Care presenze (2004): Sandra Petrignani e l’eredità del fantastico ottocentesco di lingua inglese

Abstract

The essay examines how Sandra Petrignani freely adopted the genre of the Victorian ‘ghost story’ while writing Care presenze (2004). This imaginative novel features frequent references to nineteenth-century authors, ranging from John Keats to Arthur Conan Doyle, from Charlotte Brontë to Vernon Lee, revealing how Petrignani’s interest was largely fueled by literary suggestions. The purpose of this analysis is to reconsider the insertion of the novel within the genre of fantastic literature, especially by considering the role played by historical and literary past in Petrignani’s narrative; these elements signify to what extent Care presenze is not only a tribute to fantasy and imagination, but also an ingenious allegory of literature itself.

Keywords: Sandra Petrignani, Care presenze, ghost story, Victorian literature, Italo Calvino