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In Calabria
From the acclaimed author of The Last Unicorn comes a new, exquisitely-told unicorn fable for the modern age.
Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy’s scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences.
Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle's continuing legacy as one of fantasy's most legendary authors.
Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy’s scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences.
Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle's continuing legacy as one of fantasy's most legendary authors.
4 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2017
About the author
Peter S. Beagle
211 books4,021 followersPeter Soyer Beagle (born April 20, 1939) is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. He is also a talented guitarist and folk singer. He wrote his first novel, A Fine and Private Place , when he was only 19 years old. Today he is best known as the author of The Last Unicorn, which routinely polls as one of the top ten fantasy novels of all time, and at least two of his other books (A Fine and Private Place and I See By My Outfit) are considered modern classics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 600 reviews
April 14, 2019
The miraculous effect a unicorn can have on a life!
This was a surprisingly tender book.
I love the idea that when a unicorn shows up in your life, it brings out the absolute best in you. Truly beautiful here, and more accessible in a way than the fantasy setting of the Last Unicorn.
It's another very focused fantasy book though, which I really appreciated. This one almost never leaves the space of a small farm.
I'm honestly not sure about a few things in it (the representation of Italy and Calabria in particular, the age difference in the romance, the kind of unknowable magic of the unicorns).
But I'm moved and inspired by what I read.
So I'm just going to sit with that.
This was a surprisingly tender book.
I love the idea that when a unicorn shows up in your life, it brings out the absolute best in you. Truly beautiful here, and more accessible in a way than the fantasy setting of the Last Unicorn.
It's another very focused fantasy book though, which I really appreciated. This one almost never leaves the space of a small farm.
I'm honestly not sure about a few things in it (the representation of Italy and Calabria in particular, the age difference in the romance, the kind of unknowable magic of the unicorns).
But I'm moved and inspired by what I read.
So I'm just going to sit with that.
November 10, 2017
3.5ish stars.
Wistful and lovely in a lot of ways. The man knows his unicorns. I immediately felt for Claudio, older than his 47 years (it felt like he was 85), and I would totally live on that farm. His relationship with La Signora is beautiful and the book really shines when it's just the two of them and the farm animals. Once the people come in (humans ruin everything), the book crashes back down to earth and becomes much less exciting. Overall simple, sweet and enjoyable.
Wistful and lovely in a lot of ways. The man knows his unicorns. I immediately felt for Claudio, older than his 47 years (it felt like he was 85), and I would totally live on that farm. His relationship with La Signora is beautiful and the book really shines when it's just the two of them and the farm animals. Once the people come in (humans ruin everything), the book crashes back down to earth and becomes much less exciting. Overall simple, sweet and enjoyable.
July 15, 2022
This was a beautiful short story, that I stumbled across on Audible plus. The main character Claudio Bianchi, is a grumpy old Italian farmer, and he seems fine with his simple life in rural Calabria. Until one day a Unicorn appears in his vineyard, and upends his quiet life. The lyrical writing, humor, Italian influence, magical realism, and great narrator, made this an enjoyable book.
“He would have indeed taken it for an illusion if “Cherubino” (his goat)… Anarchist and atheist like all goats, had not remained kneeling.”
A quote from the first unicorn sighting. 😂
I thought this was going to be a solid 4 stars… until an unexpected romance happened and the mafia appeared. Maybe it’s just me, but Bianchi seemed like he was 70-80 years old (even though he’s supposedly in his late 40’s?!?) I usually try not to include spoilers in my reviews, but the fact he developed a relationship with a very young woman, and he kept referring to her as a little girl, somewhat disturbed me. I honestly felt like they had a grandfather/granddaughter or uncle/niece dynamic, so when they became romantically involved… I was shocked. I also don’t understand why the mafia needed to be involved in this story? As someone with an Italian heritage, I find so many “Italian” centered books include this negative stereotype.
That being said, I still liked this book! My inner child adored how inspiring and meaningful the interactions with the unicorn were. And even though the large age gap romance was a surprise, there were still a few cute moments.
2.75 stars rounded up…
“He would have indeed taken it for an illusion if “Cherubino” (his goat)… Anarchist and atheist like all goats, had not remained kneeling.”
A quote from the first unicorn sighting. 😂
I thought this was going to be a solid 4 stars… until an unexpected romance happened and the mafia appeared. Maybe it’s just me, but Bianchi seemed like he was 70-80 years old (even though he’s supposedly in his late 40’s?!?) I usually try not to include spoilers in my reviews, but the fact he developed a relationship with a very young woman, and he kept referring to her as a little girl, somewhat disturbed me. I honestly felt like they had a grandfather/granddaughter or uncle/niece dynamic, so when they became romantically involved… I was shocked. I also don’t understand why the mafia needed to be involved in this story? As someone with an Italian heritage, I find so many “Italian” centered books include this negative stereotype.
That being said, I still liked this book! My inner child adored how inspiring and meaningful the interactions with the unicorn were. And even though the large age gap romance was a surprise, there were still a few cute moments.
2.75 stars rounded up…
July 25, 2019
You need to let a unicorn come into your life. If you don’t have one handy, Peter S Beagle can provide you with the basic kit for finding and caring for a supernatural beast of wonder.
He knew something of sorrow, remembered joy, and devoutly hoped – as much as he consciously hoped for anything other than proper allotments of sunshine and rainfall – never again to encounter either of those two old annoyances. Asked, he would have grumbled, “Sono Contento,” if he bothered to respond to such intrusion at all.
Claudio Bianchi is a grumpy old farmer living all by himself half way up a mountain in (where else?) Calabria. All he asks from the world is to be left alone with his goats and stray cats, tending his vegetable garden and writing the occasional verse (for his eyes only). Most of all, Bianchi didn’t ask for any miracle to come into his back garden, yet this is what he comes across one morning.
It was a kind of golden white, though its mane and tail – long and tufted, like a lion’s tail – were slightly darker, as was the horn set high on its silken brow.
As Bianchi stared, it looked up, meeting his eyes with its own, which were dark but not black: more like the darkness of a pine forest in moonlight. It showed no alarm at his presence, not even when he took his first slow step toward it; but when he asked, “What do you want?” – or tried to ask, because the words would not come out of his mouth – the unicorn was gone, as though it had never been there at all.
It’s a mystery all right, why would you chose to write a fantasy story, yet set it in the most hardscrabble and unglamorous place you can think of? What lesson would mr. Beagle want the reader and Claudion Bianchi to learn?
What can you imagine you are doing here, with no princes and dukes to hunt you, no noble ladies to embroider you – no one to do you honor but a tired, tired old farmer with his tired old dog and his cows and cats, and his ’pazzo’ goat? You have no business in poor, tired Calabria, and we both know it.
I’m not going to spoil the story by giving you the answer in my review. Please read the novella – it’s a wonderful piece of art, not a word out of place or extraneous or supplementary. It might convince you, like it did me, that you’re never too old to let a bit of poetry into your prosaic existence. But you need to keep your heart open and be able to recognize the miracle when it comes by your door, or it will disappear in the blink of an eye.
I often wish Peter S Beagle was a more productive writer, putting out thousand of pages a year like some other fantasy authors. But then I come across one of his polished gems of a story and I am content.
He knew something of sorrow, remembered joy, and devoutly hoped – as much as he consciously hoped for anything other than proper allotments of sunshine and rainfall – never again to encounter either of those two old annoyances. Asked, he would have grumbled, “Sono Contento,” if he bothered to respond to such intrusion at all.
