Friday Recommends ....

Published by Orion
9 May 2013

Appetite

 by 

Philip Kazan. 

Set against the glorious backdrop of renaissance Italy, this disturbingly addictive story is as enticing as the most sumptuous of banquets, and will sweep you far away from the commonplace, and into the dark and dirty world of human excess and scintillating debauchery.

Nino Latino has an instinctive passion for creating food, and this rare culinary skill, takes him far away from his father’s butcher’s shop in the back streets of Florence, and hurtles him towards the luxurious world of the Medici’s, and into the decadent and opulent court of Italy’s greatest Renaissance city. With voyeuristic horror, a debauched world of gluttonous excess is laid bare, and as Nino’s passionate story emerges, you become completely captivated, not just by the lavish imagery of food, people and places, but also with the glory of art, and the fine balance of delicate frescoes. The vibrancy of the story blazes through the medieval kitchens of Florence and Rome with an intoxicating passion, and even as the vivid descriptions of food dazzles the senses, each turn of the page will take you deeper and deeper into a decadent and self indulgent world, where petty jealousies and political manoeuvrings are roused by the magic of the culinary maestro.

There is no doubt that Appetite is a gastronomic masterpiece, the impressive fervour of Kazan’s narrative paints a passionate picture of undeniable greed and overwhelming ambition, in a story which lingers in the mind, long after the last page is turned. 

5*****

It's a long time since I was so excited by a debut book. The writing is masterful and compelling and equally as absorbing as Patrick Suskind's Perfume .If you love Italy, food and well written historic adventure, then you will love this one as much as I did. 

If I could give it more than five stars I would.

I was given the opportunity to read this part as part of the LoveReading  review panel. 

Early reading reviews of this book can be found here 

Appetite is published by Orion on the 9 May 2013