Comamos Ramen
Comamos Ramen is a poem in four sections; the first two are ahymous in that they deal with a conflict between two characters. The third section chronicles the character Vito Spatafore's rise and fall from fame to infamy. In the fourth, we discover the reasons for his downfall.
In the first two sections, Spatafore is an honest broker-dealer who is loyal to his employers, yet because of his status and upbringing he feels he cannot succumb to the temptations of the "bad dogs" or the "easy street." In the third section we discover Vito's long-time lover, Elena, who has fallen out with him over the years due to his selfishness. Elena is the perfect partner for a man her age, but he continues to treat her like his only love. Elena's story is told through Ramon Osario's descriptive language.
In the fourth we learn what really motivated Spatafore to take on his business in the first place: to help the Roman Catholic Church survive the revolution which rocked the country during the reign of EmperorATERES IV. It was a need for him to earn more money, and so he starts to employ illegal immigrants under the threat of their deportation to labor camps. Elena's story is told through her point of view throughout most of the book, which gives the reader insight into how she views the role of an Italian in her homeland.
I found the writing style of this book to be very engaging and readable. It is not dry, and does not try to pull punches. It is descriptive, yet it is written in an interesting manner that keeps the reader interested. My favorite parts of the story were the psychological elements, such as Vito's transformation from someone willing to do dirty work to someone willing to do right, and the development of the relationship between Elena and Ramon. The story is told through Ramon's memories, yet at the end of the book we are left wanting more.
Comama Resisting is very different than the other Christian book written about the life of St. Francis. This one however, takes the tale in a very realistic direction. The characters are not cardboard figures who have been plastered all over the place in an effort to make the novel more appealing. They are very real and very believable.
Elena deserves credit as a writer. Her story will intrigue readers as they struggle to understand just what went on in her life and how she dealt with everything. Readers will be left wondering just what happened to cause such turmoil to her life? Comama Resisting is unlike any other book I have read about the life of St. Francis. It will not only teach you something new about the life of St. Francis, but will also give you an idea as to just what life was like during the time that St. Francis lived and died.
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