Claudio Bianchi is a grumpy old farmer living all by himself half way up a mountain in (where else?) Calabria. All he asks from the world is to be left alone with his goats and stray cats, tending his vegetable garden and writing the occasional verse (for his eyes only). Most of all, Bianchi didn’t ask for any miracle to come into his back garden, yet this is what he comes across one morning.
It was a kind of golden white, though its mane and tail – long and tufted, like a lion’s tail – were slightly darker, as was the horn set high on its silken brow.
As Bianchi stared, it looked up, meeting his eyes with its own, which were dark but not black: more like the darkness of a pine forest in moonlight. It showed no alarm at his presence, not even when he took his first slow step toward it; but when he asked, “What do you want?” – or tried to ask, because the words would not come out of his mouth – the unicorn was gone, as though it had never been there at all.
It’s a mystery all right, why would you chose to write a fantasy story, yet set it in the most hardscrabble and unglamorous place you can think of? What lesson would mr. Beagle want the reader and Claudion Bianchi to learn?
What can you imagine you are doing here, with no princes and dukes to hunt you, no noble ladies to embroider you – no one to do you honor but a tired, tired old farmer with his tired old dog and his cows and cats, and his ’pazzo’ goat? You have no business in poor, tired Calabria, and we both know it.
I’m not going to spoil the story by giving you the answer in my review. Please read the novella – it’s a wonderful piece of art, not a word out of place or extraneous or supplementary. It might convince you, like it did me, that you’re never too old to let a bit of poetry into your prosaic existence. But you need to keep your heart open and be able to recognize the miracle when it comes by your door, or it will disappear in the blink of an eye.
I often wish Peter S Beagle was a more productive writer, putting out thousand of pages a year like some other fantasy authors. But then I come across one of his polished gems of a story and I am content.
June 13, 2017
Claudio Bianchi is a rural Italian who's gone out of his way to assure his solitude. He hangs out with his dog and his goat, and his social contact is often limited to the mailman who drops off the junk adverts. But then, one day, a unicorn appears on his land. Bianchi, a secret poet, is perhaps the ideal type of person to appreciate the magical beast with his combination of rustic earthiness and appreciation of beauty. He wants to keep the creature's secrets and to help as he can with what she needs.
However, in our modern world, secrecy is difficult. Soon, the postman's lovely sister discovers the unicorn as well. Less felicitously, so does the local mob. It may come down to what Claudio is willing to sacrifice in order to preserve the magic...
The writing is lovely and lyrical - a quiet book, but with enough tension to keep a reader moving along. Still, I would say the same thing about this book as I did about Beagle's last book, 'Summerlong' - it's "fantasy for older people." I believe that at one point in the book, Claudio is described as being in his late 40s. That's not that old! However, he's written as if he's much older. I 'felt' like he was 65, at least. This is partially explained by his life situation, but he spends a great deal of the book moaning about how he's 'too old' for his 20-something love interest. He's not *really* too old, but his protesting had me pretty much convinced that he was - and the fact that this is the second book of Beagle's in a row to feature an 'older' man rejuvenated by the love of a beautiful 'younger' woman makes me feel a little bit uncomfortably "Woody Allen" about it all.
I'm still sticking with 4 stars due to the loveliness of the writing, and the deft touch that introduces the glimpse of the sublime into a too-modern, too-coarse world.
Many thanks to Tachyon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are unaffected by the source of the book.
However, in our modern world, secrecy is difficult. Soon, the postman's lovely sister discovers the unicorn as well. Less felicitously, so does the local mob. It may come down to what Claudio is willing to sacrifice in order to preserve the magic...
The writing is lovely and lyrical - a quiet book, but with enough tension to keep a reader moving along. Still, I would say the same thing about this book as I did about Beagle's last book, 'Summerlong' - it's "fantasy for older people." I believe that at one point in the book, Claudio is described as being in his late 40s. That's not that old! However, he's written as if he's much older. I 'felt' like he was 65, at least. This is partially explained by his life situation, but he spends a great deal of the book moaning about how he's 'too old' for his 20-something love interest. He's not *really* too old, but his protesting had me pretty much convinced that he was - and the fact that this is the second book of Beagle's in a row to feature an 'older' man rejuvenated by the love of a beautiful 'younger' woman makes me feel a little bit uncomfortably "Woody Allen" about it all.
I'm still sticking with 4 stars due to the loveliness of the writing, and the deft touch that introduces the glimpse of the sublime into a too-modern, too-coarse world.
Many thanks to Tachyon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. As always, my opinions are unaffected by the source of the book.
February 7, 2017
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2017/02/07/...
With the deft touch of a master storyteller, Peter S. Beagle weaves a strong thread of mythology into this gorgeous and emotional tale about love, sacrifice, and courage. Reading In Calabria is like stepping through a veil and into a dream, crossing into that secret and magical place where everyday life comes face to face with the fantastical. It’s an unforgettable, stunning experience.
In a small village nestled in the peaceful and scenic countryside of Southern Italy, there lives a man named Claudio Bianchi. Becoming increasingly aloof and grumpy in his middle age, he prefers to keep to himself on his farm, tending to his crops and animals while writing poetry in his spare time. His only regular visitor is a postman who comes to his place twice a week to drop off his mail. Life is quiet, routine and uncomplicated, and it’s the way Bianchi likes it. But that all changes in an instant, when our protagonist looks outside one morning and spies an impossible creature gazing back at him from his fields. It is a golden-white unicorn—heavily pregnant too, if Bianchi isn’t mistaken—and for some reason, she has chosen his farm as the place to give birth.
All of a sudden, Bianchi is filled with a new sense of purpose and inspiration. He has promised La Signora, the name he has given the unicorn, that he will keep her and her baby safe. His poetry also come more easily to him now, with her in his life. That peace, however, turns out to be short-lived. Eventually, the rumors start spreading that unicorns have made their home on Bianchi’s land. His farm is sudden swamped by media, trophy hunters, and all manner of nosy busybodies. But worst of all, there are the ‘Ndrangheta, an organized crime group based in Calabria who have come to Bianchi with an offer to buy his farm and the unicorns on it, threatening him with dire consequences if he refuses.
Magical realism fans are going to want to take note for this one. It’s a short and simple tale, but packed with some powerful themes. I’ve always loved stories with unicorns in them, especially those that portray them in meaningful ways, and if anyone can be relied upon to write a book that does just that, it is Peter S. Beagle. The unicorn has long been a symbol of purity and healing, and as we watch Bianchi’s life unfold, it becomes clear that he is in desperate need of some of that magic himself, as much as he may want to deny it. His character is taciturn, a little standoffish, but you can also tell Bianchi is a man who takes pride in his independence and accomplishments. Behind that gruff exterior is a kind heart and plenty of evidence that he cares about the people around him, which is why I found him likable despite his flaws.
There was also a romantic side plot in this that I didn’t see coming, nor did I expect to enjoy it so much. There’s a considerable age difference between the protagonist and his love interest, and while in general May-December relationships can be tricky to pull off, I thought the portrayal of Bianchi and Giovanna’s courtship was sweet, sympathetic, and subtle enough that it doesn’t take too much from the main story. It always warms my heart to read about two very different people coming together, finding an understanding and connection that ultimately leads to something more.
The setting is also something that stands out. This story of course takes place in the eponymous southern Italian region in a bucolic community characterized by hills and farms. The world is presented as this almost surreal mix of the modern and the traditional, showing the juxtaposition between things like smartphones and ski resorts to Bianchi’s low-tech farm and his ancient, barely-running Studebaker. In my opinion, it’s the perfect backdrop for a story like this; if you can suspend reality for a moment and imagine the possibility of unicorns just magically popping up somewhere in the world, I can easily picture it happening in a place like this.
Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a short, quick read, but despite its novella-length page count, In Calabria will draw you in and make you feel like a part of its breathtaking world. Highly recommended for readers who love genuine characters, evocative settings, and storytelling with a touch of pure magic.
With the deft touch of a master storyteller, Peter S. Beagle weaves a strong thread of mythology into this gorgeous and emotional tale about love, sacrifice, and courage. Reading In Calabria is like stepping through a veil and into a dream, crossing into that secret and magical place where everyday life comes face to face with the fantastical. It’s an unforgettable, stunning experience.
In a small village nestled in the peaceful and scenic countryside of Southern Italy, there lives a man named Claudio Bianchi. Becoming increasingly aloof and grumpy in his middle age, he prefers to keep to himself on his farm, tending to his crops and animals while writing poetry in his spare time. His only regular visitor is a postman who comes to his place twice a week to drop off his mail. Life is quiet, routine and uncomplicated, and it’s the way Bianchi likes it. But that all changes in an instant, when our protagonist looks outside one morning and spies an impossible creature gazing back at him from his fields. It is a golden-white unicorn—heavily pregnant too, if Bianchi isn’t mistaken—and for some reason, she has chosen his farm as the place to give birth.
All of a sudden, Bianchi is filled with a new sense of purpose and inspiration. He has promised La Signora, the name he has given the unicorn, that he will keep her and her baby safe. His poetry also come more easily to him now, with her in his life. That peace, however, turns out to be short-lived. Eventually, the rumors start spreading that unicorns have made their home on Bianchi’s land. His farm is sudden swamped by media, trophy hunters, and all manner of nosy busybodies. But worst of all, there are the ‘Ndrangheta, an organized crime group based in Calabria who have come to Bianchi with an offer to buy his farm and the unicorns on it, threatening him with dire consequences if he refuses.
Magical realism fans are going to want to take note for this one. It’s a short and simple tale, but packed with some powerful themes. I’ve always loved stories with unicorns in them, especially those that portray them in meaningful ways, and if anyone can be relied upon to write a book that does just that, it is Peter S. Beagle. The unicorn has long been a symbol of purity and healing, and as we watch Bianchi’s life unfold, it becomes clear that he is in desperate need of some of that magic himself, as much as he may want to deny it. His character is taciturn, a little standoffish, but you can also tell Bianchi is a man who takes pride in his independence and accomplishments. Behind that gruff exterior is a kind heart and plenty of evidence that he cares about the people around him, which is why I found him likable despite his flaws.
There was also a romantic side plot in this that I didn’t see coming, nor did I expect to enjoy it so much. There’s a considerable age difference between the protagonist and his love interest, and while in general May-December relationships can be tricky to pull off, I thought the portrayal of Bianchi and Giovanna’s courtship was sweet, sympathetic, and subtle enough that it doesn’t take too much from the main story. It always warms my heart to read about two very different people coming together, finding an understanding and connection that ultimately leads to something more.
The setting is also something that stands out. This story of course takes place in the eponymous southern Italian region in a bucolic community characterized by hills and farms. The world is presented as this almost surreal mix of the modern and the traditional, showing the juxtaposition between things like smartphones and ski resorts to Bianchi’s low-tech farm and his ancient, barely-running Studebaker. In my opinion, it’s the perfect backdrop for a story like this; if you can suspend reality for a moment and imagine the possibility of unicorns just magically popping up somewhere in the world, I can easily picture it happening in a place like this.
Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a short, quick read, but despite its novella-length page count, In Calabria will draw you in and make you feel like a part of its breathtaking world. Highly recommended for readers who love genuine characters, evocative settings, and storytelling with a touch of pure magic.
August 19, 2025
Добре памʼятаю своє перше знайомство з творчістю Пітера Біґля. Це був десь клас десятий, коли ми з товаришами спрагло читали низькопробне й високопробне фентезі, Стівена Кінґа й загалом відкривали для себе світ фантастики (на жаль, читали все російською, бо тоді взагалі ніяких альтернатив не було). І раптом мені потрапляє книжка "Останній єдиноріг" невідомого тоді автора Пітера Біґля, який відразу увірвався в пантеон, де були Толкін, Урсула ле Ґуїн, Тед Уільямс, Роджер Желязни. Це було щось зовсім інше, незвичне. Більше подібне до казки, але водночас сповнене реалізму, витонченого стилю, акуратних метафор і натяків (які, звісно, не всі тоді зчитувались).
А ще тепло. Від тексту Біґля просто віяло людським теплом, тому хотілося загорнутись цими сторінками немов пледом в холодний осінній вечір і ніколи не виходити в цей жорстокий, несправедливий світ.
І ось через двадцять років я знову повертаюсь до Біґля і знову до єдинорогів. Це трепетне повернення було цілком виправданним, адже автор не втратив ані свого стилю, ані гуманізму. Історія про те, як італійський фермер раптом зустрів єдинорога (точніше, самицю єдинорога), на яку згодом розпочинає полювання преса й місцева мафія набуває ледь не біблейського звучання. І справді, єдинороги є священними, сакральними істотами, тому легко в цій зустрічі і цьому благоговінні відчується натяк на зустріч зі святими, які докорінно змінюють життя. Цікаво, що цю християнську паралель підсилює ще й те, що Бʼянко закохується у двічі молодшу за нього Джованну. Живучи буркотливим самітником, який пише недолугі вірші, глядить коней і свиней, вирощує виноградник, він зустрічає найбільше диво у нашому житті – свою любов. У якийсь момент здається, що йому треба розірватись, обрати між нею і єдинорогом, але чудо, не інакше кажучи, знімає цю важку потребу вибору.
Ця маленька історія наповнена такою глибиною, людяністю і життєствердною тональністю, що важко її віднести до фентезі, сучасної казки чи фантастичної новели. Біґль завжди вивертав чи швидше повертав під себе жанр, перевинаходив його в межах свого бачення, відчуття реальності. Удвічі приємно читати це в неймовірному українському, живому перекладі. Просто наполегливо раджу придбати книгу, підтримати видавництво і стимулювати його до перекладів канонічних текстів автора, які варто прочитати кожному, хто вірить (або перестав вірити) в диво.
А ще тепло. Від тексту Біґля просто віяло людським теплом, тому хотілося загорнутись цими сторінками немов пледом в холодний осінній вечір і ніколи не виходити в цей жорстокий, несправедливий світ.
І ось через двадцять років я знову повертаюсь до Біґля і знову до єдинорогів. Це трепетне повернення було цілком виправданним, адже автор не втратив ані свого стилю, ані гуманізму. Історія про те, як італійський фермер раптом зустрів єдинорога (точніше, самицю єдинорога), на яку згодом розпочинає полювання преса й місцева мафія набуває ледь не біблейського звучання. І справді, єдинороги є священними, сакральними істотами, тому легко в цій зустрічі і цьому благоговінні відчується натяк на зустріч зі святими, які докорінно змінюють життя. Цікаво, що цю християнську паралель підсилює ще й те, що Бʼянко закохується у двічі молодшу за нього Джованну. Живучи буркотливим самітником, який пише недолугі вірші, глядить коней і свиней, вирощує виноградник, він зустрічає найбільше диво у нашому житті – свою любов. У якийсь момент здається, що йому треба розірватись, обрати між нею і єдинорогом, але чудо, не інакше кажучи, знімає цю важку потребу вибору.
Ця маленька історія наповнена такою глибиною, людяністю і життєствердною тональністю, що важко її віднести до фентезі, сучасної казки чи фантастичної новели. Біґль завжди вивертав чи швидше повертав під себе жанр, перевинаходив його в межах свого бачення, відчуття реальності. Удвічі приємно читати це в неймовірному українському, живому перекладі. Просто наполегливо раджу придбати книгу, підтримати видавництво і стимулювати його до перекладів канонічних текстів автора, які варто прочитати кожному, хто вірить (або перестав вірити) в диво.
