Nikome nema povratka

Alba de Céspedes (1911–1997), an Italian writer of Cuban origin, published the novel No Return, which is considered one of the most successful Italian novels of the pre-war period. The plot is set in a Roman boarding house for girls (Pensione), where eight very different students live.

The novel follows their fates over the course of a school year. Each of them represents a different social class, character and attitude to life: from idealistic and ambitious, to romantic and naive, to cynical and calculating. De Céspedes masterfully depicts their love relationships, family dramas, conflicts with their environment and gradual maturation (or decline) in Italian society under the fascist regime.

The novel is above all a deep psychological study of the female soul and the fate of women in a patriarchal society. The author subtly but clearly criticizes bourgeois morality, false reputation, class differences and restrictions imposed on women. The motif of the impossibility of return is particularly strong – decisions once made (marriage, interruption of studies, compromises) change life forever.

Alba de Céspedes' style is elegant, precise and highly psychological. The novel is rich in interior monologues and subtle descriptions of emotions. It was a huge success in Italy (over 100,000 copies in a short period of time), and was even banned by the fascist regime due to its too free depiction of female sexuality and criticism of society.

In its Croatian translation, the novel was very popular among readers who appreciated quality European psychological prose. Today, Nikome nema povrcha is considered a classic of 20th-century Italian literature and one of the most successful women's novels of its time.