Sicily enough

by Claire Rabe

Serialized in the short-lived Olympia Magazine (four issues... we're working on it). On a self-imposed exile in a Sicilian village, a gal with three kids forces her own rebirth in this Mediterranean take on Lawrence's Plumed Serpent.

73 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across a hardcover library copy of Sicily Enough in a used bookstore. Claire Rabe wrote a stunning and sensual book about healing from grief through the senses. That it was set in Italy was enough to make me pick it up and I was hooked from the first sentences. The only disappointment was when I searched for other books by Claire Rabe and didn't discover any. She is an exquisite writer.
As a creative writing coach, I always used Sicily Enough to illustrate writing through the senses. And a great example of words matching theme. The way out of grief is through the senses. Rabe's passages evoke the heat, the juice of cold fruit, and sleepy children you hold in your arms. I loved it. And loved that the heroine outgrows her dalliance and moves on. It felt very true to the story and the theme. A wonderful read.

[Piper Selden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book before, tasted the words and pages. Raw and gorgeous and painful and poetically pure.

[George Dibble · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Sicily Enough's prose was phenomenal. Its first line left such a strong impression on me, I reread it thirty times, at least; etching it to memory. Claire Rabe's ability to thread narrative with poetry is masterclass.

I enjoyed Rabe's explorations of a woman's musings on identity, possession, and loss. It was very insightful, and finished with a, not so disappointing, ending. I also really enjoyed Rabe's ability to explore the same topics, such as intercourse, over and over again in such a short period of time without feeling redundant. Also, Sicily Enough covers sex in a way that I've never read before. It was surreal, philosophical, and amazing.

However, I do think the pacing was a bit rough, and I found myself getting bored with the novella. Outside of its wonderful prose and ideas, I didn't always feel motivated to keep reading.

But, this will definitely be a book to return to.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I relate to this novella closely. More so in the general story, rather than the author's personal inner thoughts. Her writing style takes getting used to and at times is confusing. The ending was sharp and harsh, just like the humanity she portrayed throughout, yet disappointing still. For those 2 things I took away a star. Definitely worth a 2nd read for full comprehension. Poetic and real.