, Doubleday, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
FOLLOW ME HERE:
Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Get a Copy of My Book | Book Editing, Author Coaching, Submit Your Book to Me
Eugenia’s parents come to the U.S. with stars in their eyes, hoping to make it big as filmmakers in L.A. They’re free-spirited in a truly European way, being shocked at the citations they receive for sunbathing topless on the beach and bewildered by things like private healthcare. They buy a Cadillac to fit in and change their wardrobe upon arrival, not wanting to be typecast as Italian gringos, wanting to fit in and instantly conform into their new surroundings.
Eugenia, is a typical teenager in a lot of ways. Aside from the fact that she has to worry about whether or not she’ll be threatened with deportation in American customs at the airport—and the fact that L.A. natives keep confusing her Italian heritage with French, which acutely annoys her—she searches for her own identity in much the same way as many teenage girls raised in the dazzling lights of a big city. She’s needy, clingy to people who often have little interest in her, exploring her surroundings and individuality through her newfound sexuality, the occasional recreational drug and a pretty consistent series of adventures brought on by risky, naïve behavior. She’s hungry for positive attention, desperate to find herself and fit in, from the “pump up” sneakers she thought would be cool to wear her first day of school (the other girls, she finds, have already graduated to wearing heels) to the slew of sexual trysts and arguably degrading positions she finds herself in. There are times when I questioned whether Eugenia was fearless or stupid, brave or simply naïve—but that is what coming of age is, isn’t it? A combination of all these things in its own right. Several of the scenes came off as memories of my own high-school experiences, of the other students around me all struggling to fit in and claim our places in the hierarchy that exists in every American school. Still, there were times where some of the scenes came off as uncomfortable and strange to me—but those were the moments when Barzini’s own fearlessness as a writer was on full display.
A key note to consider about this novel is that Things That Happened Before the Earthquake is exactly what this book felt like: things that happened.
The plot was pretty loose, and, for the most part, simply read like a series of events—misadventures if you will—that happened to a teenage girl after moving from her native Rome to the scorching Los Angeles, California, just after the riots brought on by the beating of Rodney King in ’92. With that in mind, the setting was rich, the landscape described down to the detail so that you could feel the grit in the Valley air, smell the salt of the sea on the shores of Italy. This novel was punctuated by pop culture events, like milestones that moved the story along on a timeline. The earthquake of 94’, the election of Silvo Berlusconi, O.J. Simpson and the white Bronco, gun to his head. It’s all seen through the eyes of Eugenia, commented on by a voice still trying to find itself. And that did have its own appeal, for sure.
Here you’ll find a slow read driven by finding oneself in the midst of chaos, rather than being heavily driven by plotting, irony, or plot twists. That will appeal to a lot of readers. It was a book that read at a lulling pace but that still had its share of shocking, difficult and awkward moments that pierced through the lull. The characters were flawed in a way that seemed real, authentic, unaffected and devoid of pretenses, and for that readers can be grateful, because that can be hard to find. Fiction is littered with unthought-out stereotypes masquerading as engaging characters, but you won’t find a graveyard of those typecast bones here.
Things That Happened had a sort of hippie-ish soul to it, exploring the crevices of Italian culture and how they made assimilation into American society both difficult and noteworthy at the same time. Barzini was at times bold in her depictions of what unaffected thinking sounds like, what authentic living looks like, from “making out” with your grandmother, to rave parties in the middle of the desert to an inside glimpse of commune life. And, the cover art is phenomenal! (5 stars for that!) But, the slowness of the read couldn’t always hold my attention, and the loose plotting failed to grab me the way I wanted to be held by this story within these pages. For that, I award a solid 3 stars. ***
* I received an advance-read copy of this book from the publisher, Doubleday, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
FOLLOW ME HERE:
Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | Get a Copy of My Book | Book Editing, Author Coaching, Submit Your Book to Me
Read
March 25, 2017It's too early for me to review and rate this book, since it's coming out in August.
But I wouldn't be me if I wouldn't tell you just a few, brief things.
First of all: although the main character of this novel is a teenager (16 to 17 through the period that the story covers) this is not a ya book.
I would classify it as general fiction set in 90's.
The earthquake the title is references is the one that happened in 1994 in L.A.
This book has only 320 pages but it reads slowly. The reason - I blame the writing style that is full of tells and has so little shows, and even less conversations.
While reading I felt uncomfortable more then few times:
1. The way the main character Eugenia lost her virginity made me feel nervous because, in my opinion, she was sexually assaulted, even though she didn't want to admit it to herself (WARNING: That scene can be triggering)
2. Eugenia's prayers to Holy Mary where she talked about sex
3. Scenes with strong animal abuse were the worst to read about (but they had their meaning in this story).
Overall, a good, solid coming of age story that talks about finding a safe place and ourselves along the way, set 1990s when human life (in my humble opinion) was at it's best.
But I wouldn't be me if I wouldn't tell you just a few, brief things.
First of all: although the main character of this novel is a teenager (16 to 17 through the period that the story covers) this is not a ya book.
I would classify it as general fiction set in 90's.
The earthquake the title is references is the one that happened in 1994 in L.A.
This book has only 320 pages but it reads slowly. The reason - I blame the writing style that is full of tells and has so little shows, and even less conversations.
While reading I felt uncomfortable more then few times:
1. The way the main character Eugenia lost her virginity made me feel nervous because, in my opinion, she was sexually assaulted, even though she didn't want to admit it to herself (WARNING: That scene can be triggering)
2. Eugenia's prayers to Holy Mary where she talked about sex
3. Scenes with strong animal abuse were the worst to read about (but they had their meaning in this story).
Overall, a good, solid coming of age story that talks about finding a safe place and ourselves along the way, set 1990s when human life (in my humble opinion) was at it's best.
September 12, 2017
What an aptly titled book: "Things That Happened." This is a book about things happening - one after another in monotonous succession. Well, it's actually about an Italian girl, Eugenia, who relocates to Los Angeles with her family in the 1990s, but where it endeavors to be a candid coming of age story, it falls short with a pace that languishes and a promise of emotional poignancy that never really delivers. I was unable to form an emotional connection with any of these characters, and the whole thing came across as rather trite.
Where Things That Happened Before the Earthquake failed for me was the style of narration. It was cold and detached in a way that I'm unable to reconcile with the POV of a teenage girl who's been uprooted from her home and transported into a different culture. Eugenia envelops herself in what she refers to as her "rubber suit" - she remains purposefully detached from a lot of what transpires around her, and the narrative result is that it's almost impossible to understand her behavior or personality. She seems more mature than your average 15 year old while also making a lot of terrible teenage decisions.
Having read this, I now completely understand why no one seems to know whether to classify this novel as adult or YA. On the one hand, it deals with teenage issues - sex, love, identity - but on the other hand, there's some seriously dark and graphic stuff in here. Trigger warning for animal abuse, and... kind of rape? I guess? Minor spoiler: Eugenia's first time having sex is... potentially non-consensual but then swept under the rug by the narrative and never really addressed again, and that whole thing made me really uncomfortable.
But onto the good - this is a 3 star review after all. Contrary to my chronic tendency toward negativity, I didn't hate this book. Chiara Barzini is a fantastic writer, and even through Eugenia's detached narration, Barzini's prose shines. This story is told with unflinching honesty and humor, and at times it's a delight to read.
Ultimately: I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. This was just a kind of monotonous read that I wanted to end much sooner than it did.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Doubleday Books, and Chiara Barzini.
Where Things That Happened Before the Earthquake failed for me was the style of narration. It was cold and detached in a way that I'm unable to reconcile with the POV of a teenage girl who's been uprooted from her home and transported into a different culture. Eugenia envelops herself in what she refers to as her "rubber suit" - she remains purposefully detached from a lot of what transpires around her, and the narrative result is that it's almost impossible to understand her behavior or personality. She seems more mature than your average 15 year old while also making a lot of terrible teenage decisions.
