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A review by littletaiko
The Nonexistent Knight & The Cloven Viscount by Italo Calvino
4.0
These two novellas are aptly named as they completely identify the main characters in each story. The nonexistent knight is a suit of armor who servers under Charlemange and is the most perfect of knights in his actions. When he discovers that the actions that made him a knight might not be true, he sets off to track down the virgin he saved in order to prove his worth. He is followed by his squire who may be the most inept squire ever, a young impressionable knight wanna be, and a female knight who has the hots for the nonexistent knight. The story is narrated by a nun who takes us through these amusing and improbably escapades. I loved this story so much.
The second story is of the cloven viscount who found himself in that situation after being split exactly in half during battle. One half of the viscount returns home where it soon becomes clear that this half is the evil half. Eventually, the other half returns home as well and overwhelms people with his goodness. When the two halves fight a duel to win the hand of a young lady things come to an unusual end.
Both of these stories have Calvino's subtle unique sense of humor that appeals to my funny bone.
The second story is of the cloven viscount who found himself in that situation after being split exactly in half during battle. One half of the viscount returns home where it soon becomes clear that this half is the evil half. Eventually, the other half returns home as well and overwhelms people with his goodness. When the two halves fight a duel to win the hand of a young lady things come to an unusual end.
Both of these stories have Calvino's subtle unique sense of humor that appeals to my funny bone.