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Never Again So Close
Where do the pieces of us end up, the ones that we traded for love?
Antonia is ready for her life to start. A young woman from a small town in southern Italy, she wants to pursue her long-held dream of writing a novel. But when she moves to Milan and meets the alluring and charismatic Vittorio, he upends her world and changes her priorities. Their whirlwind relationship is as thrilling as it is painful: he doesn’t share Antonia’s faith in love and can’t reciprocate her feelings.
In the aftermath of their romance, Antonia rediscovers her passion for writing. It’s what she must do in order to get back to herself. Her words have the power to absorb her pain and transform her spirit. Now, she can find her truth—by insisting on it with pen and paper and by being as patient with herself as she is with her fictional characters.
Poignant and beautifully written, Never Again So Close is a story of love, loss, and the profound self-discovery born of a broken heart.
Antonia is ready for her life to start. A young woman from a small town in southern Italy, she wants to pursue her long-held dream of writing a novel. But when she moves to Milan and meets the alluring and charismatic Vittorio, he upends her world and changes her priorities. Their whirlwind relationship is as thrilling as it is painful: he doesn’t share Antonia’s faith in love and can’t reciprocate her feelings.
In the aftermath of their romance, Antonia rediscovers her passion for writing. It’s what she must do in order to get back to herself. Her words have the power to absorb her pain and transform her spirit. Now, she can find her truth—by insisting on it with pen and paper and by being as patient with herself as she is with her fictional characters.
Poignant and beautifully written, Never Again So Close is a story of love, loss, and the profound self-discovery born of a broken heart.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2015
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1203 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 15, 2017
How do you rate a book that was written well but you didn't connect with? Do you rate on enjoyment level or the authors prose or how much you enjoyed or didn't enjoy the main characters.
I found the writing very lyrical...but I was bored to tears.
Ultimately since I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my GR friends, I'll have to rate it low.
Review to come.
I found the writing very lyrical...but I was bored to tears.
Ultimately since I wouldn't recommend this book to any of my GR friends, I'll have to rate it low.
Review to come.
May 4, 2017
Some moments of beautiful prose. A broken relationship that anyone can relate to. But a scattered plot and characters I didn't really like.
March 1, 2017
This was not my favorite book ever. I found it very confusing. I understand the story line - that of a young girl who has her heartbroken by a man she falls in love with that doesn't love her back. However, the story itself does not flow, it is difficult to follow the events - is the reader reading about a memory of Antonia's or does the story jump between present and past?
I found the characters of Antonia and Vittorio to not be fleshed out all that well. You get a sense that Antonia is young - maybe mid twenties and not very worldly while Vittorio is quite a bit older and extremely well traveled. However, we also learn that both are part of the publishing world in some capacity and therefore both well educated and possibly closer in age, as maybe Antonia is older than the reader is led to believe.
I also didn't fully understand why the snippets of Antonia's novel were included. It didn't really tie into the plot as she never shared the writing with Vittorio.
While the overall writing was somewhat poetic in nature the plot and characters left a lot to be desired.
I found the characters of Antonia and Vittorio to not be fleshed out all that well. You get a sense that Antonia is young - maybe mid twenties and not very worldly while Vittorio is quite a bit older and extremely well traveled. However, we also learn that both are part of the publishing world in some capacity and therefore both well educated and possibly closer in age, as maybe Antonia is older than the reader is led to believe.
I also didn't fully understand why the snippets of Antonia's novel were included. It didn't really tie into the plot as she never shared the writing with Vittorio.
While the overall writing was somewhat poetic in nature the plot and characters left a lot to be desired.
January 2, 2017
Antonia is heartbroken. She fell in love with a man who didn't return her feelings. When she moved to Milan she was young and naïve, but ready for new experiences. When she met the alluring Vittorio she fell in love straight away, but that's the last thing she could share with this charming, but often distant man. Vittorio is an enigma and tends to disappear for days, but when Antonia is with him she can't resist his charms.
Antonia needs to find herself again. While being back home she bakes, which might prove to be liberating and she writes. Through her story she might discover who she is again, because she should not be the version of herself that only waits for Vittorio to give her a sign. Trying to find an outlet for her pain Antonia reviews her relationship and maybe she can create a chance at a future for herself once more.