Having read this, I now completely understand why no one seems to know whether to classify this novel as adult or YA. On the one hand, it deals with teenage issues - sex, love, identity - but on the other hand, there's some seriously dark and graphic stuff in here. Trigger warning for animal abuse, and... kind of rape? I guess? Minor spoiler: Eugenia's first time having sex is... potentially non-consensual but then swept under the rug by the narrative and never really addressed again, and that whole thing made me really uncomfortable.
But onto the good - this is a 3 star review after all. Contrary to my chronic tendency toward negativity, I didn't hate this book. Chiara Barzini is a fantastic writer, and even through Eugenia's detached narration, Barzini's prose shines. This story is told with unflinching honesty and humor, and at times it's a delight to read.
Ultimately: I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. This was just a kind of monotonous read that I wanted to end much sooner than it did.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Netgalley, Doubleday Books, and Chiara Barzini.
May 17, 2017
Barzini writes a wonderful account of what is like to be a teenager in the Valley when her parents move the family from Italy to California . An unusual coming of age written from the point of you of an Italian girl who has landed in the heart of America too soon for her to decipher the rules and feel at home. Hilarious and heart wrenching, fearless in its honesty, this is a fictional memoir like no other.
August 12, 2017
A raw, honest and exquisitely foreign look at early 1990's Los Angeles through the eyes of a not-so-innocent teen girl. (NOT a YA book)
Thanks to Doubleday books for providing me with a finished copy for review purposes - all opinions are my own.
When a book opens on an early 90's LA beach with an Italian family (including the grandmother) sunbathing in the nude, you just know it's not going to be a typical story. And oh my goodness, it surely wasn't typical! THINGS THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE takes place in the time period between the 1992 riots in LA and the big earthquake in 1994, and follows a family from Rome who has moved to LA for the movie business. Or, for the father to try to make it in the movie business, that is - the rest of the family is just along for the ride. Eugenia, the 16-year-old narrator, and her younger brother Timoteo are vehemently opposed to the move and struggle to assimilate as they must navigate US public schools for the first time, along with American and LA culture in general.
Eugenia and her narrative style are oh so Italian, and oh so unflinchingly brash. There is sex, and there is NO holding back on the description of it. The sex isn't always happy and it is rarely pretty, and it's used as a literary tool in the telling of Eugenia's coming of age story. There are drugs, and there are hints of impropriety in various parent-child relationships and there are just a whole lot of down-and-dirty gritty descriptions of people and the Los Angeles setting. All of these things made this story a bit of a wild ride for me - one minute I was grimacing at a description of a sex act and then the next Eugenia was back on an Italian island for the summer and it was achingly beautiful and my heart just melted at this new look at the same girl. I ended up kind of falling in love with her and her determination to assimilate to this wild new world despite her eccentric family and the otherworldly nature of LA.
Highly recommended for eyes-wide-open readers willing to take the plunge into a raw coming of age story told from a unique perspective, as well as for LA-lovers in general.
Thanks to Doubleday books for providing me with a finished copy for review purposes - all opinions are my own.
When a book opens on an early 90's LA beach with an Italian family (including the grandmother) sunbathing in the nude, you just know it's not going to be a typical story. And oh my goodness, it surely wasn't typical! THINGS THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE takes place in the time period between the 1992 riots in LA and the big earthquake in 1994, and follows a family from Rome who has moved to LA for the movie business. Or, for the father to try to make it in the movie business, that is - the rest of the family is just along for the ride. Eugenia, the 16-year-old narrator, and her younger brother Timoteo are vehemently opposed to the move and struggle to assimilate as they must navigate US public schools for the first time, along with American and LA culture in general.
Eugenia and her narrative style are oh so Italian, and oh so unflinchingly brash. There is sex, and there is NO holding back on the description of it. The sex isn't always happy and it is rarely pretty, and it's used as a literary tool in the telling of Eugenia's coming of age story. There are drugs, and there are hints of impropriety in various parent-child relationships and there are just a whole lot of down-and-dirty gritty descriptions of people and the Los Angeles setting. All of these things made this story a bit of a wild ride for me - one minute I was grimacing at a description of a sex act and then the next Eugenia was back on an Italian island for the summer and it was achingly beautiful and my heart just melted at this new look at the same girl. I ended up kind of falling in love with her and her determination to assimilate to this wild new world despite her eccentric family and the otherworldly nature of LA.
Highly recommended for eyes-wide-open readers willing to take the plunge into a raw coming of age story told from a unique perspective, as well as for LA-lovers in general.
November 7, 2017
Full disclosure: the writing is skillful, the pace is good. Usually these things garner at least 3 stars from me. But I could not wait to finish this book.
It's the story of an adolescent girl whose family moves from Italy to Los Angeles with dreams of making it in the movie business. Through her eyes we see the seamy underbelly of American culture as it existed in Los Angeles just after the Rodney King riots.
I see the value in viewing "the American dream" without the benefit of rose-colored glasses. But every single person and thing in this novel are dirty, rotten and corrupted. There are a number of parent-figures and not a single one of them deserves the title of parent. They are selfish, thoughtless, and irresponsible. Every surface of every room is covered in mold or dirt or mud or vomit. Everyone's clothes are ill-fitting or dirty or absurd.
If you believe this version, everyone in Los Angeles is drug-addled, poor, ugly on the inside and unattractive on the outside.
Here's an example of the landscape this book inhabits:
"The mountains looked like distant accumulations of charcoal. Nothing was welcoming. Every leaf on the trees was like a sterile drawing. ... The olive trees in a distant grove appeared remote and bare, like rickety, out-stretched skeletons."
.
I suppose there's a demographic that will like this book, but for me, it was like an hours-long car ride in bumper-to-bumper traffic that I couldn't wait to get to the end of.
It's the story of an adolescent girl whose family moves from Italy to Los Angeles with dreams of making it in the movie business. Through her eyes we see the seamy underbelly of American culture as it existed in Los Angeles just after the Rodney King riots.
I see the value in viewing "the American dream" without the benefit of rose-colored glasses. But every single person and thing in this novel are dirty, rotten and corrupted. There are a number of parent-figures and not a single one of them deserves the title of parent. They are selfish, thoughtless, and irresponsible. Every surface of every room is covered in mold or dirt or mud or vomit. Everyone's clothes are ill-fitting or dirty or absurd.
If you believe this version, everyone in Los Angeles is drug-addled, poor, ugly on the inside and unattractive on the outside.
Here's an example of the landscape this book inhabits:
"The mountains looked like distant accumulations of charcoal. Nothing was welcoming. Every leaf on the trees was like a sterile drawing. ... The olive trees in a distant grove appeared remote and bare, like rickety, out-stretched skeletons."
.
I suppose there's a demographic that will like this book, but for me, it was like an hours-long car ride in bumper-to-bumper traffic that I couldn't wait to get to the end of.
March 14, 2017
This is really all about seeking a safe place and not finding it in Los Angeles or an Italian island. The main character makes some cringe inducing decisions while she searches for her safeplace in the wrong places. Yet the main character is likable in her vulnerability and you can't help but root for those in her mad cap family circle. Sad and scary, a good coming of age story while mirroring the history of LA from Rodney King to O.J. Simpson.
Provided by Net Galley
Provided by Net Galley
April 4, 2017
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
This is a novel to add to your reading list- forthcoming
“How could my father become rich and famous if he surrounded himself with cheapness?”
