REVIEW: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton

JayneB Reviews / Book ReviewsContemporary / found family / Italy / Relationships / Small-TownNo Comments

After nearly losing the election to a geriatric donkey, newly installed Mayor Delizia Miccuci can’t help but feel like the sun has finally set on the rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino. Tourists only stop by to ask for directions, Nonna Amara’s cherished ristorante is long shuttered, and the town hall is disgustingly overrun with glis glis poo—even Postman Duccio has been disgraced. All that’s left is Bar Celebrità, a rustic establishment where weary locals gather to quibble over decades-long disputes, submit their poor stomachs to bartender Giuseppina’s volcanic espresso, and wonder what will become of the place where together they’ve spent their entire lives.

Little do the villagers know that local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza has just happened upon something that could change everything. A truffle—un tartufo, that is—sits beneath the soil with the power to either be the greatest gift or the foulest curse the village has ever seen.

Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations—and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.

Dear Ms. Buxton, 

I read the blurb and thought, this sounds delightful. Having finished the book, I would love to see it as a movie as the writing is very visual. I’m not sure how the POV scenes from a surly pregnant cat (Al Pacino), two loving truffle hunting dogs (Aria and Fagiolo), a bee, a spider, and an ant (all unnamed) would be handled but they must be in it, too. 

What does one do upon finding the world’s biggest epicurean diamond?

A small Tuscan Italian village is filled with an assortment of larger than life characters. But the village has a problem as it has no “draw” to bring in money-laden tourists and all its young people leave for big cities and jobs. Just when the new mayor agonizes over how to fix a problem she inherited, a miracle of funky smelling fungi is found. Maybe this enormous white truffle will be the savior of the village. Or maybe not.

“I am not having sex with you over the deep fryer again. That ship has sailed.”

Before getting started, I would urge possible readers to search for and read an excerpt. The prologue ought to do it. Decide if this is a writing style you can live with. I’ve seen some reviews call it lyrical while others call it bloated and over-written. The initial chapters are also daunting as a whole host of characters and their relationships will be tossed at you. There is a character list at the beginning but the sheer number renders it hard to keep straight. I just shrugged and dove in, finally remembering who was who before too long.  

“Let’s toast to Sofia. Our friend who lost her way. And to all of us and our beautiful village. May we eat well. Drink well. And enjoy every minute of life. It is, after all, the Italian way.”

I’ve listed the tag “found family” but really this is already basically an already established family of villagers who have been through tough times as they watch older friends and family pass, businesses close, young people leave, and debts mount. Sure there is a bit of snipping and snarling at times as what group of people always get along? But they will – usually – stick together. What they need is something to bring in tourists with money. Things that are suggested by them in a brainstorming session are … maybe not what is needed. 

For Marilyn, the truffle does not elicit some of the deeper emotional responses it has for some souls. To young Marilyn, it smells as if a rugby team from her homeland had spent lockdown in their locker room, kneading aged Roquefort with their feet and then straining it through soiled jockstraps. Gagging, Marilyn manages, “Oh my god! Who farted?”

But then truffle hunter Giovanni and his two dogs, (Lagotto Romagnolo – seriously, they’re adorable looking) or rather I should say Aria as Fagiolo is a bit silly, discover the motherload. A white truffle of this size could potentially be auctioned off for enough money to save the village. To do so, the villagers need someone with connections and soon the ball is rolling. The auction needs to happen quickly as every second the truffle ages out of the ground lowers its price. To get to the “finish line” though everyone needs to pull together which is something that they have a hard time doing since soon old grudges, worries, and relationships are tested. 

She pauses. “Ssssssshhhhh!”

Giuseppina is about to protest that she hasn’t made a sound before realizing that Mamma Fortuna is shushing another invisible presence. “You will wait your turn, like everybody else!” she yells, standing to forcefully waft air out into the waiting room. Then slams the door. After pulling down the hem of her Chanel blazer, she flicks her dark hair and sits once more. “They think that because they’ve passed, they deserve special treatment.”

“You have been busy.”

“Since the pandemic,” says Mamma Fortuna. “Everyone needs a psychic, and all the channels are a constant torrent of communication—every hour of every day. I mean, what am I, Netflix? I tell you, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is as thin as a G-string. Here…”

The truffle might be the center of attention but the book is really about the relationships. It takes a while to set the stage, introduce the characters, and get going but once I was caught up in this world, I let the delicious writing, delicious food, and overall love carry me home. Going into the rich forest with Aria and Fagiolo – who care deeply about their person – is delightful. Watching Al Pacino terrify her enemies – anyone she doesn’t like and some she does – is hilarious. Giuseppina at all times but especially visiting Madame Fortuna is a treat. Nonna Amara is the beloved grandmother we all wish we could have while Delizia is the mayor we all need. 

All of this for a pungent lump of fungus.

Brava that the end is not quite what I expected even as the tension mounted. Salvation does appear to be headed towards the village but also, not as I expected. Though perhaps the way it might arrive is a bit more believable. I finished the book wrapped in smiles even if, at times, the writing took a bit to wend my way through. B      

~Jayne

Its end as humble as its beginning, it still managed to beautifully manipulate humans into protecting the land of its birth. Taught the village to embrace its nature. That is its legacy. It has indeed, Delizia thinks, saved the village. The truffle has the last laugh. Chuckle. Breath.

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