Never Again So Close is an impressive story. Antonia comes from a small town and isn't used to living in the city. Vittorio is exciting. He has a thrilling job in publishing, he rides a motorcycle, he does whatever he wants to do and he's a free agent. While Antonia knows he isn't relationship material she's drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Vittorio shows her a part of life she's never experienced before and while she learns from him, for every bit of information she gathers she pays with a piece of herself. That was truly heartbreaking to witness.
Never Again So Close is beautifully written. I loved Claudia Serrano's amazing way with words and descriptions. Her story is based on all senses, she doesn't only write about the world seen through Antonia's eyes, she uses all of her senses to make the story come to life. Sound, taste, smell and touch are equally important and Claudia Serrano cleverly uses them to give her story color. Anne Milano Appel skillfully translates her words and the story remains Italian even though it's in English, which is something I think only a great translator could accomplish. Never Again So Close is a brilliant moving story, it's tragic and absolutely mind-blowing.
Antonia needs to find herself again. While being back home she bakes, which might prove to be liberating and she writes. Through her story she might discover who she is again, because she should not be the version of herself that only waits for Vittorio to give her a sign. Trying to find an outlet for her pain Antonia reviews her relationship and maybe she can create a chance at a future for herself once more.
Never Again So Close is an impressive story. Antonia comes from a small town and isn't used to living in the city. Vittorio is exciting. He has a thrilling job in publishing, he rides a motorcycle, he does whatever he wants to do and he's a free agent. While Antonia knows he isn't relationship material she's drawn to him like a moth to a flame. Vittorio shows her a part of life she's never experienced before and while she learns from him, for every bit of information she gathers she pays with a piece of herself. That was truly heartbreaking to witness.
Never Again So Close is beautifully written. I loved Claudia Serrano's amazing way with words and descriptions. Her story is based on all senses, she doesn't only write about the world seen through Antonia's eyes, she uses all of her senses to make the story come to life. Sound, taste, smell and touch are equally important and Claudia Serrano cleverly uses them to give her story color. Anne Milano Appel skillfully translates her words and the story remains Italian even though it's in English, which is something I think only a great translator could accomplish. Never Again So Close is a brilliant moving story, it's tragic and absolutely mind-blowing.
January 7, 2017
Beautiful prose can't redeem these terrible characters
The prose can be lovely in this book, but it fell flat for me as I couldn't get over my frustrations with the characters. There are hints that Antonia could be something more than a vaguely pretty, shy and shallow human being, but she never actually lives into that potential. She embraces being a shadow, content to not have a voice or a point of view, and never grows or evolves. Vittorio has no redeeming qualities and it's never quite clear what Antonia sees in him when she is so aware of his flaws and shortcomings. At best, Vittorio is emotionally stunted, at worst, emotionally abusive, yet Antonia never rationalizes why she loves him except that she "just does."
It only took three hours to read and I wouldn't have spent much more time on it. The first 15-20% of the book was especially difficult to follow and get in to as it was meandering stream-of-consciousness that seemed to skip time, place and setting abruptly and with little transition. I got used to the writing style and the rest of the book was easier to get through, though I mostly forced my way through it just because I hate abandoning books.
The prose can be lovely in this book, but it fell flat for me as I couldn't get over my frustrations with the characters. There are hints that Antonia could be something more than a vaguely pretty, shy and shallow human being, but she never actually lives into that potential. She embraces being a shadow, content to not have a voice or a point of view, and never grows or evolves. Vittorio has no redeeming qualities and it's never quite clear what Antonia sees in him when she is so aware of his flaws and shortcomings. At best, Vittorio is emotionally stunted, at worst, emotionally abusive, yet Antonia never rationalizes why she loves him except that she "just does."
It only took three hours to read and I wouldn't have spent much more time on it. The first 15-20% of the book was especially difficult to follow and get in to as it was meandering stream-of-consciousness that seemed to skip time, place and setting abruptly and with little transition. I got used to the writing style and the rest of the book was easier to get through, though I mostly forced my way through it just because I hate abandoning books.
March 6, 2017
This is the story of a weak woman hopelessly in love with a loveless man. The woman is also writing a story about Silvia, a woman (or child) with Down's Syndrome. That second statement I only figured out at the end. I'm not sure what Down's Syndrome had to do with the majority of the story which was her throwing herself at a man that wasn't interested. I didn't like this book at all. Oh, and almond trees were a part of the story also but I have no idea why (though I think it had something to do with the shape of Silvia's eyes). Something must have got lost in the translation.