September 16, 2025
In 1963, a pair of Jewish Beatniks, sort of, from the Bronx set off cross country on a motor scooters. One of them was Peter Beagle. Having not quite really believed anything important existed west of the Hudson River, it was a journey of discovery that changed the direction of Beagle’s life. After seeing what looked like the surface of Mars somewhere west of Texas, he turned to writing fantasy novels. But before that, he wrote a memoir of his cross country trip called I See By Your Outfit, which is the book I was looking for when I stumbled across In Calabria.
This has probably been the weirdest reading year of my life, but even so, if you’d told me three weeks ago that I’d become engrossed in the trials of a self-sufficient Italian farmer who found a unicorn in his apple trees one day, I would have smiled and nodded and deleted your information from my phone. I don’t read fantasy, and I probably last encountered unicorns in my reading while I still had my milk teeth. So how did Beagle do it?
Sly humor goes a long way with me. If you read in a hurry, you might miss the reference to an intruder kindly stroking the muzzle of the farmer’s “theoretical watchdog.” I like what the author, who made his farmer a poet, had to say about the act of creation:
I’d have probably liked this more if he’d shacked up with a recent widow instead of a dewy farmgirl twenty-three years his junior, which seems about as likely as finding a unicorn in your apple orchard. I read this in about two hours and had fun doing it. Who knows? Maybe my next fun read will be about cats or knitting.
This has probably been the weirdest reading year of my life, but even so, if you’d told me three weeks ago that I’d become engrossed in the trials of a self-sufficient Italian farmer who found a unicorn in his apple trees one day, I would have smiled and nodded and deleted your information from my phone. I don’t read fantasy, and I probably last encountered unicorns in my reading while I still had my milk teeth. So how did Beagle do it?
Sly humor goes a long way with me. If you read in a hurry, you might miss the reference to an intruder kindly stroking the muzzle of the farmer’s “theoretical watchdog.” I like what the author, who made his farmer a poet, had to say about the act of creation:
They came when they came, and when they were finished, he knew. Nothing else—as he often thought—was ever truly completed; there was always something else to be added, repaired, or corrected to make it right. But when a poem was done, it was done. There was satisfaction in this.And finally, although I do not live by myself on a farm in the middle of nowhere, and have no desire to do so, I do understand this impulse: “He knew something of sorrow, remembered joy and devoutly hoped never again to encounter either of these two old annoyances.”
I’d have probably liked this more if he’d shacked up with a recent widow instead of a dewy farmgirl twenty-three years his junior, which seems about as likely as finding a unicorn in your apple orchard. I read this in about two hours and had fun doing it. Who knows? Maybe my next fun read will be about cats or knitting.
January 16, 2017
Hmm. I'm having a hard time deciding on a rating with this novel (more like a novella in length).
Claudio Bianchi owns a farm in the small Italian village of Calabria. He's grumpy, likes his privacy, and writes poems he shares with no one. In his late forties, his only friend is a young postman who comes a few times a week to deliver the mail. Oh, and his goat. Two things converge to break his comforting privacy: a pregnant unicorn appears on his farm, and the postman's younger sister starts delivering the mail on Friday. Suddenly, his comfortable, isolated existence crumbles. Word spreads of the unicorn on his property, and soon the media begins to hound him, and then a mafia-type group--the 'Ndrangheta--shows up, wanting the farm.
The unicorn scenes are the most powerful of the novel. I love the idea of a unicorn appearing in a contemporary setting, and how the unicorn inspires Bianchi to write even more poetry, the best he's ever written. I wish we could've read a poem or two!
It's Bianchi's romantic relationship with Giovanna, the young postmistress, that gives me pause. I read Summerlong last year, where a similar middle-aged man and a just out of teen years woman form a romantic relationship. I was more receptive to the relationship in Summerlong because the girl ends up being a goddess. But...another book with this relationship dynamic? Um. And Bianchi constantly bemoans how he doesn't deserve such a young girl, how she should leave him, and how it's her that instigates the relationship, not him.
Uh huh. 'Sure.' I hear you.
Okay, so that's weird. The ending also felt...wrong for the novel. It felt like the novel was trying to be longer than it was meant to be, so the 'Ndrangheta were added to create length and a more thrilling plot. But I enjoyed the quiet moments the best, and for me, the main plot was about Bianchi trying to rediscover who he is, and how he can interact with the world and rejoin society. I would've loved to see him publish some of those poems!
For now, my rating is 2.5/5. I'm not sure if I'm going to like this less or more the farther away I am from it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Claudio Bianchi owns a farm in the small Italian village of Calabria. He's grumpy, likes his privacy, and writes poems he shares with no one. In his late forties, his only friend is a young postman who comes a few times a week to deliver the mail. Oh, and his goat. Two things converge to break his comforting privacy: a pregnant unicorn appears on his farm, and the postman's younger sister starts delivering the mail on Friday. Suddenly, his comfortable, isolated existence crumbles. Word spreads of the unicorn on his property, and soon the media begins to hound him, and then a mafia-type group--the 'Ndrangheta--shows up, wanting the farm.
The unicorn scenes are the most powerful of the novel. I love the idea of a unicorn appearing in a contemporary setting, and how the unicorn inspires Bianchi to write even more poetry, the best he's ever written. I wish we could've read a poem or two!
It's Bianchi's romantic relationship with Giovanna, the young postmistress, that gives me pause. I read Summerlong last year, where a similar middle-aged man and a just out of teen years woman form a romantic relationship. I was more receptive to the relationship in Summerlong because the girl ends up being a goddess. But...another book with this relationship dynamic? Um. And Bianchi constantly bemoans how he doesn't deserve such a young girl, how she should leave him, and how it's her that instigates the relationship, not him.
Uh huh. 'Sure.' I hear you.
Okay, so that's weird. The ending also felt...wrong for the novel. It felt like the novel was trying to be longer than it was meant to be, so the 'Ndrangheta were added to create length and a more thrilling plot. But I enjoyed the quiet moments the best, and for me, the main plot was about Bianchi trying to rediscover who he is, and how he can interact with the world and rejoin society. I would've loved to see him publish some of those poems!
For now, my rating is 2.5/5. I'm not sure if I'm going to like this less or more the farther away I am from it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2021
After having read a few books in the past month that were each disappointing in some way (the length, the plot, and the writing), I determined that my next read was going to be something that was likely not to suffer those faults. This one didn't.
It was quite short, a novella actually. But packed with lots of good stuff. Fantasy, but set in a very real location that's lovingly rendered: the area of Italy known as Calabria. Claudio Bianchi scratches out a living on a small farm on a mountainside, living with a few pigs and cows, an aged dog, three cats, and a goat named Cherubino.
Into this humble setting wanders a unicorn one day, and Claudio's solitude begins breaking down despite his best efforts to resist. Some connections are good, some are threatening, and all revolve around La Signora, the unicorn.
I really, really enjoyed the contrast between the gritty, unforgiving world of Calabria and the magical quality of La Signora. The earthy sense of place and people is ripe for her to bring out the best in all the local residents - well, nearly all.
I know that Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn is considered one of the best fantasy novels ever written, and I do have every intention of reading it someday, but at this moment in my life, this was a perfect book.
Five stars. And if I could, a sixth for Bronson Pinchot's narration.
It was quite short, a novella actually. But packed with lots of good stuff. Fantasy, but set in a very real location that's lovingly rendered: the area of Italy known as Calabria. Claudio Bianchi scratches out a living on a small farm on a mountainside, living with a few pigs and cows, an aged dog, three cats, and a goat named Cherubino.
