Ragazzi a caccia di uomini (Boys Hunting Men) by Gabriele Lanci is a coming-of-age novel that intertwines historical memory, crime news, and adolescent comedy. The book is based on a true story that took place in Lanciano in 1974: the suicide of a 12-year-old boy who was the victim of sexual abuse. An event that deeply marked the city and which in the novel becomes the trigger for a narrative with both dramatic and grotesque tones.
The protagonists are five teenagers between the ages of 14 and 16, belonging to different social backgrounds, who decide to track down the possible perpetrator. They are led by Paolo, the oldest, who gives the group an almost initiatory structure: the boys call themselves “brothers” and bind themselves with a blood oath, transforming their friendship into a sort of secret brotherhood.
The improvised investigation unfolds in an atmosphere that mixes a spirit of adventure and high spirits. The five begin to attack alleged maniacs in an ambiguous area of the city, creating a spiral of violence that gradually increases in intensity. The narrative tone, however, often remains comical and grotesque, emphasizing the distance between the seriousness of the actions and the immaturity of those who carry them out.
The novel stands out for its attention to the historical and social reconstruction of Lanciano in the 1970s. Schools, neighborhoods, youth slang, and the political leanings of the time provide the backdrop for a story inspired by real events. Ample space is given to dialogue, which reproduces the spoken language of the city, while the narrative adopts the point of view of the protagonists, imitating their way of thinking and perceiving reality.
Despite tackling a dramatic theme, Lanci chooses a tone that adheres to the adolescent universe, made up of irony, bravado, and recklessness. The result is a novel that reflects on the risks of DIY justice and the fragility of youth, while at the same time providing a vivid portrait of a generation and an Italian province in the midst of the 1970s.
Biography of Gabriele Lanci
Gabriele Lanci was born in Sant’Apollinare, a farming village near the Trabocchi Coast in Abruzzo. After obtaining his high school diploma in classical studies and a degree in literature with a thesis on Guido Morselli (supervisors Giacinto Spagnoletti and Umberto Russo), he worked as a literature teacher in technical institutes and high schools in various locations in Piedmont, Rimini, Ortona, and Lanciano. He is the author of the narrative works Internet Stories (2009 – Maremmi – Florence) and Ukraina (2022 – Il foglio letterario – Piombino). He has published numerous accurate reviews and essays in various literary and cultural magazines (Campi immaginabili, Rivista di studi italiani, Punto d’Incontro, L’Acacia, Leggere: tutti…).
Useful links:
Baby Gang 74. Ragazzi a caccia di uomini – Gabriele Lanci | Gruppo Albatros