January 5, 2017
I tried to push my way through this one.. I am Italian for goodness sake you think I would like the writing and the setting, etc.--Instead my intense dislike for how Antonia treats the Padre Pio bread within the first few chapters--not a spoiler-- makes me not want to finish the book-so I am not going to.. I chose this book for my Amazon Kindle first reads free read for January 2017. I regret my choice.
January 5, 2017
Nostalgic and sad but engaging
Very sad but as a woman I relate to falling in love with an emotionally unavailable man. Somehow I didn't like the ending. It seemed like I wanted to read more and see more healing and transformation. Even so it is well written and beautiful imagery both of outer and inner landscapes.
Very sad but as a woman I relate to falling in love with an emotionally unavailable man. Somehow I didn't like the ending. It seemed like I wanted to read more and see more healing and transformation. Even so it is well written and beautiful imagery both of outer and inner landscapes.
February 10, 2017
I have no idea what this book is about
This book was way over my head. Perhaps I should read it again. I'm dumbfounded. I don't know what else to say........
This book was way over my head. Perhaps I should read it again. I'm dumbfounded. I don't know what else to say........
July 3, 2017
A Bittersweet Story
Claudia Serrano's novel deals with selfish love, from both ends of the spectrum. Lovers Vittorio and Antonia are central to the story, told from her point of view. It's an ill-fated love story with some interesting insights. The novel is translated from Italian but it flows smoothly, even beautifully in passages.
Claudia Serrano's novel deals with selfish love, from both ends of the spectrum. Lovers Vittorio and Antonia are central to the story, told from her point of view. It's an ill-fated love story with some interesting insights. The novel is translated from Italian but it flows smoothly, even beautifully in passages.
Read
February 4, 2017Did not finish book. Did not like the writing style at all.
February 7, 2017
This was like reading the diary of a really sophisticated teenage girl who liked a boy who didn't like her as much as she liked him.
March 18, 2017
Just ok.
It feels like nothing ever happens in the book and I mainly felt sorry for Antonia. The main part I enjoyed was the Italian references and locations.
It feels like nothing ever happens in the book and I mainly felt sorry for Antonia. The main part I enjoyed was the Italian references and locations.
July 9, 2024
Позната ситуация :(
January 21, 2017
I needed this book in my life right now.
March 30, 2017
Boring and disjointed
I started skipping all portions of the book that were a terrible novel within a novel. I found the narrator's personality to be immature, judgmental of others, and totally insecure, with few redeeming qualities for balance. The main reason I didn't discontinue reading the book was that I happened to be on holiday in Milan, Italy where the book was set.
I started skipping all portions of the book that were a terrible novel within a novel. I found the narrator's personality to be immature, judgmental of others, and totally insecure, with few redeeming qualities for balance. The main reason I didn't discontinue reading the book was that I happened to be on holiday in Milan, Italy where the book was set.
February 12, 2017
So when you find yourself copying passages because of the beauty and truth of the prose, do you credit the author or the translator? A beautiful, sad love lost story.
July 29, 2016
Poteva essere un libro interessante, con il parallelismo tra le due storie, quella di Antonia e quella di Silvia.
Il problema è che questo romanzo non prende più di tanto, lo stile è abbastanza semplice e tutto sommato piacevole, ma personalmente ho mal sopportato i personaggi e il continuo voler "allungare il brodo" prima di andare al sodo. Mi spiego: fin dal principio sentiamo parlare di questo Vittorio, il tutto avvolto da un tono patetico e tragico che dopo 20 pagine stufa, e questo tono ripetitivo (anche nelle scene e nelle espressioni) alla lunga stufa.
Avrei voluto prendere Antonia a schiaffi per darle una svegliata.
Il problema è che questo romanzo non prende più di tanto, lo stile è abbastanza semplice e tutto sommato piacevole, ma personalmente ho mal sopportato i personaggi e il continuo voler "allungare il brodo" prima di andare al sodo. Mi spiego: fin dal principio sentiamo parlare di questo Vittorio, il tutto avvolto da un tono patetico e tragico che dopo 20 pagine stufa, e questo tono ripetitivo (anche nelle scene e nelle espressioni) alla lunga stufa.
Avrei voluto prendere Antonia a schiaffi per darle una svegliata.