Into this humble setting wanders a unicorn one day, and Claudio's solitude begins breaking down despite his best efforts to resist. Some connections are good, some are threatening, and all revolve around La Signora, the unicorn.
I really, really enjoyed the contrast between the gritty, unforgiving world of Calabria and the magical quality of La Signora. The earthy sense of place and people is ripe for her to bring out the best in all the local residents - well, nearly all.
I know that Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn is considered one of the best fantasy novels ever written, and I do have every intention of reading it someday, but at this moment in my life, this was a perfect book.
Five stars. And if I could, a sixth for Bronson Pinchot's narration.
November 21, 2023
“But this would inevitably mean revealing the existence of the unicorn as well—there was nothing symbolic or figurative about it in the poetry—and that Bianchi was not prepared to do for anyone.”
October 3, 2025
In Calabria is a story about redemption through love, and second chances, and, yes, unicorns. But don't go in just for the unicorns.
I think my reading notes will give you an idea why:
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
I think my reading notes will give you an idea why:
https://choveshkata.net/forum/viewtop...
March 16, 2026
Piękna w swej prostocie.
Uwielbiam sposób, w jaki pan Beagle pisze o zwierzętach i ich roli w życiu człowieka. I nie mówię nawet o jednorożcach, ale o kotach, które muszą ci zdradzić swoje imię, psie strzegącym podwórka tylko w teorii czy koźle anarchiście - wszyscy są tu rodziną, kochają się na zabój i są gotowi wzajemnie za siebie zginąć, nawet jeśli momentami w ogóle się nie lubią.
Pan Beagle równie pięknie pisze o relacjach między ludźmi, chociaż jak zawsze musiał w tym względzie polecieć w stronę, która sprawia, że odrobinę zgrzytam zębami. Dla własnego dobra w swojej głowie zignorowałam tę koszmarną różnicę wieku i zachwycałam tym, jak trafnie autor pokazuje rodzące i rozwijające się uczucie.
No i Włochy! Czuć je na każdej stronie, choć siedzimy na odludziu, które mogłoby być właściwie każdym odludziem na świecie, nawet tym moim - może i gdzieś tutaj są jednorożce...?
Claudio... poeta z niego taki sam jak ze mnie, więc wiadomo, że musiałam go pokochać.
“Czy można napisać wiersz o czyimś pochrapywaniu? O tym, jak próbuję nie kichnąć, gdy jej włosy łaskoczą mnie w nos? O tym jednym lewie słyszalnym pierdnięciu przy mojej nodze? Co napiszę przy moim kuchennym stole po tym, jak ona przy nim siedziała, pijąc moje wino i jedząc kolację, którą dla niej przygotowałem? Późno odkrywasz to wszystko, Bianchi – to wszystko, co wiedzą dzisiaj nawet dzieci. Bardzo, bardzo późno...”
Uwielbiam sposób, w jaki pan Beagle pisze o zwierzętach i ich roli w życiu człowieka. I nie mówię nawet o jednorożcach, ale o kotach, które muszą ci zdradzić swoje imię, psie strzegącym podwórka tylko w teorii czy koźle anarchiście - wszyscy są tu rodziną, kochają się na zabój i są gotowi wzajemnie za siebie zginąć, nawet jeśli momentami w ogóle się nie lubią.
Pan Beagle równie pięknie pisze o relacjach między ludźmi, chociaż jak zawsze musiał w tym względzie polecieć w stronę, która sprawia, że odrobinę zgrzytam zębami. Dla własnego dobra w swojej głowie zignorowałam tę koszmarną różnicę wieku i zachwycałam tym, jak trafnie autor pokazuje rodzące i rozwijające się uczucie.
No i Włochy! Czuć je na każdej stronie, choć siedzimy na odludziu, które mogłoby być właściwie każdym odludziem na świecie, nawet tym moim - może i gdzieś tutaj są jednorożce...?
Claudio... poeta z niego taki sam jak ze mnie, więc wiadomo, że musiałam go pokochać.
“Czy można napisać wiersz o czyimś pochrapywaniu? O tym, jak próbuję nie kichnąć, gdy jej włosy łaskoczą mnie w nos? O tym jednym lewie słyszalnym pierdnięciu przy mojej nodze? Co napiszę przy moim kuchennym stole po tym, jak ona przy nim siedziała, pijąc moje wino i jedząc kolację, którą dla niej przygotowałem? Późno odkrywasz to wszystko, Bianchi – to wszystko, co wiedzą dzisiaj nawet dzieci. Bardzo, bardzo późno...”
December 31, 2017
The language is exquisite, the exoticization of Calabria isn't. And I'm creeped out by the frequency with which Beagle writes romance between elderly men and very young women.
July 15, 2026
3.75⭐️
February 22, 2018
”Cum poate fi iubirea când trăiești o veșnicie?”
February 26, 2017
Like most people who are able to read and enjoy fantasy, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Peter S. Beagle. That's not to say I'm a real fan, however; he's a remarkable writer, and uses language like a virtuoso uses a violin, but I've just never warmed to him.
And In Calabria is a perfect example of why. It's a beautiful book. The characters are marvelous. The intrusion of the rare and beautiful into the life of a reclusive and misanthropic man is intense and utterly real.
But, for me, there's some … thing lacking. I have no idea what. Something holds me back, creates a distance. It was gorgeous and I'm glad I read it, and parts of it will stay with me – but, still…
In any case… while neither this nor any of the other Beagles I've read will ever be my very favorite book, it was still a remarkable experience. I saw one review which complained that there was nothing new here, that Beagle has "done" unicorns before, didn't have to do it again – but I think that's … well, insane. It's been a while since I read The Last Unicorn, but I don't think this bears much of a resemblance to that, apart from the obvious: the cataclysmic effect a creature of legend can have on ordinary life. It's not a well, which can be dipped into too often - it's a river, a force of nature, never the same two moments running. Maybe that's why I've never been fonder of Peter Beagle - his extraordinarily comforting last name notwithstanding, his are simply not comfortable books.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
And In Calabria is a perfect example of why. It's a beautiful book. The characters are marvelous. The intrusion of the rare and beautiful into the life of a reclusive and misanthropic man is intense and utterly real.
But, for me, there's some … thing lacking. I have no idea what. Something holds me back, creates a distance. It was gorgeous and I'm glad I read it, and parts of it will stay with me – but, still…
In any case… while neither this nor any of the other Beagles I've read will ever be my very favorite book, it was still a remarkable experience. I saw one review which complained that there was nothing new here, that Beagle has "done" unicorns before, didn't have to do it again – but I think that's … well, insane. It's been a while since I read The Last Unicorn, but I don't think this bears much of a resemblance to that, apart from the obvious: the cataclysmic effect a creature of legend can have on ordinary life. It's not a well, which can be dipped into too often - it's a river, a force of nature, never the same two moments running. Maybe that's why I've never been fonder of Peter Beagle - his extraordinarily comforting last name notwithstanding, his are simply not comfortable books.
The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
February 4, 2022
I did not enjoy this novella, despite the fact that the prose that described the landscape, the unicorn, shone in parts.
The problem was the very obvious self-insertion of the author and his opinions.
- Bianchi, the protagonist: a gentle, grumpy Calabrese living a lonely existence on his farm at the ancient age of ... 47. Obviously when you're that old and your wife left you, there is no hope for you anymore. Bianchi reads like a 98 year old man, and he also reads a lot like a self-insert, wish-fulfilling character. More about that later.
