Antonella Lettieri On Translating Roberta Recchia’s All That is Left of Life

Roberta Recchia’s debut novel All That is Left of Life is set in Rome during the 1980s and follows three generations of the Ansaldo family after the murder of 16-year-old Betta.

The story centers on Betta’s cousin Miriam, who survives the attack but hides her presence at the crime scene out of guilt.

Miriam later develops a drug addiction before finding redemption through Leo, a small-time drug dealer.

The novel explores how different characters cope with grief and trauma over three decades.

Published in Italy in 2023, it became a bestseller with over 200,000 copies sold domestically and remains on bestseller lists 2.5 years later.

The book balances large, dramatic scenes with smaller, intimate moments, creating a vivid portrayal of emotional resilience.