The beauty of this novel is that Eugenia and her family are foreigners with stars in there eyes, ready to have success in America as filmmakers. The stars act as blinders to the reality of their situation and forges trust in people that aren’t quite who they say they are. That her parents are ‘sort of hippies’ is evident in the openness of the household, not always exposing their kids to the best people in order to make their film. Eugenia is not your typical American kid, and being torn from her homeland Italy and plopped down in San Fernando Valley trying to fit in with dangerous kids in her public school isn’t the Hollywood life she imagined. Before she finds friendship with Henry, she has secret encounters with Arash, a Persian student who ‘sort of’ protects her. The fact she is warned against telling anyone about their time together exposes the hungry desperation Eugenia feels at school, she goes along with it welcoming the sexual trysts. But in a place where gangs face off, and boys prove themselves anytime someone ‘steps up’ something tragic is bound to happen. When tragedy strikes, she becomes enthralled with Deva- a young girl truly living a hippy existence with her father and brother. Deva is a child of communes and music, Eugenia falls in love with every cell of her being, thrown off by Deva’s strange bond with her controlling father. Forced to work on his music, the lines between love and abuse blur and Eugenia isn’t really sure what she knows or understands about Deva. While her own parents struggle to make a film, failing miserably, she is far more invested in becoming a part of Deva’s world.
In part two, Eugenia and her brother return home to the most isolated island of the Aeolian archipelago for a visit, while their parents try to recover from the difficulties of their first year in California. This was my favorite part of the entire novel, though there is brutality, cruelty in the relationship between the island’s handyman Santino and his wife Rosalia. The carefree nudity, the ‘rough island living’ made me feel like I was there. The friendship Eugenia strikes up with Rosalia by bringing her newfound “Americanism” into their household is a catalyst for danger and violence. Too, there is charm about the island, the descriptions of the land and water, and the locals set a gorgeous mood. You could almost smell the salty air and feel the cool water. It’s a strange see saw effect, because the reader is lulled by the ocean and horrified with the simmering tensions. It feels like another novel, and it follows because going from Italy to California may as well be another life entirely. Part Two serves as a look at the changes taking place within Eugenia, you never return home the same as when you left. Her perception of her own culture changes after a short time in America.
Every character has issues, whether of the physical or emotional sort. There are a lot of awkward moments of hungry, humiliating desperation to either fit in or be loved. Eugenia’s parent’s dream seems to be sinking the family, and Eugenia is lost on the chaos of the confusion, coming of age, trying to figure out who she is, how to love, what future she longs for without much guidance. Being that her family chooses to come to America and make their film after the violent riots in Los Angeles gives a strange effect to the story. There is a lot happening here, normally it would make for a messy novel but instead it contributes to the confusion Eugenia feels adjusting to her life in America. They are all on shaky ground before the big earthquake. When the quake finally occurs the question is, what can Eugenia take from the rubble of her life? This was really good, it’s more than just an Italian family taking on Hollywood. It’s a desperate coming of age with sexual complications. Add this to your reading list, it won’t be available until August.
Publication Date: August 15, 2017
Doubleday Books
This is a novel to add to your reading list- forthcoming
“How could my father become rich and famous if he surrounded himself with cheapness?”
The beauty of this novel is that Eugenia and her family are foreigners with stars in there eyes, ready to have success in America as filmmakers. The stars act as blinders to the reality of their situation and forges trust in people that aren’t quite who they say they are. That her parents are ‘sort of hippies’ is evident in the openness of the household, not always exposing their kids to the best people in order to make their film. Eugenia is not your typical American kid, and being torn from her homeland Italy and plopped down in San Fernando Valley trying to fit in with dangerous kids in her public school isn’t the Hollywood life she imagined. Before she finds friendship with Henry, she has secret encounters with Arash, a Persian student who ‘sort of’ protects her. The fact she is warned against telling anyone about their time together exposes the hungry desperation Eugenia feels at school, she goes along with it welcoming the sexual trysts. But in a place where gangs face off, and boys prove themselves anytime someone ‘steps up’ something tragic is bound to happen. When tragedy strikes, she becomes enthralled with Deva- a young girl truly living a hippy existence with her father and brother. Deva is a child of communes and music, Eugenia falls in love with every cell of her being, thrown off by Deva’s strange bond with her controlling father. Forced to work on his music, the lines between love and abuse blur and Eugenia isn’t really sure what she knows or understands about Deva. While her own parents struggle to make a film, failing miserably, she is far more invested in becoming a part of Deva’s world.
In part two, Eugenia and her brother return home to the most isolated island of the Aeolian archipelago for a visit, while their parents try to recover from the difficulties of their first year in California. This was my favorite part of the entire novel, though there is brutality, cruelty in the relationship between the island’s handyman Santino and his wife Rosalia. The carefree nudity, the ‘rough island living’ made me feel like I was there. The friendship Eugenia strikes up with Rosalia by bringing her newfound “Americanism” into their household is a catalyst for danger and violence. Too, there is charm about the island, the descriptions of the land and water, and the locals set a gorgeous mood. You could almost smell the salty air and feel the cool water. It’s a strange see saw effect, because the reader is lulled by the ocean and horrified with the simmering tensions. It feels like another novel, and it follows because going from Italy to California may as well be another life entirely. Part Two serves as a look at the changes taking place within Eugenia, you never return home the same as when you left. Her perception of her own culture changes after a short time in America.
Every character has issues, whether of the physical or emotional sort. There are a lot of awkward moments of hungry, humiliating desperation to either fit in or be loved. Eugenia’s parent’s dream seems to be sinking the family, and Eugenia is lost on the chaos of the confusion, coming of age, trying to figure out who she is, how to love, what future she longs for without much guidance. Being that her family chooses to come to America and make their film after the violent riots in Los Angeles gives a strange effect to the story. There is a lot happening here, normally it would make for a messy novel but instead it contributes to the confusion Eugenia feels adjusting to her life in America. They are all on shaky ground before the big earthquake. When the quake finally occurs the question is, what can Eugenia take from the rubble of her life? This was really good, it’s more than just an Italian family taking on Hollywood. It’s a desperate coming of age with sexual complications. Add this to your reading list, it won’t be available until August.
Publication Date: August 15, 2017
Doubleday Books
December 5, 2020
Non è brutto, ma nemmeno bello. Ricordi di un paio d'anni passati a Los Angeles, che creano un terremoto nell'adolescenza di questa ragazza. Ripeto, non brutto, anzi. La scrittura è abbastanza originale, certe pagine esprimono con sensibilità il disorientamento dell'adolescenza, la descrizione della scuola e dei metodi americani sono interessanti... ma un po' inutile. Non proprio insulso, ma... tiepido. Vuole ferire il lettore con esperienze brutali, bullismo, violenza, sesso, droghe, ma non riesce a essere convincente, e quello che risulta è invece un po' ridicolo, e un po' imbarazzante: questa famiglia di italiani sempre riuniti intorno a una tavola, fra un set e l'altro, a cucinare pasta e pizza, sempre pronti a fare le cose fra amici, alla buona, in famiglia, senza contratti, senza documenti, senza leggi. Mah.
Se Chiara Barzini non fosse quella che è, se non fosse la figlia di un regista, sia pure di serie B; se non fosse una persona da salotto romano, di quelli che hanno mille conoscenze nel mondo della cultura e dello spettacolo, come Teresa Ciabatti (e infatti come lei ha sempre fatto la sceneggiatrice), ecco, col cavolo che glielo pubblicava Mondadori un romanzo così.
E infatti nell'ultima pagina la Barzini gentilmente ringrazia un centinaio di persone che l'hanno aiutata a scrivere questo romanzo. Capite cosa voglio dire? Ecco. È ora di finirla con questa editoria all'italiana.
Se Chiara Barzini non fosse quella che è, se non fosse la figlia di un regista, sia pure di serie B; se non fosse una persona da salotto romano, di quelli che hanno mille conoscenze nel mondo della cultura e dello spettacolo, come Teresa Ciabatti (e infatti come lei ha sempre fatto la sceneggiatrice), ecco, col cavolo che glielo pubblicava Mondadori un romanzo così.
E infatti nell'ultima pagina la Barzini gentilmente ringrazia un centinaio di persone che l'hanno aiutata a scrivere questo romanzo. Capite cosa voglio dire? Ecco. È ora di finirla con questa editoria all'italiana.
