I love The Calvino. He never writes the same book twice, much unlike the rest of the world’s authors who tend to rehash the same concept to sell a fair few copies to make some monies. Why do I like him?

He is just too original.

Great Italian man, Italo Calvino – I had to read a translation by a pretty great William Weaver.

You think you’re reading one novel, then by the next chapter you realise you’re reading another story, then the next chapter takes you back to said original novel, and then you realise that the great Italo Calvino is just messing with your mind. And he does not stop.

I love how each chapter gives you something to hold onto, pulls away, and then just leaves you hanging. I usually detest short stories but this author just weaves his magic as if the chapters are different coloured wool knitted to form this very itchy colourful jumper.

You get to the end of each chapter even more frustrated than the last; you never realise that lists can be so exhaustive; you never figure out if it’s the same character disguised in each chapter or a totally different confusing new character introduced in each one. The Calvino is a genius. You sympathise with the narrator because he’s going through the exact same thing as you when you read each chapter, but worse.

It all pays off in the end, hence the genius-ness. If you like reading, or like reading about reading, or like reading about reading about reading, or… You get the idea – then read this awesome book!

If, of course, you don’t like reading, or don’t like reading about reading etc then buy this book and burn it. Regardless, it’s such a great concept whether you like it or not or even read it or not that it is worth every penny – even if you do end up burning it in the end.