I'm Not Scared

I don't normally read thrillers or horror/suspense novels, or however you want to label them. Since reading "I'm Not Scared," by Niccolò Ammaniti, I've seen the error of my previous opinion. I snobbishly thought that books in this genre could only speed up your heart rate, but not provoke any real deep emotion or reflection.

This book is like the Italian "To Kill a Mockingbird," so convincing is the child narrator. Michele, the child narrator, shows readers adult monstrosity through a lens of purity. "I'm Not Scared" centers around a common fear: kidnapping. If we haven't been affected by this fear personally, we've been exposed to others' trauma through billboards, crime shows and milk cartons.

I highly recommend "I'm Not Scared." The writing is sharp and it will stay with you long after you put it down.