Masters - An Italian Affair

Laura Fraser could only write this book in Italy because it was the only brochure she had within arm's reach when she sat down write the novel. It seems like every cringeworthy cliche is in the first chapter, from the description of the streets she walks down to the people she meets. Every word has been said before and will be repeated for all time. The cliche of meeting an exotically erotic stranger in Italy is compounded by making the professor French. She only takes notice of the most simple things, pizzerias, clothing shops, gelateria. The way Laura looks at Italy is, quite frankly, insulting. Almost every man she meets is annoying to her and disposable, all the history and culture she almost dismisses because she's seen it before. Her girl friends are all smart, sensible, do-no-wrong women and they may be the only people in the entire novel Laura doesn't insult at some point. Italy has become a place where middle aged women dream about running off to get swept off their feet by an exciting Italian lover and Laura Fraser's "beach book for the brain" is just another drop in the bucket for this shallow, cliche ridden genre.