the load of ant

The novel, loosely inspired by a true story, unfolds in the year 2001 against the stunning backdrop of Reggio Calabria. The protagonist is Carlo Fante, a thirty-year-old man, happily married to Rachele and the father of Riccardo, a sweet four-year-old boy. The narrative begins when Carlo secures a job as a gardener at the "San Gregorio" psychiatric institute. Carlo befriends four special patients: Filippo, Mimì, Bart, and Vera. Each of them carries a burden in their hearts, past mistakes that they bear like a heavy load on their shoulders, much like an ant carries a grain of wheat into its nest, ten times its own weight, every day of its life.
One of them, Filippo, will remain crushed by the heavy burden, while Bart and Mimì manage to rid themselves of it and return to living in society. Carlo falls madly in love with Vera, facing a Hamlet-like choice: the boundless love for his family (meanwhile, Rachele has confided that she is expecting) or the immeasurable passion for a breathtakingly beautiful woman. This choice lingers until the astonishing conclusion of the novel, leaving the reader breathless and glued to the final chapters, filled with pathos and unexpected twists. I challenge anyone who reads this book not to have this thought: "I would have never imagined it would end this way!"
The novel could be described as intimate with dark undertones, enriched by picturesque descriptions, and characterized by a clear and fluid writing style.