- Giovanna. The good, young, beautiful, love interest, who is half Bianchi's age. One day, out of the blue, after the unicorns appear at Bianchi's farm, Giovanna shows up. She is the spunky, young (did I mention young?) Manic Pixie Dream Girl to Bianchi's loneliness. Her personality is reduced to two factors: her naive joy, and her youthful energy. Both are linked: Bianchi calls her girl, tells her he is too old, tells her she can't drive a motorcycle, tells her to stay away from him, comforts her when she messes up and tells her brother evefything about the unicorns. Now, Beagle might have fooled other readers, but not me. Giovanna is written the way a 10-year old girl could have been written, and THEN (and only then) Bianchi's constant coaching, proprietory speech and otherwise condescends to her. Giovanna is also betrayed by Beagle's narration, when she cheerfully circumvents her brother's monitoring (she's 23!!) and drives to see Bianchi for a booty call. 30 year old men who live at home monitoring their adult sisters is normal - he's just looking out for her! He's a NICE GUY. Narratives like these that hold no criticism just put the impression on readers that every woman would do well with a protector by her side. A good man who looks out for her and makes the decision. You know, like it's the law in Saudi Arabia.
- The fraudulent Seer/Medium/Tarot Card Reader. Madame I-forgot-her-name is the local freakshow of the tiny calabrese village. Alwaxs wearing an exotic turban and exquisite jewels no matter the time of day, she wishes to impress and bedazzle the willing listener by letting them see what they want to see and telling them pre-made fortunes. Like the evil hag, Mommy Fortuna, who entrapped the unicorn in The Last Unicorn. I digress. Madame Fraud lists a million complaints and ailments that Bianchi could ppssibly be suffering from, but since she's a fraud, she doesn't come close to the truth no matter how hard she tries. Also, since she's a fraud, she uses none of her tools: neither her crystal ball nor her tarot cards or, apparently, her very own healing creams for ailing cow nipples. After all, what do you need cards for when all you do is listen to local rumors and try to sell your crappy stuff to dumb villagers? Yeah. Now, obviously I'm biased because I read Tarot cards. On the other hand, all the other readers I know don't wear a turban and sell cow nipple cream either, so ... maybe not all of them are racist freaks who want to steal people's hard earned cash? Madame Fraud is unfortunately the only other female character (not counting the unicorn), which makes her the natural counterpart to wonderful, lilywhite Giovanna. Did I mentiom that the local cutthroat reseller, who defrauds the villagers of their hard-earned cash by underpaying them is awarded the benefit of doubt, because he actually warns Bianchi of the organized crime bosses tracking him (despite being mortally afraid of them). Another man redeemed! I hope all the men have a good sister like Giovanna they can take care of.
- La Signora Unicorn. She has the most depth out of all the female characters (naturally, since Beagle has phenomenal descriptive powers when he doesn't use them to mock and belittle his female characters). Unforgunately she turns out to have a male counterpart who is the polar opposite of her (that is, fiery, aggressive, vital, always moving, male, etc) which was superfluous, since La Signora could have easily stood alone on Bianchi's farm without help&guidance. When her man showed up, La Signora became less, which is what happens to women when you diminish them.
I could say a lot more about In Calabria. Instead I will talk about how I revisited The Last Gondoliers, another Beagle novella, last year. That novella was a fluent, dreamlike narration set in Venice. Like Calabria, the Venice setting was alive, wonderfully three dimensional and rich. All of Beagle's efforts of crafting went into shaping the Venice men he wrote about. And there were many. Opera singers who got outsung by a mere gondoliere. A gondola teacher with a nasty streak. Friends at school. Honestly if everything had just gone on that way, I would have once again given that novella the 5 stars I gave it upon first reading it a decade ago. But unfortunately Beagle introduced a female love interest. A pretty girl. Beautiful. With eyes and hair and legs and potentially, boobs. She did not speak. She had no personality. She got no description that was not physical. Because when you are a love interest, you are just a walking, admirable vagina.
I'm tired of this shit.
The problem was the very obvious self-insertion of the author and his opinions.
- Bianchi, the protagonist: a gentle, grumpy Calabrese living a lonely existence on his farm at the ancient age of ... 47. Obviously when you're that old and your wife left you, there is no hope for you anymore. Bianchi reads like a 98 year old man, and he also reads a lot like a self-insert, wish-fulfilling character. More about that later.
- Giovanna. The good, young, beautiful, love interest, who is half Bianchi's age. One day, out of the blue, after the unicorns appear at Bianchi's farm, Giovanna shows up. She is the spunky, young (did I mention young?) Manic Pixie Dream Girl to Bianchi's loneliness. Her personality is reduced to two factors: her naive joy, and her youthful energy. Both are linked: Bianchi calls her girl, tells her he is too old, tells her she can't drive a motorcycle, tells her to stay away from him, comforts her when she messes up and tells her brother evefything about the unicorns. Now, Beagle might have fooled other readers, but not me. Giovanna is written the way a 10-year old girl could have been written, and THEN (and only then) Bianchi's constant coaching, proprietory speech and otherwise condescends to her. Giovanna is also betrayed by Beagle's narration, when she cheerfully circumvents her brother's monitoring (she's 23!!) and drives to see Bianchi for a booty call. 30 year old men who live at home monitoring their adult sisters is normal - he's just looking out for her! He's a NICE GUY. Narratives like these that hold no criticism just put the impression on readers that every woman would do well with a protector by her side. A good man who looks out for her and makes the decision. You know, like it's the law in Saudi Arabia.
- The fraudulent Seer/Medium/Tarot Card Reader. Madame I-forgot-her-name is the local freakshow of the tiny calabrese village. Alwaxs wearing an exotic turban and exquisite jewels no matter the time of day, she wishes to impress and bedazzle the willing listener by letting them see what they want to see and telling them pre-made fortunes. Like the evil hag, Mommy Fortuna, who entrapped the unicorn in The Last Unicorn. I digress. Madame Fraud lists a million complaints and ailments that Bianchi could ppssibly be suffering from, but since she's a fraud, she doesn't come close to the truth no matter how hard she tries. Also, since she's a fraud, she uses none of her tools: neither her crystal ball nor her tarot cards or, apparently, her very own healing creams for ailing cow nipples. After all, what do you need cards for when all you do is listen to local rumors and try to sell your crappy stuff to dumb villagers? Yeah. Now, obviously I'm biased because I read Tarot cards. On the other hand, all the other readers I know don't wear a turban and sell cow nipple cream either, so ... maybe not all of them are racist freaks who want to steal people's hard earned cash? Madame Fraud is unfortunately the only other female character (not counting the unicorn), which makes her the natural counterpart to wonderful, lilywhite Giovanna. Did I mentiom that the local cutthroat reseller, who defrauds the villagers of their hard-earned cash by underpaying them is awarded the benefit of doubt, because he actually warns Bianchi of the organized crime bosses tracking him (despite being mortally afraid of them). Another man redeemed! I hope all the men have a good sister like Giovanna they can take care of.
- La Signora Unicorn. She has the most depth out of all the female characters (naturally, since Beagle has phenomenal descriptive powers when he doesn't use them to mock and belittle his female characters). Unforgunately she turns out to have a male counterpart who is the polar opposite of her (that is, fiery, aggressive, vital, always moving, male, etc) which was superfluous, since La Signora could have easily stood alone on Bianchi's farm without help&guidance. When her man showed up, La Signora became less, which is what happens to women when you diminish them.
