Daniela Raimondi wrote her first poem at the age of 40, then it took her 20 years to write the great novel about the history of her Italian family.
Outside dawn was breaking. A rumble, orders. excited voices. The door of the room was kicked in… Four armed men stood in front of her, with long beards and khaki jackets. They pointed machine guns at her, the muzzles inches from her face. Norma felt cold, she felt pure fear. The four men were from a special unit.”
This is one of the places in the novel that makes you want to ask questions – it is well known that fiction and truth tend to mix in family sagas. So is this scene made up? Heard from friends, retold?