"Hora is a town in Calabria where an ancient Arbëreshë community settles, and time, people, events, seem to be wrapped in a magical atmosphere. It is here that Costantino Avati grows up, and rediscovers, through the vision of the double-headed eagle, the mythical past of his people and the roots of his restless present. Around him are many unforgettable characters: his impetuous and melancholic father Francesco Avati, known as "il Mericano," who has emigrated to Germany; his mother Elena, a great cook of spicy food and guardian of a secret torment; his two sisters, Orlandina and Lucrezia, with their convoluted love stories; the Roman Isabella, who makes Costantino's adolescent heart flutter; the teacher Carmelo Bevilacqua, hunter of dreams and memories; the mysterious bard Luca Rodotà, interpreter of the old rhapsodies of the Arbëresh tradition; and above all his grandfather Lissandro, ironic and wise, the last custodian of an era and a world that are disappearing"-- Provided by publisher.
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