Accabadora
The bond between an unwanted child and an old woman forms the core of this meditative and moving Italian novel set in 1950s Sardinia. Maria is adopted as a “soul child” by the village’s accabadora, who assists people at their deathbeds. Murgia’s third novel traces the unfolding of their relationship and the path of betrayal and reconciliation they follow. The result is a book that is powerful in its overall simplicity, if sometimes employing overwrought language. Murgia has a sharp eye for the villagers’ foibles and their traditions of gossip and curses. It’s a setting ideally suited for the characters facing the drama of life-altering decisions made during everyday moments. Their conversations on topics touching treacherous ground are particularly remarkable for their insight. The result is an eloquent meditation on the role of death in a community. Accabadora, the winner of several Italian literary prizes,  is concerned not only with the bonds between life and death, but also with what it costs to sever them. --Bridget Thoreson