THE SILVER BOOK

Narrator Ben Cura wades through this hypnotic, surreal novel with gravity. This suits the opening, as Nicholas, a young Brit fleeing London, departs for sun-dappled Italy and the maelstrom of Fellini and Pasolini's film sets. Cura's seriousness persists throughout Nicholas' love affair with a costumer, the revelations of his dark past, and Laing's dreamy vignettes of Rome's film studio, Cinecittà. Cura's performance also mutes the humor threaded through the novel. The accents blur, giving Nicholas an international air but also obscuring the point of view. Historical and cinematic minutiae stall momentum, distancing listeners from the emotional stakes and tragic finale. A somber narration suits the mood but strains clarity in this surrealist, LGBTQ+-focused story of 1970s Italian cinema. [Published: JANUARY 2026]