June 23, 2017
I found this novel (labelled ‘Fictional Memoir by Francesca Marciano) such a fun read, albeit uncomfortable and tragic in parts. It is a beautifully rendered coming-of-age novel whose main character resonated with me deeply. Eugenia’s vulnerability, isolation and empathic nature made her extremely likeable and I was rooting for her throughout. She is victim of the eccentricities and personal hells of the people around her and her struggle through this is admirable.
The title provides the key to the narrative structure; the earthquake pivots the novel around and projects Eugenia forward to her conclusion (freedom). The earthquake occurs just after the main climax of the novel (although there are many climaxes, some of them are truly devastating) ironically putting a stop to the chaos and confusion that was happening beforehand.
Eugenia is a fifteen year old Italian who moves to Los Angeles with her parents and brother (and initially also a fabulous grandmother, who is brilliantly hilarious). This novel is embedded in 1990’s Los Angeles with references to historical/political events - both in America and Italy . (Eugenia’s only prior knowledge of America before the move was gleaned from ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ – which portrayed a very different Los Angeles to that which Eugenia and her family experience.)
The culture shock reverberates and hums and sends shock waves through her life which jump start her into action (as readers we ask ourselves if the move was not the actual earthquake referenced in the title), the novel follows Eugenia as she looks to carve her space and place in this new home. The difficulties of fitting in and identity, already part and parcel of adolescence, balloon out as she tries to understand and find her place within a school where gangs and identity politics are deeply embedded into the school social system (as an Italian she doesn’t fit in with any of the groups). She discovers her sexuality, and initially uses it to numb and shield herself but this then evaporates when she begins to open herself up to a newfound friend (with her own set of complications at home).
The novel is divided up into three parts labelled: departure, return and arrival. Barzini adds an intriguing layer to the novel when she Eugenia and her brother return to Italy during the summer holidays; they stay with their uncle and his girlfriend on a small Aeolian Island of Sicily. I loved Barzini’s description of the island. The brutality and violence of nature and isolation is further emphasised. Eugenia realises that she no longer will fit in anywhere anymore, she is caged in no matter what her circumstances.
Eugenia doesn’t ever try to understand or justify the people around her. She is submissive to life; from the man she loses her virginity to, to Santino’s judgement of her when his wife changes the way she sees herself (she looks on when her beloved donkey Angelina is brutally murdered in front of her eyes). She submits to her parent’s eccentric, egocentric and unrealistic dreams of America and the film they are shooting (she even puts her own dreams on hold and keeps them quiet while it bubbles softly under the surface; we don’t understand what Eugenia feels about her unconditional offer to enter a college based on her writing until Eugenia decides to accept it).
Ultimately this is a novel about family; how families love and how dysfunction communicates chaos and pain, how we try to please one another in order not to feel alone or disappointing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel especially because of Barzini’s beautiful crisp descriptions of place and the contrasts she creates between; the vastness of the sea, the enclosure of school, the suffocation of an island, and the brutality of (human) nature.
The title provides the key to the narrative structure; the earthquake pivots the novel around and projects Eugenia forward to her conclusion (freedom). The earthquake occurs just after the main climax of the novel (although there are many climaxes, some of them are truly devastating) ironically putting a stop to the chaos and confusion that was happening beforehand.
Eugenia is a fifteen year old Italian who moves to Los Angeles with her parents and brother (and initially also a fabulous grandmother, who is brilliantly hilarious). This novel is embedded in 1990’s Los Angeles with references to historical/political events - both in America and Italy . (Eugenia’s only prior knowledge of America before the move was gleaned from ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ – which portrayed a very different Los Angeles to that which Eugenia and her family experience.)
The culture shock reverberates and hums and sends shock waves through her life which jump start her into action (as readers we ask ourselves if the move was not the actual earthquake referenced in the title), the novel follows Eugenia as she looks to carve her space and place in this new home. The difficulties of fitting in and identity, already part and parcel of adolescence, balloon out as she tries to understand and find her place within a school where gangs and identity politics are deeply embedded into the school social system (as an Italian she doesn’t fit in with any of the groups). She discovers her sexuality, and initially uses it to numb and shield herself but this then evaporates when she begins to open herself up to a newfound friend (with her own set of complications at home).
The novel is divided up into three parts labelled: departure, return and arrival. Barzini adds an intriguing layer to the novel when she Eugenia and her brother return to Italy during the summer holidays; they stay with their uncle and his girlfriend on a small Aeolian Island of Sicily. I loved Barzini’s description of the island. The brutality and violence of nature and isolation is further emphasised. Eugenia realises that she no longer will fit in anywhere anymore, she is caged in no matter what her circumstances.
Eugenia doesn’t ever try to understand or justify the people around her. She is submissive to life; from the man she loses her virginity to, to Santino’s judgement of her when his wife changes the way she sees herself (she looks on when her beloved donkey Angelina is brutally murdered in front of her eyes). She submits to her parent’s eccentric, egocentric and unrealistic dreams of America and the film they are shooting (she even puts her own dreams on hold and keeps them quiet while it bubbles softly under the surface; we don’t understand what Eugenia feels about her unconditional offer to enter a college based on her writing until Eugenia decides to accept it).
Ultimately this is a novel about family; how families love and how dysfunction communicates chaos and pain, how we try to please one another in order not to feel alone or disappointing.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel especially because of Barzini’s beautiful crisp descriptions of place and the contrasts she creates between; the vastness of the sea, the enclosure of school, the suffocation of an island, and the brutality of (human) nature.
August 24, 2017
http://www.themaineedge.com/style/sha...
I’ve always been a sucker for a coming of age story. There are unending compelling ways to tell a tale of growing up; the struggles of adolescence are both universal and unique.
Chiara Barzini’s debut novel is “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake.” It’s the story of a young Italian girl brought by her filmmaker parents to Los Angeles circa 1992; she’s largely left to her own devices when it comes to navigating this new life, and unsurprisingly, it doesn’t come easy.
Through this lens, Barzini paints a portrait not only of one girl’s grappling with the establishment of her identity, but of the city of Los Angeles; we see L.A. as defined by the people who dream within its borders.
Eugenia is a fairly typical Italian teenager living in Rome. Her life is upended when her filmmaker parents decide – largely on the strength of a successful canned meat commercial – to make the move to America. Specifically, the San Fernando Valley.
They land in a city still reeling from the riots of just a few weeks before. While Eugenia’s parents immediately start striving to make the movie that they believe will make them their fortune, she is left to muddle through. Her limited English immediately marks her as different; she’s an outcast from day one.
She does find people with whom to connect – some briefly, others deeply. A Persian gangster wannabe. A young slacker working in his obese mother’s memorabilia store. A free-spirited classmate who lives in Topanga Canyon with her twin brother and musician father. These brief flashes of connectivity serve as her anchor, something to hold onto as her family is swallowed up by the roller-coaster process of creating their film.
But the pendulums of these relationships tend to swing; the shifting nature of interpersonal dynamics – particularly those of young people – threatens to overwhelm Eugenia even as she strives to find definition and validation through those around her.
And when the figurative seismic shifts in her life give way to literal ones, she’s left to decide just what these relationships – with her family, with her friends, with those who might be something more – mean to her … and what she’s willing to do to hold onto them.
“Things That Happened Before the Earthquake” is a stunning piece of work, an exquisitely detailed look at one girl’s efforts to embrace, adapt to and engage with an altogether new culture. Her successes and failures in doing so make for a story that is alternatingly sweet and sharp as she searches for her place in this strange new land.
The fact that this is Barzini’s debut novel is astonishing; there’s an easy craftsmanship on display that belies the notion that this is anyone’s first book. It’s not just the strength of characterization, although everyone from Eugenia on down is richly, vividly realized. It’s not just the beauty of the narrative, although the story being told is almost tactile in its sensual structure. It’s not the perfectly captured spirit of time and place, although you’ll be hard-pressed not to be mesmerized by the spirited recreation of early-1990s L.A. And it’s not just the power of the prose, although Barzini’s sentences are powerfully nuanced, blending the sweeping with the subtle.
