Tršćanski fantom

The Phantom of Trieste by Enzo Bettiza is a psychological and socio-historical novel set in Trieste in the years before World War I. The main character Danijel Solospin is the last descendant of a distinguished Trieste family. He is withdrawn, sensitive and prone to reflection, and through his upbringing the author depicts the conflict between the world of childhood and the complex reality of adults.

Danijel loses his mother at an early age, while his father is carefree and more preoccupied with his own life than with raising his son. He is strongly influenced by his grandfather, a religious nanny from Drniš, and his family friend and physician Dr. Janovich, a broad-minded Slovene who introduces him to humanistic and democratic ideas. Important characters include Uncle Ugo, the painter Pfeffer, the Solospin brothers, and the Cossovel family, through whom Danijel learns about different views on life, art, and politics.

As he grows up, Danijel increasingly sees tensions between Italians and Slavs in Trieste. Although he feels Italian, he discovers that his family has Slavic roots, which causes him deep doubts about his own identity. At the same time, he goes through first loves, friendships and disappointments, and matures by facing social injustices and political conflicts.

Bettiza combines a psychological coming-of-age novel with a depiction of a city at the crossroads of cultures. Trieste is not only a place of action but also a symbol of encounters, conflicts and the intertwining of peoples. The novel conveys that personal identity cannot be built on national prejudices, but on understanding one's own roots and respecting diversity.