When she does learn of the older woman's activities, she judges her mercilessly. Maria grows up in Bonaria Urrai's household without comprehending her secret vocation. But hopelessness can be in the eye of the sufferer. A candidate for euthanasia must be hopeless, or beyond comprehension of the concept of hope. The work of the accabadora is an open secret, valued and veiled at the same time. With restraint and subtlety, Michela Murgia's novel presents 'finishing' situations that test characters' and readers' reactions to the institution. It's not exactly illicit but not exactly trumpeted about, either. Depending on context, the work of an accabadora is either scandalous or sympathetic, or both at once. That revelation – which comes early on, and is implicit in the novel's title – will either scandalize you or engage your sympathies. Maria knows perfectly well whose daughter she is – she's six years old when Bonaria Urrai adopts her – but she is by law and custom the accabadora's daughter, and she learns one of her trades, tailoring.īonaria Urrai's other trade is 'finishing' accabadora means 'finisher.' When an elderly or disabled person has reached the end of their rope, and either asks to die or is beyond the power to ask, Bonaria Urrai quietly and painlessly does away with them.

Her own family lacks the money to raise her, certainly the money to marry her well or provide for her future. Maria has been adopted by the title character, accabadora Bonaria Urrai. In fact its title might well have been fill'e anima, in dialect, so central is the theme. Those are the first three words of the book, and the Sardinian custom they represent is at the heart of the novel. Its reflector-character – for the most part, though not exclusively – is Maria Listru, a fillus de anima.

I read it on flights between DFW and Columbus, Ohio and my response would be a little more muted in terms of range of emotions, but just as impressed with the book's quality.Īccabadora is told in the third person. The copy I bought on the Internet includes a note that the original owner read it on a flight from Milan to London and found it 'belissimo e un po' triste' (beautiful and a bit sad). Lection home authors titles dates links aboutĪccabadora is an offbeat coming-of-age novel.

Accabadora by Michela Murgia