March 14, 2017
Gutted
That's how I feel after reading this book. Never Again So Close resurfaced a few too many negative emotions about a past relationship with a narcissist, but this is a well written and emotionally articulate novel about love, loss, and eventually, moving forward. Thanks you!
That's how I feel after reading this book. Never Again So Close resurfaced a few too many negative emotions about a past relationship with a narcissist, but this is a well written and emotionally articulate novel about love, loss, and eventually, moving forward. Thanks you!
May 16, 2017
Unexpected riches
The richness of the writing is enough to read this book. I had trouble with the story line, then realized I have been there, perhaps we all have in one form or another.
The richness of the writing is enough to read this book. I had trouble with the story line, then realized I have been there, perhaps we all have in one form or another.
January 4, 2017
Love but lost
If you ever loved too much by yourself and then lost you will under the author's writing and feel her pain.
If you ever loved too much by yourself and then lost you will under the author's writing and feel her pain.
January 7, 2017
Raw and beautiful
The characters intermingle and develop beautifully. Antonia and Vittorio, who are pulled together while she is made miserable. Sometimes a little depressing.
The characters intermingle and develop beautifully. Antonia and Vittorio, who are pulled together while she is made miserable. Sometimes a little depressing.
February 10, 2017
What a wonderful story
I chose this book because it tells a take of survival, straight and courage. It is dark and frustrating and a wonderful read. Well written.
I chose this book because it tells a take of survival, straight and courage. It is dark and frustrating and a wonderful read. Well written.
February 11, 2017
It was beautiful.
For those who loved someone, yet lost them because they could not love you the way you needed to be loved in return.
For those who loved someone, yet lost them because they could not love you the way you needed to be loved in return.
December 30, 2017
That color of dawn in a room in Rome would remain the color of an unexpected joy that found me amazed and naked in the arms of a man I barely knew.
If you pick this book expecting a happy ending, do not even start it.
The story feels melancholic and nostalgic from page 1... and it does not get better.
It was delightful and painful all at the same time. It was poetic and dramatic.
"It’s just that on nights like those, I felt that my love would be enough for both of us. I knew it wasn’t true, but I wanted to be stronger than the truth."
I loved the writing, the deep and exaggerated emotions, the endless hurt of a break-up. The feeling that it was better to have loved and lost than not loved at all...
“Ease this knot, Lord. I beg You, make it all stop. Songs, stop playing. Poetry, stop reciting. Planes, stop flying. I implore You, put out this fire, snuff it out, before I lose my mind. It will never end. Never.”
All the while, enjoying the delightful descriptions of the Italian cities Antonia visited with the dreadful Vittorio. Her descriptions were bucolic and enchanting... such a beautiful sad story.
If you pick this book expecting a happy ending, do not even start it.
The story feels melancholic and nostalgic from page 1... and it does not get better.
It was delightful and painful all at the same time. It was poetic and dramatic.
"It’s just that on nights like those, I felt that my love would be enough for both of us. I knew it wasn’t true, but I wanted to be stronger than the truth."
I loved the writing, the deep and exaggerated emotions, the endless hurt of a break-up. The feeling that it was better to have loved and lost than not loved at all...
“Ease this knot, Lord. I beg You, make it all stop. Songs, stop playing. Poetry, stop reciting. Planes, stop flying. I implore You, put out this fire, snuff it out, before I lose my mind. It will never end. Never.”
All the while, enjoying the delightful descriptions of the Italian cities Antonia visited with the dreadful Vittorio. Her descriptions were bucolic and enchanting... such a beautiful sad story.
July 6, 2017
Nostalgic and painfully familiar, compounded with beautiful, lyrical prose that is a credit to both the author and the translator.
I think like the bread-making in the story, this book is something that resonates at a certain time and place in people's lives, and probably not with all people. I can honestly say that 10 years ago I would have hated this book, and 10 years from now I may grow far away from it, but for now it speaks to me. Antonia is tragic and pathetic, and her love is aimless and unrefined and unappreciated, but there's also a kind of triumph that comes from telling a story that hideously raw and hopeless. There's scenes from the book that I will remember for a long time, as well as the sense of unease and wonder.
I think there's so many love stories in the world because some facet of them rings true with all of us. This is a love story that's a bit different from the usual in media-- it's not honorable, not exhilarating, not satisfying and certainly not ideal, but it's still somehow beautiful in its evanescence.
