This title is another example of a work by D'Annunzio to feature a Nietzschean 'higher type, but he doesn't harp on about this dubious type, its more apparent in the character's actions than any overt philosophical stance. Its clear D'Annunzio identified with this figure from the biographical details of his life, but if we can separate the sometimes repellant author from the work we're left with a thrilling psychological study, like a decadent Dostoyevsky, with a penetrative insight into human affairs, so acute it must have come from personal introspection. The anti-hero Tullio knows his actions are reprehensible by any decent moral standard but he is compelled to act according to his own dictates precisely because he is a Nietzschean. To give D'Annunzio some credit I don't think he holds Tullio in a necessarily favourable light and it gives thought to the consideration that in the author's lucid moments he had some misgivings about his own philosophy even though the trajectory of his life seems to belie this. Anyway, as a reading experience, this could hardly be bettered, its both entertaing and disturbing. Much of the narrative is focused on the internal monologue of Tullio as he faces moral decisions and a life in turmoil as he faces the fact that much of the tragic events described are self-created as the plot builds and builds into a shocking finale with an exquisite style in the decadent mould. I preferred this to The Triumph of Death, it seemed paradoxically a more human story despite the horrible actions described. ( )