It’s all those things. And more. It’s exceptional.
One of the joys of being a book reviewer is when you read something that you might not have chosen on your own, only to have it turn out to be an outstanding experience. That’s what “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake” was for me, an unanticipated delight packed with powerful storytelling, engaging character and some top-shelf writing.
Chiara Barzini. Remember that name. There’s a good chance we’re all going to be hearing it a lot more in the years to come. And if you have any sort of affinity for a tale well-told, you need to check out “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake.”
I’ve always been a sucker for a coming of age story. There are unending compelling ways to tell a tale of growing up; the struggles of adolescence are both universal and unique.
Chiara Barzini’s debut novel is “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake.” It’s the story of a young Italian girl brought by her filmmaker parents to Los Angeles circa 1992; she’s largely left to her own devices when it comes to navigating this new life, and unsurprisingly, it doesn’t come easy.
Through this lens, Barzini paints a portrait not only of one girl’s grappling with the establishment of her identity, but of the city of Los Angeles; we see L.A. as defined by the people who dream within its borders.
Eugenia is a fairly typical Italian teenager living in Rome. Her life is upended when her filmmaker parents decide – largely on the strength of a successful canned meat commercial – to make the move to America. Specifically, the San Fernando Valley.
They land in a city still reeling from the riots of just a few weeks before. While Eugenia’s parents immediately start striving to make the movie that they believe will make them their fortune, she is left to muddle through. Her limited English immediately marks her as different; she’s an outcast from day one.
She does find people with whom to connect – some briefly, others deeply. A Persian gangster wannabe. A young slacker working in his obese mother’s memorabilia store. A free-spirited classmate who lives in Topanga Canyon with her twin brother and musician father. These brief flashes of connectivity serve as her anchor, something to hold onto as her family is swallowed up by the roller-coaster process of creating their film.
But the pendulums of these relationships tend to swing; the shifting nature of interpersonal dynamics – particularly those of young people – threatens to overwhelm Eugenia even as she strives to find definition and validation through those around her.
And when the figurative seismic shifts in her life give way to literal ones, she’s left to decide just what these relationships – with her family, with her friends, with those who might be something more – mean to her … and what she’s willing to do to hold onto them.
“Things That Happened Before the Earthquake” is a stunning piece of work, an exquisitely detailed look at one girl’s efforts to embrace, adapt to and engage with an altogether new culture. Her successes and failures in doing so make for a story that is alternatingly sweet and sharp as she searches for her place in this strange new land.
The fact that this is Barzini’s debut novel is astonishing; there’s an easy craftsmanship on display that belies the notion that this is anyone’s first book. It’s not just the strength of characterization, although everyone from Eugenia on down is richly, vividly realized. It’s not just the beauty of the narrative, although the story being told is almost tactile in its sensual structure. It’s not the perfectly captured spirit of time and place, although you’ll be hard-pressed not to be mesmerized by the spirited recreation of early-1990s L.A. And it’s not just the power of the prose, although Barzini’s sentences are powerfully nuanced, blending the sweeping with the subtle.
It’s all those things. And more. It’s exceptional.
One of the joys of being a book reviewer is when you read something that you might not have chosen on your own, only to have it turn out to be an outstanding experience. That’s what “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake” was for me, an unanticipated delight packed with powerful storytelling, engaging character and some top-shelf writing.
Chiara Barzini. Remember that name. There’s a good chance we’re all going to be hearing it a lot more in the years to come. And if you have any sort of affinity for a tale well-told, you need to check out “Things That Happened Before the Earthquake.”
July 12, 2021
If I didn't have to read the first third of this book, I probably would've been able to rate it a little higher. As it is though, that section still exists, and my frustration with the main character (and all the principle characters) combined with my disgust with her actions dropped this book down to a two star from the start, and then it had to work to redeem my favor.
Main character Eugenia and her family have moved to Los Angeles from Rome, and she narrates her experience as she tries to absorb the culture shock. Her bitterness as a narrator makes sense. She makes her parents out to be a couple of idealists constantly in search of the Hollywood dream, which she finds naive. But even if I understand her cruel attitude, it doesn't mean I like reading it.
Eugenia isn't the only unlikable character from the cast though. Aside from her younger brother, every single character introduced was either possessed only with carnal desires, or a jerk, and in some truly great examples, a little bit of both! Arash, and Deva were the only other characters I could occasionally tolerate, and even they irked me. I also liked Azar, but she only appears like five times, so Eugenia's pessimism doesn't have enough time to seep into Azar's character description. Again, I understand why Eugenia would observe discouraging qualities in people in a city she doesn't know if she likes, but it's hard to read a story where you don't feel that you can completely root for anyone in the cast.
I thought the word choice was amazing in this book, though. The way Chiara Barzini described the landscapes that Eugenia inhabits is spot on. In the first part of the book (the part I didn't like), I even mustered some praise for the description of the Los Angeles sunset as "effulgent"; which was the most unappealing sounding word to describe something beautiful I have read.
The last two thirds of this book is actually a good read, so if you want to claw your way through the grimy first third, I believe you will be happy your efforts paid off, but I can't promise it will be worth your time.
Main character Eugenia and her family have moved to Los Angeles from Rome, and she narrates her experience as she tries to absorb the culture shock. Her bitterness as a narrator makes sense. She makes her parents out to be a couple of idealists constantly in search of the Hollywood dream, which she finds naive. But even if I understand her cruel attitude, it doesn't mean I like reading it.
Eugenia isn't the only unlikable character from the cast though. Aside from her younger brother, every single character introduced was either possessed only with carnal desires, or a jerk, and in some truly great examples, a little bit of both! Arash, and Deva were the only other characters I could occasionally tolerate, and even they irked me. I also liked Azar, but she only appears like five times, so Eugenia's pessimism doesn't have enough time to seep into Azar's character description. Again, I understand why Eugenia would observe discouraging qualities in people in a city she doesn't know if she likes, but it's hard to read a story where you don't feel that you can completely root for anyone in the cast.
I thought the word choice was amazing in this book, though. The way Chiara Barzini described the landscapes that Eugenia inhabits is spot on. In the first part of the book (the part I didn't like), I even mustered some praise for the description of the Los Angeles sunset as "effulgent"; which was the most unappealing sounding word to describe something beautiful I have read.
The last two thirds of this book is actually a good read, so if you want to claw your way through the grimy first third, I believe you will be happy your efforts paid off, but I can't promise it will be worth your time.
September 27, 2018
The novel is written like a movie script being shot with a single-lens camera, moving focus from one scene to another, as the author who serves as casting director introduces a myriad of characters who appear, acts in one scene and exits stage left just as quickly. While they are in the limelight, the audience is asked to focus on the actors' physical attributes as if this is the only way to know them. This reel-style narrative doesn't give much time for character development, and even family roles like that of Eugenia's brother, Timoteo, feel like they are played by extras.
I enjoyed the unconventional writing style and the formulaic immigrant story wrapped up in a multigenerational family saga, and the contrast between the real life mother and grandmother and the girls dream relationship with the Virgin Mary. Kudos on using the time setting and plot conflicts to effectively reflect both American politics and Italy's history of fascism.
The narrative is rife with profane language and graphic descriptions that seems to have been written for shock value rather than entertainment. Familial relationships are all inappropriate in some way, falling somewhere on the spectrum between incest and physical abuse, and behavior that was described as Bohemian and artsy is really statutory rape.
I had issues with how characters were introduced, described only in terms of their appearance. While I appreciate that this writing could be a satiric look at the appearance-based movie culture, it gave the book a superficial tone.
