The Crossroads

Niccolo Ammaniti

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

Cristiano is sixteen. Home life is far from perfect, and when his drink-sozzled father and two reprobate friends come up with a plan to rob a bank, Cristiano sees the chance of a better life. But as a tremendous storm brews that night, the perfect crime will have shocking consequences for all involved. And Cristiano must put childhood behind him once and for all. The utterly absorbing novel has pace, plot twists and glorious characters. An epic drama of innocence and delusion, The Crossroads is Ammaniti’s most engaging novel yet.

'The Crossroads is a black thriller with the momentum of an action-packed Hollywood movie.'

'Fastpaced... [and] undeniably engaging.'

Review by Jessica (280210) Rating (8/10)

Review by Jessica
Rating 8/10
One icy cold night drink sodden Rino Zena sent his sixteen year old son Cristiano out to kill a dog. The dog was barking incessantly as Rino steadily worked his way through numerous bottles of beer until the barking drove him mad. Cristiano did what he had to do, he didn’t have an option. What an atmospheric beginning to this great novel.

Cristiano admired girls from afar as they were a mystery to him. He also struggled at school finding it hard to defend himself against the bullies. No-one hits Rino Zena’s son and so Rino devised a plan to get his revenge. Did the plan succeed? This book impels you to read on to discover what happens. You just have to know.

Rino with his down and out friends Quattro Formaggio and Dannilo devise a scheme to make money quickly to have better lives but if the police catch Rino the social would investigate and Cristiano would be taken away. Once again things take a very different turn and the events that follow make for an amazing read.

I couldn’t put it down, the characters are so believable and the story moves from drama to pathos so quickly in this brilliantly imaginative and well written novel. I felt as if I was holding my breath as the suspense built up to a crescendo to produce an ending I was not expecting.

Everything was vividly depicted against the harsh weather to give a powerful, absorbing story..
Jessica (28th February 2010)