I think like the bread-making in the story, this book is something that resonates at a certain time and place in people's lives, and probably not with all people. I can honestly say that 10 years ago I would have hated this book, and 10 years from now I may grow far away from it, but for now it speaks to me. Antonia is tragic and pathetic, and her love is aimless and unrefined and unappreciated, but there's also a kind of triumph that comes from telling a story that hideously raw and hopeless. There's scenes from the book that I will remember for a long time, as well as the sense of unease and wonder.
I think there's so many love stories in the world because some facet of them rings true with all of us. This is a love story that's a bit different from the usual in media-- it's not honorable, not exhilarating, not satisfying and certainly not ideal, but it's still somehow beautiful in its evanescence.
November 11, 2017
So much went wrong with this book, and I just I could not get into it at all. The whole story seemed so disjointed! The first 20% of the book was so hard to put together, as the story and characters jumped all over the place, and at some points you didn't know whether what you were reading was what was happening at the moment, or what the main character was writing or reminiscing! I think the translation of the book might have something to do with all the problems I found in it, to be honest. Some sentences seemed so awkwardly written, and I was not able to connect at all with the characters. Which was a bummer. I found myself skipping a lot just to figure out what what's happening as I was reading! I'm sure in Italian the story had its charm, as in sone instances I was able to capture some of it in certain parts of what I read, but I personally think the translation of this book just didn't do it justice. I hated it, ( and I'm never that harsh). Couldn't bring myself to finish it. This has never happened to me before. Total fail with this one.
April 27, 2021
Не ми хареса. Претенциозен стил. Сякаш някой е събрал множество думи и ги е разхвърлял из страниците. Не се случва нищо, не се разбира нищо.
Книгата е опит за любовен роман. Антония отчаяно се опитва да задържи до себе си Виторио, който е непостоянен в своите чувства към нея. Книгата е и опит за надничане в душевния свят на влюбена до полуда жена. За съжаление, опитите са несполучливи, получила се е нещо недоизказано и скучно.
"Свободата е да избираш на какво да станеш роб. Свободата не е някакво празно място без граници, където не се вижда хоризонт"
"Въпреки всичко, понякога животът се отваря, допуска ни до себе си. И макара това да трае само час или два, то е напълно достатъчно, за да си спомним, че не бива да умираме, когато ни се прииска"
"Понякога тъкмо споменът за щастието ни прави нещастни"
"Мисълта не бива да среща препятствия, тя е направена, за да тича, да стига далече, там, където краката ти не могат да стигнат. Тъкмо мисълта може да ме овъзмезди за онова, което животът няма да ми даде".
Книгата е опит за любовен роман. Антония отчаяно се опитва да задържи до себе си Виторио, който е непостоянен в своите чувства към нея. Книгата е и опит за надничане в душевния свят на влюбена до полуда жена. За съжаление, опитите са несполучливи, получила се е нещо недоизказано и скучно.
"Свободата е да избираш на какво да станеш роб. Свободата не е някакво празно място без граници, където не се вижда хоризонт"
"Въпреки всичко, понякога животът се отваря, допуска ни до себе си. И макара това да трае само час или два, то е напълно достатъчно, за да си спомним, че не бива да умираме, когато ни се прииска"
"Понякога тъкмо споменът за щастието ни прави нещастни"
"Мисълта не бива да среща препятствия, тя е направена, за да тича, да стига далече, там, където краката ти не могат да стигнат. Тъкмо мисълта може да ме овъзмезди за онова, което животът няма да ми даде".
July 3, 2021
This was a free Kindle download at some point that I started reading several years ago and finally picked up again and finished on a recent trip. It was beautifully written, but I spent most of the book wondering what the point of it all was. The protagonist, Antonia, says at one point It was fine for an airplane read, but I wouldn't recommend it.
September 23, 2017
I will finish this book today-hopefully but believe me I am finished with it. The story just wasn't for me. It didn't make sense through most of it. The small parts that did make sense, would give me hope for the book but the very next page would start in a completely different and strange path. The characters weren't likeable. Antonia was the main female character and I tried to relate, care about her but I couldn't get there. She loves Vittorio who is almost, in this book, a non-person. I wouldn't recommend this book and just hope I can get through these long, last one hundred pages or so.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews