Una Donna

by Sibilla Aleramo

"Una Donna" by Sibilla Aleramo is a novel written between 1901 and 1904. One of Italy's first feminist books, it tells the autobiographical story of a woman's journey from childhood to maturity. After her mother's mental breakdown and institutionalization, the protagonist enters an unhappy marriage marked by violence and control. Trapped between her love for her young son and her need for independence, she faces an agonizing choice that will define her future.