The Piranhas - Roberto Saviano

'With the open-hearted rashness that belongs to every true writer, Saviano returns to tell the story of the fierce and grieving heart of Naples.' Elena FerranteIn Naples, a new kind of gang rules the streets: the ‘Paranze’, the ‘Children’s Gangs’, groups of teenage boys who divide their time between Facebook or playing Call of Duty on their PlayStations and patrolling the streets armed with pistols and AK-47s, terrorizing local residents in order to mark out the territories of their Mafia bosses.From the author of ZeroZeroZero comes the eye-opening The Piranhas, which tells the story of the rise of one such gang and its leader, Nicolas – known to his friends and enemies as the ‘Maharajah’. But Nicolas’s ambitions reach far beyond doing other men’s bidding: he wants to be the one giving orders, calling the shots, and ruling the city. But the violence he is accustomed to wielding and witnessing soon spirals out of his control . . .

Review
With the open-hearted rashness that belongs to every true writer, Saviano returns to tell the story of the fierce and grieving heart of Naples. -- Elena FerranteThriller of the Month . . . Saviano’s characterisation, dialogue and set-pieces are first-rate, but what sets the book apart (as with Gomorrah) is his quasi-anthropological portrayal of a micro-society, with a mix of influences that ranges from Call of Duty, porn and mafia movies to Catholic ritual. ― Sunday TimesVery impressive . . . I admire Roberto [Saviano] a lot. -- Leila SlimaniA kind of Instagram-era Godfather, pungent with trashtalking and squalid detail. ― MetroThe children of Gomorrah . . . in Mr Saviano’s Naples, not even the playgrounds are safe. ― The EconomistThis is an Italy everyone should see . . . Readers will be rewarded. ― Literary ReviewA frightening but thrilling novel, alternatively poetic and brutal. ― The HeraldThe Piranhas is a tragic story, desperate and devastating [...] Saviano both shocks and mesmerises as this tragic tale unfolds. It’s a heart breaking tale and a salutary lesson. ― Nudge-book magazineDramatic, musical, poetic ― El MundoA shocking and thrilling book ― De Morgen

About the Author
Roberto Saviano was born in 1979 and studied philosophy at the University of Naples. His novel The Piranhas earned widespread acclaim and was adapted as a major motion picture, which won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlinale. Gomorrah, his first book, has won many awards, including the prestigious 2006 Viareggio Literary Award. It was adapted into a play; a film, which won the Grand Prix du Jury at Cannes; and a television series.Antony Shugaar is a writer and translator. He is the author of Coast to Coast and I Lie for a Living and the coauthor, with Gianni Guadalupi, of Discovering America and Latitude Zero.