La chimera

3.5 stars... TL,DR: This would have been a great book if it wasn't too long. The story is interesting and written in elegant Italian. The research behind this is impressive and the tone in describing something difficult is always on point. Having said that, the author goes a little too far in adding historical context and side stories, such that the book feels a little dispersive and some parts are a little bit of a chore to get through.
Still, there are some very deep social meanings in this book that the author is not scared to bring forward.