Read my full review here: https://wp.me/p4cJzL-3RT
I enjoyed the unconventional writing style and the formulaic immigrant story wrapped up in a multigenerational family saga, and the contrast between the real life mother and grandmother and the girls dream relationship with the Virgin Mary. Kudos on using the time setting and plot conflicts to effectively reflect both American politics and Italy's history of fascism.
The narrative is rife with profane language and graphic descriptions that seems to have been written for shock value rather than entertainment. Familial relationships are all inappropriate in some way, falling somewhere on the spectrum between incest and physical abuse, and behavior that was described as Bohemian and artsy is really statutory rape.
I had issues with how characters were introduced, described only in terms of their appearance. While I appreciate that this writing could be a satiric look at the appearance-based movie culture, it gave the book a superficial tone.
Read my full review here: https://wp.me/p4cJzL-3RT
June 26, 2017
LA through the lens of an Italian teenager whose self-absorbed parents move from Rome, following the Hollywood dream. Given an extraordinary amount of freedom, Eugenia is free to explore the San Fernando Valley and beyond -- as she puts it, her father believed that putting his family in danger (throw the baby in the pool and he will survive) attitude will form protective armor. The opening passage is hysterical, sets the tone. The family, including Grandma, is nude bathing, illegally, at Malibu, not understanding you just don't do this is America. For the most part, Eugenia forges her life alone, and the contacts she makes are hers alone. Wonderful depictions of Topanga Canyon, the grid of the Valley, desert raves, and various characters living out various tragedies and comedies. I can only hope for a sequel to cover the next 20 years in her life.
September 1, 2017
When you think of California, you think of that easy breezy place where everyone surfs and eats vegan and worries more about how they're composting than how people in the middle of the country are starving.
However, California has its own checkered past and in the early 90s you saw something similar to what's happening in America today. Things that Happened Before the Earthquake takes that slice of time between the LA Riots and OJ Simpson's infamous white bronco ride to punctuate the life of a family who moved to America to follow that well-known American Dream.
Eugenia is the main character here and she couldn't be less thrilled to be leaving her home country of Italy to watch her parents try to become big movie producers. Feeling completely abandoned by them in a huge new city, Eugenia sets out to find some small amount of attention. Whether it's by finding another sexual partner or experimenting with drugs, you see Eugenia struggle to find herself amongst the vast canvas of the San Fernando Valley.
I have to say, it was a little bit played out and cliched. I love a coming-of-age story like the next person, but this story is as old as the decade its describing. I don't want to be mean here especially when it comes to a book that other people may really enjoy. But I don't buy the story of a teenage girl who comes to America and making losing her virginity her first priority.
While I was reading, I was thinking about an old friend of mine who reminded me so much of Eugenia. She was always a little indifferent about everything and always a slight arm's distance away from you. She had a lot of different partners and tried a lot of different drugs only to feel more and more empty and a lot less seen.
Like my friend, Eugenia is trying to speak out here and find her niche, but for some reason her niche just wouldn't stick with her. Towards the end, I found her to be a little self-absorbed and self-obsessed after abandoning the people who tried really hard to get close to her. If you tried to get near her, it was like approaching lava. The closer you got, the quicker you could burn.
And right when everything felt like it was falling apart for Eugenia, the earthquake of 1994 not only broke the ground in LA but also Eugenia's frustration with her life. I really wanted the events around that period of time to impact her life, her family's life, the decisions she made, think of America in a certain way. For an adult literature book, it really was almost like medicore YA.
I'm sorry, I really don't like being mean about books because I know that authors take a lot of time and put in a lot of effort to write something compelling. I really liked this story. It's a coming-of-age but in a place where it felt like you needed to grow up pretty quickly. It wasn't really my cup-of-tea, but it might be yours.
Don't give up hope for Eugenia, though. She'll eventually find her way out of the rubble.
However, California has its own checkered past and in the early 90s you saw something similar to what's happening in America today. Things that Happened Before the Earthquake takes that slice of time between the LA Riots and OJ Simpson's infamous white bronco ride to punctuate the life of a family who moved to America to follow that well-known American Dream.
Eugenia is the main character here and she couldn't be less thrilled to be leaving her home country of Italy to watch her parents try to become big movie producers. Feeling completely abandoned by them in a huge new city, Eugenia sets out to find some small amount of attention. Whether it's by finding another sexual partner or experimenting with drugs, you see Eugenia struggle to find herself amongst the vast canvas of the San Fernando Valley.
I have to say, it was a little bit played out and cliched. I love a coming-of-age story like the next person, but this story is as old as the decade its describing. I don't want to be mean here especially when it comes to a book that other people may really enjoy. But I don't buy the story of a teenage girl who comes to America and making losing her virginity her first priority.
While I was reading, I was thinking about an old friend of mine who reminded me so much of Eugenia. She was always a little indifferent about everything and always a slight arm's distance away from you. She had a lot of different partners and tried a lot of different drugs only to feel more and more empty and a lot less seen.
Like my friend, Eugenia is trying to speak out here and find her niche, but for some reason her niche just wouldn't stick with her. Towards the end, I found her to be a little self-absorbed and self-obsessed after abandoning the people who tried really hard to get close to her. If you tried to get near her, it was like approaching lava. The closer you got, the quicker you could burn.
And right when everything felt like it was falling apart for Eugenia, the earthquake of 1994 not only broke the ground in LA but also Eugenia's frustration with her life. I really wanted the events around that period of time to impact her life, her family's life, the decisions she made, think of America in a certain way. For an adult literature book, it really was almost like medicore YA.
I'm sorry, I really don't like being mean about books because I know that authors take a lot of time and put in a lot of effort to write something compelling. I really liked this story. It's a coming-of-age but in a place where it felt like you needed to grow up pretty quickly. It wasn't really my cup-of-tea, but it might be yours.
Don't give up hope for Eugenia, though. She'll eventually find her way out of the rubble.
September 4, 2017
I fell in love with THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE from the get-go! The story opens up with Eugenia’s parents and grandmother sunbathing nude on a beach in Malibu – yes, you read that right! I was a teenager coming of age in the 1990’s and Barzini captures the people and culture during this toilsome time to a T – LA riots, O.J. Simpson’s acquittal, and the Northridge earthquake.
Plucked from her quaint and cozy life in Rome, Eugenia’s hippy parents moved to LA to get rich and famous after a successful bout in a Spam Italy commercial. Her dreams of living in Hollywood are quickly snubbed when they roll up to their new house in “barrio Nuys” as the cabbie calls it. Another sign Eugenia adds to her list of why moving to LA is a bad omen. And it’s these experiences that lend both a sentimental and funny basis to the story.
An awkward and naive Eugenia, who looks to the Virgin Mary as her role model and calls on for advice, navigates her way around superficial and inward looking peers in school and a culture of wanting to fit in, gang violence, sex and drugs. Feeling dejected Eugenia puts on her figurative ‘rubber suit’ and turns to sex and drugs to cope. She befriends a disabled agoraphobic guy from a failing movie memorabilia shop who supplies her with drugs. It isn’t until Eugenia returns to Italy that first summer that she realizes her connection to her homeland is lost. And back in LA she enters into a bizarre sex and drug filled relationship with an alluring girl living in a hippie commune in the hills.
I think this book is perfect for those coming of age in the 1990’s because the events and culture are so relatable but equally enjoyable also for anyone looking for a poignant and humorous view of this decade.
Plucked from her quaint and cozy life in Rome, Eugenia’s hippy parents moved to LA to get rich and famous after a successful bout in a Spam Italy commercial. Her dreams of living in Hollywood are quickly snubbed when they roll up to their new house in “barrio Nuys” as the cabbie calls it. Another sign Eugenia adds to her list of why moving to LA is a bad omen. And it’s these experiences that lend both a sentimental and funny basis to the story.
