Romanzo Criminale (novel)

Romanzo Criminale is a 2002 Italian novel written by judge Giancarlo De Cataldo. It is a fictionalized account of the rise and fall of the Banda della Magliana, a notorious organized crime group that operated in Rome from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.

The novel blends elements of crime fiction, historical fiction, and social commentary. It follows the intertwined lives of a group of young criminals, known as the banda, as they consolidate their power and influence in the Roman underworld. The narrative also explores the political and social context of the period, including the Years of Lead (Anni di piombo) marked by political violence and terrorism, the influence of the secret services, and the corruption within the Italian state.

The characters are composites based on real-life figures, although their names and some details of their lives have been altered for fictional purposes. Key themes explored in the novel include ambition, loyalty, betrayal, the corrosive effects of power, and the moral decay of society.

Romanzo Criminale was a critical and commercial success in Italy, and it has been translated into several languages. It has also been adapted into a successful film (directed by Michele Placido, 2005) and a popular television series (2008-2010). Both adaptations retain the novel's focus on the gritty realism of the criminal underworld and the complex relationships between the characters. The novel and its adaptations have contributed significantly to the popular understanding of organized crime in Italy and the historical period in which the Banda della Magliana operated.