A Hero of Our Time by Vasco Pratolini

Set in postwar Florence, this provocative novel follows Virginia, a 33-year-old widow, as she enters into a troubling affair with her 16-year-old neighbor, Sandrino. What begins as a story of desire quickly spirals into a tense exploration of power, politics, and the legacy of fascism in a changing Italy. With unflinching psychological insight, Pratolini paints a portrait of passion and moral decay against the backdrop of a society struggling to rebuild.

Paperback, 1951

Goodreads: 3.68