“With my eyes focused on the white of the ceiling, I find myself repeating that word, accessible only to me, that I don't even say to my mother. Here is my obsession, my pathological desire. Salvation.”[Daniele mencarelli, Everything calls for salvation]
Everything Calls for Salvation is a thought-provoking and introspective book that explores themes such as self-discovery and the search for meaning in life. It is an autobiographical story set in Rome, specifically in a psychiatric ward. The author, Daniele Mencarelli, winner of the 2020 Youth Strega prize tells us about his experience with drugs and mental illness. The story delves into various philosophical and existential questions, offering readers a unique perspective on the human condition. One of the book's strengths lies in its ability to provoke deep reflection. The author explores the complexities of human experience, discussing themes such as suffering, desire, love, and transcendence. Through the exploration of these themes, the readers are prompted to examine their own lives, purposes, and beliefs and seek a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them. The story is in fact about accepting the enormity of life and its randomness.
The novel takes place in seven days, and in those days we follow Daniele and his companions through their life in the psychiatric ward. The title really helps define the plot, because what the author needs and looks for is in fact salvation. The problem is that he cannot find it in the chaos of life and in the unpredictability of its events.
Other than the plot, it is worth considering the book’s language and dialogues. Those are very realistic, simple, outspoken and Roman dialect is often used to set and reinforce the context and to bring the characters to life.
Admittedly, at first, since the plot is quite static, the story seemed a bit slow, but then, after the first pages, you could not stop reading it and it was amazing to the very end. It is easy to read and difficult to forget because it leaves an indelible imprint on the soul of the reader. From the very first page, what strikes most profoundly is the book's portrayal of the human condition, with all its complexities, struggles, and triumphs.
In our opinion this book is suitable for someone around our age or also older, because everyone will find something in it to be appreciated. However, Everything Calls for Salvation may not be accessible to all readers indistinctly. The writing style, while poetic and beautiful, can sometimes make the book feel difficult to follow. Some passages require reading them over again to fully understand what the author means, and this can make it challenging for readers who prefer a more direct exploration of the book or for children that might have problems understanding the depth of the story that is being told. Other than that, Everything Calls for Salvation is a novel well worth reading, and it will surely change the way you see compulsory psychiatric treatment and mental health in general. It is a story that will for sure leave the readers with a great deal to think about because it reminds us that salvation is not a destination to be reached, but an ongoing process of self-discovery and growth.
On May the sixth at the University of Urbino we had the chance to meet the author himself and to engage in a discussion about the book we had read. All the fundamental themes of the novel were discussed and dealt with thoroughly. Overall, the experience was unique both on an educational and on a moral level, because it brought students closer to a reality, compulsory psychiatric treatment, that many feel distant, unrealistic, but that is much closer to us than what we think. The second lesson that we learnt was that giving free rein to feelings is fundamental for our health, but that we must be able to express emotions by giving them the right importance and not by living at their mercy.
Rachele Casellato, Nicolò Buffalini, Cristian Bellucci, Matilde Fulvi, Maria Pia Mastromatteo
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