I could say a lot more about In Calabria. Instead I will talk about how I revisited The Last Gondoliers, another Beagle novella, last year. That novella was a fluent, dreamlike narration set in Venice. Like Calabria, the Venice setting was alive, wonderfully three dimensional and rich. All of Beagle's efforts of crafting went into shaping the Venice men he wrote about. And there were many. Opera singers who got outsung by a mere gondoliere. A gondola teacher with a nasty streak. Friends at school. Honestly if everything had just gone on that way, I would have once again given that novella the 5 stars I gave it upon first reading it a decade ago. But unfortunately Beagle introduced a female love interest. A pretty girl. Beautiful. With eyes and hair and legs and potentially, boobs. She did not speak. She had no personality. She got no description that was not physical. Because when you are a love interest, you are just a walking, admirable vagina.
I'm tired of this shit.
May 14, 2017
Received to review via Netgalley; publication date 14th February 2017
In Calabria is a quiet sort of story. It has dramatic moments, certainly, but those weren’t what will stick in my mind in the slightest. What will stick in my mind is Claudio’s quiet care for the unicorn, his moments of inspiration, and his love for Giovanna. He opens up, going from old curmudgeon with a heart of gold to a man who loves, who is brave, who will put himself on the line — and it’s because of the unicorn.
It’s easy to read that as a kind of commentary on the humanising nature of stories. Why do myths like unicorns endure? Because they inspire us, they teach us to open up; from stories we can learn to love.
In Calabria is more like that, a fable or fairy story, though I wouldn’t say it has something as simple as a moral. What’s nice is that, along with the serious moments and the warmth and tenderness, there’s a lot of humour as well. Like Claudio being grateful that Giovanna bought him pyjamas during a critical and dramatic moment…
Originally reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
In Calabria is a quiet sort of story. It has dramatic moments, certainly, but those weren’t what will stick in my mind in the slightest. What will stick in my mind is Claudio’s quiet care for the unicorn, his moments of inspiration, and his love for Giovanna. He opens up, going from old curmudgeon with a heart of gold to a man who loves, who is brave, who will put himself on the line — and it’s because of the unicorn.
It’s easy to read that as a kind of commentary on the humanising nature of stories. Why do myths like unicorns endure? Because they inspire us, they teach us to open up; from stories we can learn to love.
In Calabria is more like that, a fable or fairy story, though I wouldn’t say it has something as simple as a moral. What’s nice is that, along with the serious moments and the warmth and tenderness, there’s a lot of humour as well. Like Claudio being grateful that Giovanna bought him pyjamas during a critical and dramatic moment…
Originally reviewed for The Bibliophibian.
June 2, 2017
4.5 stars
Unicorns come to Calabria. Not once upon a time in an imaginary land, but now, in the 21st century, a beautiful unicorn comes to a run-down farm on a hillside in Calabria, South Italy, and settles in. The farm owner, a lonely hopeless man, shuns the technology of his times. He ekes out his meager existence from the land and takes care of his few animals, when he witnesses the miracle of the unicorn. The strange, un-earthy creature gives a new meaning to his life, opens his eyes and his heart, and in return, he is willing to protect it from the unicorn hunters, the insatiable media, and the ruthless Mafiosi.
The story reads like poetry, lyrical and dreamy. It’s not a fast-paced fantasy adventure but a slow-flowing feast of words, and despite my preference for quick action of the usual sword-and-sorcery pageant, I couldn’t stop reading it from start to end. Fortunately for me, it is a short book, 174 pages, but it is one of the best books I’ve read recently. It left me oddly happy. Even though I have never seen a unicorn, I felt as if its magic brushed against my skin too, just as it did for the protagonist of this unusual tale.
Unicorns come to Calabria. Not once upon a time in an imaginary land, but now, in the 21st century, a beautiful unicorn comes to a run-down farm on a hillside in Calabria, South Italy, and settles in. The farm owner, a lonely hopeless man, shuns the technology of his times. He ekes out his meager existence from the land and takes care of his few animals, when he witnesses the miracle of the unicorn. The strange, un-earthy creature gives a new meaning to his life, opens his eyes and his heart, and in return, he is willing to protect it from the unicorn hunters, the insatiable media, and the ruthless Mafiosi.
The story reads like poetry, lyrical and dreamy. It’s not a fast-paced fantasy adventure but a slow-flowing feast of words, and despite my preference for quick action of the usual sword-and-sorcery pageant, I couldn’t stop reading it from start to end. Fortunately for me, it is a short book, 174 pages, but it is one of the best books I’ve read recently. It left me oddly happy. Even though I have never seen a unicorn, I felt as if its magic brushed against my skin too, just as it did for the protagonist of this unusual tale.
February 8, 2023
"Одного разу в Калабрії" — дуже симпатична повість з єдинорогами. Щось ближче до магічного реалізму, ніж до класичного фентезі, але дуже затишна і сповнена людяності.
Read
March 2, 2023Не знаю, що я очікувала, але вся історія плоска, стиль (чи то переклад?) плоский, і сюжет плоский. А я думала це справді буде магічний реалізм. Не розумію захоплених відгуків. Чувак 50 років живе відлюдником на фермі, туди приходить вагітна єдинорожка, потім молода жінка на 23 роки молодша від нього звісно ж закохується в нього бачачи його вдруге в житті, потім від бореться з мафією яка хоче забрати єдинорогу і дитя з собою. Також неймовірно дратували італійські слова понасипані просто так, зразу видно писав американець. Таке щось.
May 18, 2017
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
So did ye know that Peter S. Beagle has written another awesome unicorn tale? Well, now ye do. If ye don't know who Peter S. Beagle is then go and find a copy of the last unicorn and read it immediately; it's one of the best books of all time. Then watch the animated movie for good measure. So when I saw that there was another unicorn tale, I had to read it.
I found this novella to be lovely. While there are unicorns, the story is really about how Claudio Bianchi deals with and is changed by them. Claudio is a cranky middle-aged farmer who lives on a farm in the Calabria region of Italy. He is a bit of a loner that writes poetry. So when he wakes one morning to find a unicorn on his farm in the middle of nowhere, his world is irrevocably changed.
I loved Signore Bianchi. For being salty, he has a good heart. Even his farm animals have great personalities. The ending was a little unusual but the journey of watching Bianchi's relationships with the unicorn and other folk makes it worth the read.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon Publications!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
So did ye know that Peter S. Beagle has written another awesome unicorn tale? Well, now ye do. If ye don't know who Peter S. Beagle is then go and find a copy of the last unicorn and read it immediately; it's one of the best books of all time. Then watch the animated movie for good measure. So when I saw that there was another unicorn tale, I had to read it.
I found this novella to be lovely. While there are unicorns, the story is really about how Claudio Bianchi deals with and is changed by them. Claudio is a cranky middle-aged farmer who lives on a farm in the Calabria region of Italy. He is a bit of a loner that writes poetry. So when he wakes one morning to find a unicorn on his farm in the middle of nowhere, his world is irrevocably changed.
I loved Signore Bianchi. For being salty, he has a good heart. Even his farm animals have great personalities. The ending was a little unusual but the journey of watching Bianchi's relationships with the unicorn and other folk makes it worth the read.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Tachyon Publications!
Check out me other reviews at https://thecaptainsquartersblog.wordp...
February 16, 2017
A short book, but not exactly a quick read, Beagle's second new book in less than a year has some familiar themes (the transience of immortal beings, their impact on humans, how love shapes people) and a completely new setting. I think that this book NEEDED to be set in Calabria, a remote part of Italy where our main character lives much as his forebears did for generations, and in doing so, the setting absolutely became one of the most important characters in the book.
I was pleased with the story's definite arc, and the prose was excellent, as I would expect from Beagle.
If you want fantasy set in the real world, but prefer mythic fiction rather than urban fantasy, this should be on your must-buy list.
Review copy provided by Net Galley.
I was pleased with the story's definite arc, and the prose was excellent, as I would expect from Beagle.
If you want fantasy set in the real world, but prefer mythic fiction rather than urban fantasy, this should be on your must-buy list.
Review copy provided by Net Galley.
July 26, 2017
As a new unicorn story by the acclaimed Peter S. Beagle, I had high expectations for In Calabria. Unfortunately, this novella didn’t do much for me.
For many years, Claudio Bianchi has lived alone on his farm in Southern Italy, writing poetry and tending to his three cows and other animals. Then one morning, he discovers a unicorn has arrived at his farm. The arrival of the unicorn will change Claudio’s life forever.
The focus of In Calabria is Claudio Bianchi. He’s cut himself off from other people and been living in isolation. But when the unicorn chooses him and his farm it makes him reconnect with others and reevaluate his own worthiness. More than anything else, the unicorn functions as a catalyst for Claudio’s personal growth.
After Claudio and the unicorn, the most prominent character is Giovanna, the younger sister of Claudio’s friend the postman. Giovanna did not impress me. She felt like the typical one dimensional sexy love interest who has an inexplicable interest in the much older male protagonist. I also found it annoying how frequently the narrative mentioned that her eyes were green. I get it, she has striking green eyes! Move on!
In Calabria is fairly short – under two hundred pages – but it took me a while to read. I kept putting it down and having to come back to it. I just feel so apathetic about it. The writing is lovely (this is Peter S. Beagle after all), but there’s not much more I can say about In Calabria. It is possible people of a more literary bent might enjoy this one more than me, but I won’t be recommending it in the future.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received a copy of In Calabria from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For many years, Claudio Bianchi has lived alone on his farm in Southern Italy, writing poetry and tending to his three cows and other animals. Then one morning, he discovers a unicorn has arrived at his farm. The arrival of the unicorn will change Claudio’s life forever.
The focus of In Calabria is Claudio Bianchi. He’s cut himself off from other people and been living in isolation. But when the unicorn chooses him and his farm it makes him reconnect with others and reevaluate his own worthiness. More than anything else, the unicorn functions as a catalyst for Claudio’s personal growth.
After Claudio and the unicorn, the most prominent character is Giovanna, the younger sister of Claudio’s friend the postman. Giovanna did not impress me. She felt like the typical one dimensional sexy love interest who has an inexplicable interest in the much older male protagonist. I also found it annoying how frequently the narrative mentioned that her eyes were green. I get it, she has striking green eyes! Move on!
In Calabria is fairly short – under two hundred pages – but it took me a while to read. I kept putting it down and having to come back to it. I just feel so apathetic about it. The writing is lovely (this is Peter S. Beagle after all), but there’s not much more I can say about In Calabria. It is possible people of a more literary bent might enjoy this one more than me, but I won’t be recommending it in the future.
Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
I received a copy of In Calabria from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 20, 2019
This book had me really engaged for about the first third of the story, in which the main character, a charmingly gruff and intentionally isolated farmer, faces the impact of a unicorn inexplicably settling in on his land. About a third of the way through the book, things got a bit cringe-inducing for me.
February 23, 2019
Usually May-December romances don't bother me, but this one made me a little uncomfortable. Maybe it was because Bianchi kept thinking about how he had watched Giovanna grow up, or maybe it was simply because the two characters lacked chemistry; either way, the romance felt out of place and awkward.
It's a shame, really, because the parts of the story that involve the unicorn and the farm animals were well-written and enjoyable.
I liked the beginning well enough, when Bianchi was a poetry-writing, animal-loving old curmudgeon. Once Giovanna showed up, though, the story went downhill.
If Giovanna had been a little older, or if their relationship had been platonic (or if she had been absent altogether) the story would have been more palatable. Romance has its place, but some stories are better off without it.
P.S. My fiance (who is older than me) listened to this audiobook with me and he said he would only give it 2 stars. So take that for what you will.
It's a shame, really, because the parts of the story that involve the unicorn and the farm animals were well-written and enjoyable.
I liked the beginning well enough, when Bianchi was a poetry-writing, animal-loving old curmudgeon. Once Giovanna showed up, though, the story went downhill.
If Giovanna had been a little older, or if their relationship had been platonic (or if she had been absent altogether) the story would have been more palatable. Romance has its place, but some stories are better off without it.
P.S. My fiance (who is older than me) listened to this audiobook with me and he said he would only give it 2 stars. So take that for what you will.
September 7, 2020
I've had this on my phone for months and months. I don't read much on my phone at the best of times, and when I rarely leave the house, it gets worse. But I had some time outside of a coffee shop, and had forgotten to bring my current book, so I finally got to finish this one.
It's an absolutely delightful story of a crusty old Italian farmer, a loner who is entirely happy with his animals -- and what happens to his life when a unicorn chooses his farm for her own complex and cataclysmic purposes. In the course of the story, Claudio Bianchi falls into his more-than-five-minutes of fame, is astonished by unexpected love, is stalked and harassed by people who believe you can own unicorns, and eventually is swept up into the ineffable magic of his extraordinary one-horned guest and her family.
I have loved Peter Beagle's work for many decades, and it was a treat to be welcomed back into his capable hands for this love story.
It's an absolutely delightful story of a crusty old Italian farmer, a loner who is entirely happy with his animals -- and what happens to his life when a unicorn chooses his farm for her own complex and cataclysmic purposes. In the course of the story, Claudio Bianchi falls into his more-than-five-minutes of fame, is astonished by unexpected love, is stalked and harassed by people who believe you can own unicorns, and eventually is swept up into the ineffable magic of his extraordinary one-horned guest and her family.
I have loved Peter Beagle's work for many decades, and it was a treat to be welcomed back into his capable hands for this love story.
December 31, 2016
This is really more like 3.5 but I'm rounding up since I like Beagle's work in general.
This isn't quite as polished and cohesive a work as his Summerlong, which I read earlier this year.
Most of it works together very well - it's a simple, quiet tale about a cranky, reclusive man who has to adjust to a lot of extra social interaction after a unicorn takes up residence on his remote farm.
But... this quiet tale is somewhat marred by some suspenseful action towards the end of the book. Those frenetic pages just didn't mesh well with the tone of the rest of the book, IMO.
Though it did go back to the quiet mood and the last couple of pages did leave me with a smile on my face.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
This isn't quite as polished and cohesive a work as his Summerlong, which I read earlier this year.
Most of it works together very well - it's a simple, quiet tale about a cranky, reclusive man who has to adjust to a lot of extra social interaction after a unicorn takes up residence on his remote farm.
But... this quiet tale is somewhat marred by some suspenseful action towards the end of the book. Those frenetic pages just didn't mesh well with the tone of the rest of the book, IMO.
Though it did go back to the quiet mood and the last couple of pages did leave me with a smile on my face.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tachyon Publications for the ARC.
April 7, 2023
I wrote a super long thoughtful review and it got erased so the short version is this: the unicorn parts were great and I wanted more of that. The romance between the old man and the young woman that he kept calling “child” gave me the ick. The romance took over the book until it wasn’t really about unicorns anymore. I had a good time until I didn’t.
Edit: After a few weeks I decided to change my rating to one star. Beautiful unicorn descriptions lure young women in, and then we are left with a story about an unhealthy relationship with an age gap of Leonardo DiCaprio proportions. The ephemeral unicorn wouldn’t have chosen to live here. Not even she was strong enough to save this book 😔
Edit: After a few weeks I decided to change my rating to one star. Beautiful unicorn descriptions lure young women in, and then we are left with a story about an unhealthy relationship with an age gap of Leonardo DiCaprio proportions. The ephemeral unicorn wouldn’t have chosen to live here. Not even she was strong enough to save this book 😔
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