The Piranhas

Description

In Naples, a new kind of gang rules the streets: the 'Paranze', the 'Children's Gangs', groups of teenage boys who divide their time between Facebook or playing Call of Duty on their PlayStations and patrolling the streets armed with pistols and AK-47s, terrorizing local residents in order to mark out the territories of their Mafia bosses. Roberto Saviano's eye-opening novel The Piranhas tells the story of the rise of one such gang and its leader, Nicolas - known to his friends and enemies as the 'Maharajah'. But Nicolas's ambitions reach far beyond doing other men's bidding: he wants to be the one giving orders, calling the shots, and ruling the city. But the violence he is accustomed to wielding and witnessing soon spirals out of his control . . .

Roberto Saviano was born in 1979 in Naples, where he grew up and still lives. He is a regular contributor to L'Espresso and many other Italian newspapers and magazines. His first book, Gomorrah, was a massive bestseller, both in Italy where it has sold over 1 million copies, and around the world. It was also the basis of an equally successful film. Since its publication, Saviano has been living in hiding and under police protection.

With the open-hearted rashness that belongs to every true writer, Saviano returns to tell the story of the fierce and grieving heart of Naples. -- Elena Ferrante Thriller of the Month . . . Saviano's characterisation, dialogue and set-pieces are first-rate, but what sets the book apart (as with Gomorrah) is his quasi-anthropological portrayal of a micro-society, with a mix of influences that ranges from Call of Duty, porn and mafia movies to Catholic ritual. * Sunday Times * Very impressive . . . I admire Roberto [Saviano] a lot. -- Leila Slimani A kind of Instagram-era Godfather, pungent with trashtalking and squalid detail. * Metro * The children of Gomorrah . . . in Mr Saviano's Naples, not even the playgrounds are safe. * The Economist * This is an Italy everyone should see . . . Readers will be rewarded. * Literary Review * A frightening but thrilling novel, alternatively poetic and brutal. * The Herald * The Piranhas is a tragic story, desperate and devastating [...] Saviano both shocks and mesmerises as this tragic tale unfolds. It's a heart breaking tale and a salutary lesson. * Nudge-book magazine * Dramatic, musical, poetic * El Mundo * A shocking and thrilling book * De Morgen * No matter what Saviano is saying or denouncing, he is, above all, telling a story. This is his natural genius. The Piranhas once again demonstrates this eloquently. * La Repubblica *