An awkward and naive Eugenia, who looks to the Virgin Mary as her role model and calls on for advice, navigates her way around superficial and inward looking peers in school and a culture of wanting to fit in, gang violence, sex and drugs. Feeling dejected Eugenia puts on her figurative ‘rubber suit’ and turns to sex and drugs to cope. She befriends a disabled agoraphobic guy from a failing movie memorabilia shop who supplies her with drugs. It isn’t until Eugenia returns to Italy that first summer that she realizes her connection to her homeland is lost. And back in LA she enters into a bizarre sex and drug filled relationship with an alluring girl living in a hippie commune in the hills.
I think this book is perfect for those coming of age in the 1990’s because the events and culture are so relatable but equally enjoyable also for anyone looking for a poignant and humorous view of this decade.
September 12, 2017
Thank you to Doubleday Books for sending me this free copy!
This book is about Eugenia, a teenager plucked from her home in Rome to California's San Fernando Valley due to her filmmaker parents hoping to make it big in Hollywood. Her past and present homes could not be more different, and she struggles to assimilate herself to an American lifestyle. Her experiences are often gritty and raw, and she never holds back in her narration.
I've mentioned in a previous post that coming-of-age stories aren't typically favorites of mine, but I really enjoyed this one. I loved reading her Italian perspective on such "American" things like her suburban neighborhood and her public high school. Plus, the descriptions of each place she went were wonderfully crafted. I felt truly immersed in the islands of Italy and smog-filled California worlds. While the pacing was sometimes slow, I recommend picking up a copy and reading about these very original characters.
This book is about Eugenia, a teenager plucked from her home in Rome to California's San Fernando Valley due to her filmmaker parents hoping to make it big in Hollywood. Her past and present homes could not be more different, and she struggles to assimilate herself to an American lifestyle. Her experiences are often gritty and raw, and she never holds back in her narration.
I've mentioned in a previous post that coming-of-age stories aren't typically favorites of mine, but I really enjoyed this one. I loved reading her Italian perspective on such "American" things like her suburban neighborhood and her public high school. Plus, the descriptions of each place she went were wonderfully crafted. I felt truly immersed in the islands of Italy and smog-filled California worlds. While the pacing was sometimes slow, I recommend picking up a copy and reading about these very original characters.
January 29, 2018
This book was on a number of "best of" lists for 2017.
It caught my attention because I was a young adult in So Cal during the period this book took place. It started pretty strong - a family moves from Italy to the US to "make it" in Hollywood. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Grandma. The book is told from POV of sister, a high school aged girl. There were some really fun reminders about time and place (and some not some fun reminders ... Rodney King, the Northridge earthquake, the OJ car chase.)
I finished this a couple weeks ago and I can't remember the girls name, but she is trying to find herself, and she makes some really odd decisions. The book just kind of fell apart. I think it may have been autobiographical, not really sure but it just wasn't very good. I was glad when it ended.
It caught my attention because I was a young adult in So Cal during the period this book took place. It started pretty strong - a family moves from Italy to the US to "make it" in Hollywood. Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Grandma. The book is told from POV of sister, a high school aged girl. There were some really fun reminders about time and place (and some not some fun reminders ... Rodney King, the Northridge earthquake, the OJ car chase.)
I finished this a couple weeks ago and I can't remember the girls name, but she is trying to find herself, and she makes some really odd decisions. The book just kind of fell apart. I think it may have been autobiographical, not really sure but it just wasn't very good. I was glad when it ended.
January 8, 2018
I liked this a lot and really enjoyed the writing style and the narrative voice. I loved the Italian teenager in la idea and that thing of feeling out of place and being embarrassed by your parents - going naked on the beach, but also making really good food!
I loved her relationship with Deva and how her situation was hinted at but never fully explained.
The bit about praying to mother Mary seemed to drop by the way side tho - what happened there? Did she just forget?
Anyway. Really enjoyed it, I love a 90s novel where rave and nirvana are present.
I loved her relationship with Deva and how her situation was hinted at but never fully explained.
The bit about praying to mother Mary seemed to drop by the way side tho - what happened there? Did she just forget?
Anyway. Really enjoyed it, I love a 90s novel where rave and nirvana are present.
May 2, 2018
This was a unique novel with some stellar writing. The setting was too good-- LA (Van Nuys) in the early 90s. The descriptions of the neighborhood and city were out of this world.
The story is from the POV of a teenage girl whose parents move her family from Italy with stars in their eyes. This sums up the first half, which I loved. The second half spirals into some tired plot lines and generally loses the momentum and mood of the first half. I'd say 5 stars for the first half and 3 for the second. Solid writing keeps it afloat no matter what.
The story is from the POV of a teenage girl whose parents move her family from Italy with stars in their eyes. This sums up the first half, which I loved. The second half spirals into some tired plot lines and generally loses the momentum and mood of the first half. I'd say 5 stars for the first half and 3 for the second. Solid writing keeps it afloat no matter what.
October 12, 2017
Questo è un libro che si avvicina molto alla realtà, ne cattura molte sfumature. Mi è piaciuto il fatto che la storia si avvolgesse dal contesto storico, l'autrice è riuscita a darne una chiara visione, a ricreare quei momenti.
La trama riprende un po' quella che è stata l'esperienza della scrittrice.
Chiara, come Eugenia, si trasferisce dall'Italia negli Stati Uniti e come lei ha dovuto scontrarsi con razzismo e bullismo.
Eugenia però si lascia travolgere da questo mondo, mondo che tuttavia non la riesce mai a schiacciare del tutto.
La trama riprende un po' quella che è stata l'esperienza della scrittrice.
Chiara, come Eugenia, si trasferisce dall'Italia negli Stati Uniti e come lei ha dovuto scontrarsi con razzismo e bullismo.
Eugenia però si lascia travolgere da questo mondo, mondo che tuttavia non la riesce mai a schiacciare del tutto.
December 22, 2017
While I liked the writing style, I am really out off when expected to read about juveniles tripping on drugs and their drunken behaviors. A very little of that goes a very long way for me. This felt much like reading that totally depressing and noir short story collection that Janes Franco wrote. Yuck! If you were that dysfunctional and you want to include it as part of your autobiography, okay, but don’t expect me to enjoy reading of such escapades. It’s just depressing to me...
November 16, 2017
Strictly speaking this is more of a 3.5, but I'll round up because I thought it was a more adept than usual coming-of-age novel (and I don't love coming-of-age novels), with some really remarkable (and haunting) passages. If you can get past the godawful cover art, this is a bit of a sleeper gem.
November 18, 2018
I realized while reading this coming-of-age novel that I'm sort of tired of reading coming of age novels. No fault of the author...it was more a realization that as a 25 year old, anxiously/patiently reading about 16 year olds discovering sex as a substitute for self esteem, then realizing that they have choice, then finding things that make them feel confident and true, etc. etc, and following this all the way until they're college-aged--this isn't that thought provoking or enjoyable anymore.
This story was well done! It was interesting to read about an Italian family moving into a dry, wired, sort of messed up town outside of Hollywood.
This story was well done! It was interesting to read about an Italian family moving into a dry, wired, sort of messed up town outside of Hollywood.
November 5, 2017
I absolutely loved this book, and it has definitely earned a spot as one of my favorites. This novel was real, honest, and showed how beautiful the imperfect can be. There were parts that were difficult to read, but those are the parts that made it so tangible, and made the story linger with me for days. You should read this book, especially if grew up in the 90’s.
December 28, 2017
“Everyone said where they were and what they heard when it happened. Some had sad stories, some head happy stories.”
*
When I think of the ’90s, I think Nirvana, Beverly Hills 90210, and long stretches of childhood boredom. But Chiara Barzini’s debut novel reminded me that the ’90s was actually a rather violent and volatile time in Los Angeles, what with the L.A. Riots, the Northridge Earthquake, and of course, the O.J. Simpson Trial.
Which is to say — reading Chiara’s debut novel, Things That Happened Before the Earthquake, was a fascinating experience for me, at once a trip down memory lane and a thrilling journey down the road not taken. I remembered and recognized so much in the events she describes — but saw them this time through completely new eyes, those of a wild, sensitive, and sharp girl trying to make sense of a foreign world.
