Lianne
Written on Feb 2, 2014
This volume contains three stories, “I am Super Legend”, “The Child Comes Home” and “Look at Me”. The author has an interesting way of telling a story; it honestly took me a few paragraphs to ease into the first story, “I am Super Legend”, as I couldn’t quite understand what the father’s injury had anything to do with the main character’s story. But once my confusion cleared and I started getting into the story, I started enjoying Ruotolo’s stories and the way they unfold.
“The Child Comes Home” is probably my favourite from the three, the mother’s story and her struggle to move on after her son disappeared all those years ago resonated with me and I felt for the character. Of the three stories, I thought this one was the most fluid and it was quite easy to get into the story. There’s also a wonderful sense of location in this story that ties into Maria’s past and her story.
What’s also wonderful about her three stories is how there’s so much meaning underneath these tales of these seemingly ordinary lives as they struggle with their own problems and regrets and emotions. Whether it’s about living up to expectations or holding on to people long after, it’s something readers can relate to. I also enjoyed the hints of Italian culture throughout these stories, from football to the quirky details about the towns in which these characters live in. Overall I enjoyed reading I Stole the Rain and would recommend it to readers of contemporary fiction, short stories and those interested in Italian literature.