I have to do an comparative essay for school comparing a book titled Lives of the Saints (by Nino Ricci) to another translated novel with similar themes. Could anyone recommend anything?

Here is a rough overview of the plot/themes in Lives of the Saints.

A young boy named Vittorio Innocente lives in a rather traditional Italian village with his mother Cristina, and his grandfather who is the leader of their village. At the beginning of the novel, he is a naive 6 year old boy without many cares in the world. However, as the story progresses, his mother's affair with an outside man is revealed and their family is shamed and isolated from society. Vittorio himself loses his innocent belief in the world as a happy place.

Some themes:
Doing what you believe in, despite what others may say.
Isolation and discrimination from society, for being different, etc.
Loss of Innocence

Any help would really be appreciated. Thank you!