The novel tells the story of Eugenia, an Italian teenager who moves from her home in Rome to Los Angeles with her family so her filmmaker parents can chase their Hollywood dreams. The family readies for a glamorous life among movie stars — only to land in LAX while the city’s still literally smoldering from the riot fires. They end up living in a house in Van Nuys, far far away from the rich and beautiful.
Here’s my full review of the coming-of-age novel.
*
When I think of the ’90s, I think Nirvana, Beverly Hills 90210, and long stretches of childhood boredom. But Chiara Barzini’s debut novel reminded me that the ’90s was actually a rather violent and volatile time in Los Angeles, what with the L.A. Riots, the Northridge Earthquake, and of course, the O.J. Simpson Trial.
Which is to say — reading Chiara’s debut novel, Things That Happened Before the Earthquake, was a fascinating experience for me, at once a trip down memory lane and a thrilling journey down the road not taken. I remembered and recognized so much in the events she describes — but saw them this time through completely new eyes, those of a wild, sensitive, and sharp girl trying to make sense of a foreign world.
The novel tells the story of Eugenia, an Italian teenager who moves from her home in Rome to Los Angeles with her family so her filmmaker parents can chase their Hollywood dreams. The family readies for a glamorous life among movie stars — only to land in LAX while the city’s still literally smoldering from the riot fires. They end up living in a house in Van Nuys, far far away from the rich and beautiful.
Here’s my full review of the coming-of-age novel.
September 18, 2017
I wouldn't look for "ruefully funny" as this book is described as since "Things That Happened Before the Earthquake" are in fact not funny and sometimes downright disturbing.
Eugenia is moved to L.A. in the '90's by her parents, Italian filmmakers who hope to make a movie and make it big in Hollywood at the expense of their own family. As Eugenia moves through her teenage years, it's a disturbing trail of neglectful families, heartbreaking relationships that go nowhere, and most vile of all, just a constant stream of physical assaults and sexual harassments that are not even really addressed as such.
Maybe I read this book wrong, but I was also under a false impression by the title of what this book was - the earthquake doesn't even happen until the very last pages of the book. I think I was expecting something apocalyptic on a grand scale, not a singular one for Eugenia. What surprises me about books like this is not what the author writes - some stories are disturbing or shocking and that's a writer's prerogative. However, there was almost this horrible indifference from Eugenia and the other characters that only resolves itself in the last 5 pages or so.
Writers should care about their characters, if not give them a happy ending, because Eugenia is physically assaulted in this book and it's never addressed, no one faced any consequences, and it just seemed like "Oh, this happened." That wasn't good enough for me as a reader.
The writing is fine, sparse and almost monotone, but without a plot besides coming-of-age, you're left with an outrage over the irresponsible nature of Eugenia's parents and the indifference to what Eugenia is facing from both the narration and the way the book travels. In that way, it's a book that looks fine on paper but isn't a crowd-pleaser or a "beach read". It's preoccupation with sex and the lack of justice in its story line make it impossible for the casual reader to read and the more literary of us to be exhausted by the anger it creates.
If the point of the story is to point out the misogyny, bigotry, etc. of the world, it would have fared better had someone in the story actually cared rather than ignore the problem or worked to counteract it.
If you had high expectations for this book, I'm with you, but this is one book I wouldn't stick around for unless you like your literature dark, creepy, and depressing.
Eugenia is moved to L.A. in the '90's by her parents, Italian filmmakers who hope to make a movie and make it big in Hollywood at the expense of their own family. As Eugenia moves through her teenage years, it's a disturbing trail of neglectful families, heartbreaking relationships that go nowhere, and most vile of all, just a constant stream of physical assaults and sexual harassments that are not even really addressed as such.
Maybe I read this book wrong, but I was also under a false impression by the title of what this book was - the earthquake doesn't even happen until the very last pages of the book. I think I was expecting something apocalyptic on a grand scale, not a singular one for Eugenia. What surprises me about books like this is not what the author writes - some stories are disturbing or shocking and that's a writer's prerogative. However, there was almost this horrible indifference from Eugenia and the other characters that only resolves itself in the last 5 pages or so.
Writers should care about their characters, if not give them a happy ending, because Eugenia is physically assaulted in this book and it's never addressed, no one faced any consequences, and it just seemed like "Oh, this happened." That wasn't good enough for me as a reader.
The writing is fine, sparse and almost monotone, but without a plot besides coming-of-age, you're left with an outrage over the irresponsible nature of Eugenia's parents and the indifference to what Eugenia is facing from both the narration and the way the book travels. In that way, it's a book that looks fine on paper but isn't a crowd-pleaser or a "beach read". It's preoccupation with sex and the lack of justice in its story line make it impossible for the casual reader to read and the more literary of us to be exhausted by the anger it creates.
If the point of the story is to point out the misogyny, bigotry, etc. of the world, it would have fared better had someone in the story actually cared rather than ignore the problem or worked to counteract it.
If you had high expectations for this book, I'm with you, but this is one book I wouldn't stick around for unless you like your literature dark, creepy, and depressing.
August 24, 2017
"Things That Happened Before the Earthquake" is a tale of a family from Rome that comes to Los Angeles just weeks after the 1992 riots. The main character is Eugenia, a high school student, who does her best to manage the American teenage landscape and find her place. After losing one of her "friends" to a gang shooting at the mall, she befriends a girl named Deva who lives in a Topanga commune with her dad and twin brother. Eugenia's parents, with the help of a family friend, try to get into the movie business by using the haunted Hotel Alexandria as a backdrop. They get so caught up in the film that they turn their house into the studio, office, commissary, giving Eugenia ample opportunity to sneak off to the commune and go on adventures with Deva. Then, among other things, the earthquake of 1994 happens, and creates a shift in both the Los Angeles area, and within Eugenia's new life in LA that she's just starting to get used to.
The book has a slight hippie vibe, written during at time when everyone was trusting and there was no internet or cell phones, and is more about specific events and scenarios rather than a straightforward story line. Usually I do not love books written that way. But Chiara has such a beautiful way of writing that, while the book moved a little slower than some, was very enjoyable. She gave all of the characters and each scene a clear identity and I could really picture everything in my mind.
Also see @Navidad Thelamour's review, it's a nice and accurate portrayal of the book.
The book has a slight hippie vibe, written during at time when everyone was trusting and there was no internet or cell phones, and is more about specific events and scenarios rather than a straightforward story line. Usually I do not love books written that way. But Chiara has such a beautiful way of writing that, while the book moved a little slower than some, was very enjoyable. She gave all of the characters and each scene a clear identity and I could really picture everything in my mind.
Also see @Navidad Thelamour's review, it's a nice and accurate portrayal of the book.
October 11, 2018
I am trying to figure out how I decided to read this. It's a "tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." While the writing is in general pretty good, the story seems random and I did not find many of the events at all interesting.
My real problem is this is a book about unlikable people who treat each other either overtly badly, or at least (at most?) with neglect. It's basically a sad and sorry story about isolated people who do not manage to connect with other, misfits, outcasts and failures. Liberal as I am, I still was a bit put off by the graphic sex scenes.
I found very little to like about Eugenia, the main figure in the story. She seeks something (I am not sure what) in a kind of random way, is all about getting what she wants, and simply never becomes very interesting.
All in all a fairly tedious read and a pretty alienating story.
My real problem is this is a book about unlikable people who treat each other either overtly badly, or at least (at most?) with neglect. It's basically a sad and sorry story about isolated people who do not manage to connect with other, misfits, outcasts and failures. Liberal as I am, I still was a bit put off by the graphic sex scenes.
I found very little to like about Eugenia, the main figure in the story. She seeks something (I am not sure what) in a kind of random way, is all about getting what she wants, and simply never becomes very interesting.
All in all a fairly tedious read and a pretty alienating story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews