When M., Antonio Scurati’s voluminous Mussolini novel, first appeared, Trump had just taken office and the “crisis of democracy” was on everyone’s lips. Things have only gotten darker since—yet today’s Scurati imitators treat fascism as little more than a backdrop for romance or coming-of-age.
“Why shouldn’t we fill our bellies with all sorts of different foods instead of eating the same meal over and over again? We don’t want crumbs. It is our right to refuse. I’d rather go hungry than eat what I’m forced to. If I starve, let it be by choice: I am a survivor, not a victim.”