Ferocity, Nicola Lagioia's English-language debut, is a novel about misogyny and violence in southern Italy and is published by the house popularly known for bringing Elena Ferrante to English readers – so it's hardly surprising that Lagioia has been compared to Ferrante, though this comparison stretches thin.
For North American readers, Ferocity feels a lot like Florida noir transplanted to the Puglia region (the heel to Italy's boot): There's a lot of cocaine and, for some, enormous wealth, though the region has its seedy side.
In the opening pages, a woman walks bloody and naked down the highway; her death will reveal another crime, involving property development and environmental devastation. There are dead flamingos. In fact, there are many animals imbuing this novel with the same ferocity as its human characters. The difference is that humans choose this violence, and while Lagioia illustrates a culture of pervasive misogyny, we don't get a strong sense of human responsibility. It's a lot of ferocity but not the same feeling as Ferrante's work.