Lo stile alto della scrittrice é adatto a raccontare la storia di una ragazza di alto rango, come ci insegnano i grandi scrittori classici che in volgare scrivevano le commedie mentre in latino venivano scritti i documenti di maggior valore. Ma qui la prosa alta nasconde le piccole cattiverie dell'autrice, che un po' prende in giro i protagonisti stessi e la loro ingenuità nel confronto del mondo esterno. Mi piace concludere questa recensione con le ultime righe del libro, per me particolarmente significative:
"In ogni caso, non si pensi che una persona sempre sincera come me scivoli in facili bugie proprio alla fine e lasci credere che Priscilla visse per sempre felice e contenta. Perché così non fu. Chi riesce a esserlo per sempre, del resto?"
Magistrale.
Elizabeth von Armin
Una principessa in fuga
Bollati Boringhieri
Euro 16,50
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Sometimes, in the tower of books of a Booklover, you can find a fairytale. In this novel you can find the ingredients: a princess royal, a loyal equerry (in this case, a librarian), a kingdom, a king father, a worthy suitor to the princesses hand. Priscilla knows nothing about the life outside the castle, her life is defined in the palace, and when she travels, she goes in other castles. The librarian, Fritzing, a wise man, tells her about simple life in simple world, and she desires to live this life on her own.
They organize an escape to England, for a little town in Somersetshire. I've already said that Priscilla knows anything about the real world, and so, after the first time of euphoria and money's profligacy in the name of charity, she realizes that being "plebeian" is not so nice and satisfying. Furthermore, who said that being a "normal person" is more satisfying than being a royal princess, pampered and cuddled? The Happy End, as every fairytale requires, is compulsory.
The writing style of the Mrs Von Armin is perfect to tell a story about a high rank girl, as the classical writers teach us, the ones who write the comedies in vernacular and in latin the documents of more value. But here the high style hides the little cruelties by the writer. She makes a fool of her characters, and their naivety to the common world. I like finish this review with the last lines, for me especially meaningful: "In any case, don't believe that an honest person like me could tell easy lies at the end and let my readers believe that Priscilla will live happily ever after. Because it isn't. Who can do it?"
Masterly.
