So far, all the reviews of RAGAZZO have been 5 star. This is fine by me – I would unhesitatingly give the novel a 5 star review, not because I wrote it – I just enjoy re-reading it – I think it was written by Georg Fridrich Handel, after he deleted the umlaut. Then died.

Here are some extracts from some readers’ reviews: none of them are from my Mother.

‘…. The author, Jon Elkon, is not afraid to break the fourth wall and Ragazzo is by turns tragic, historical, farcical and hard-hitting… this fascinating book will take you to unknown operatic worlds and to the depths of human behaviour, via Frau Slappmeister and Castle Schweinstein. Highly recommended!’

‘….Took a few pages to work out what sort of a book this was, but once in it, it is masterful in the way it combines absorbing story line while making fun of itself and the genre it’s set in…’

‘…. I particularly liked the diverse cast of characters, especially the eponymous ‘Ragazzo’, and how our sympathies blur as his story unfolds and he becomes further removed from the life so cruelly torn from him…’

‘….A tribute to both baroque opera and the horror, joy, love, single mindedness and hunger for power within the individual human being. A captivating, if disturbing, read. I couldn’t put it down’

‘…Ragazzo immerses you in the crazy world of Baroque Opera in the early 20th Century, and skilfully balances comedy and tragedy. It tells the story of a boy from the slums of Naples who becomes an opera star, killing numbers of people on his way up the ladder. It’s interspersed with amazing tales on the way, and is an excellent read, even for people who may have no interest in opera!’

‘…A delightful, and decidedly tongue-in-cheek dive into a world peopled by over-the-top (one could almost say operatic!) characters. Elkon conjures up the atmosphere masterfully, combining humour and Grand Guignol in equal measure…’

‘A great idea. Jon clearly knows his Baroque and opera. The book bounces through the story with great characters a plenty. A lot of tongue in cheek, dark humour interspersed with a bit of operatic horror….’

You’ll find RAGAZZO right HERE!