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The Cassandra Curse
From the publisher:
"In the last days before war engulfed the tiny Mediterranean island, the eldest son of an old Maltese family asked his father to bless his marriage and instead received his curse. At the turn of the new millennium, the last descendant of the family, Kristjana Falzon, returns to her native Malta with her English fiancé, determined to explain the destruction of her family to him through the events of that day.
Through the converging stories of a working class family from Sliema and the Sant'Angelos, whose ancestors were merchants and noblemen, they witness the experiences of men and women across three generations who endured displacement and poverty, a bitter wartime siege, the hopes and insecurities of the sixties and the emergence of an independent nation state with struggles of its own. Men and women such as Carmelina Buhagiar, a widow whose talent and courage held her family together, Alexandria Sant'Angelo, whose violent upbringing drove her into exile, and an innocent young priest unwittingly caught in the cross currents of social and political unrest..."
"In the last days before war engulfed the tiny Mediterranean island, the eldest son of an old Maltese family asked his father to bless his marriage and instead received his curse. At the turn of the new millennium, the last descendant of the family, Kristjana Falzon, returns to her native Malta with her English fiancé, determined to explain the destruction of her family to him through the events of that day.
Through the converging stories of a working class family from Sliema and the Sant'Angelos, whose ancestors were merchants and noblemen, they witness the experiences of men and women across three generations who endured displacement and poverty, a bitter wartime siege, the hopes and insecurities of the sixties and the emergence of an independent nation state with struggles of its own. Men and women such as Carmelina Buhagiar, a widow whose talent and courage held her family together, Alexandria Sant'Angelo, whose violent upbringing drove her into exile, and an innocent young priest unwittingly caught in the cross currents of social and political unrest..."
321 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2005
52 people want to read
About the author
Fiorella De Maria
24 books116 followersFiorella De Maria is an Anglo-Maltese writer, born in Italy and currently living in Surrey. She grew up in rural Wiltshire and attended Cambridge University, where she received a BA in English Literature and an MPhil in Renaissance Literature. A winner of the National Book Prize of Malta, she has published nine novels, specialising in historical and crime fiction. Fiorella’s novels have received endorsements from veteran author and journalist, Piers Paul Reid, and her most recent novel was described as “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie meets I Capture the Castle.”
Besides writing novels, Fiorella is a qualified English Language teacher and a respected bioethicist. She has delivered lectures and papers at conferences all over the world. Her book The Abolition of Woman was described by former Cosmopolitan journalist Sue Ellen Browder as “a daring revelation of the shocking exploitation of women around the world”. Fiorella has appeared on British radio and TV programmes such as ITN 24-Hour News, BBC Woman’s Hour and Premier Radio’s Woman 2 Woman. Fiorella lives with her husband, four children and a dog called Montgomery (Monty).
Besides writing novels, Fiorella is a qualified English Language teacher and a respected bioethicist. She has delivered lectures and papers at conferences all over the world. Her book The Abolition of Woman was described by former Cosmopolitan journalist Sue Ellen Browder as “a daring revelation of the shocking exploitation of women around the world”. Fiorella has appeared on British radio and TV programmes such as ITN 24-Hour News, BBC Woman’s Hour and Premier Radio’s Woman 2 Woman. Fiorella lives with her husband, four children and a dog called Montgomery (Monty).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 3, 2020
Last year I read 8 books by Fiorella. I started this one, but it was put down and not picked up for about 2 months. Once I picked it up again, I had a very hard time putting it down. To be honest I was rocked from the opening lines of this book.
“For those of us who were born in the wrong country, at the wrong time or under the wrong circumstances, to feel at home can never be a comforting feeling. We do not tell strangers to make themselves at home when we want them to feel secure, we do not expect them to feel at ease with there environment. For those of us who were meant never to belong nowhere, to be at home is to feel unsettled, to feel unsafe, to feel not quite welcome but not entirely rejected either.”
Those words immediately echoed with me and my spirit. I felt like they had been written directly to my heart, and my experience. And maybe that is why I put the book down the first time, because it was hitting too close to home, too close to the heart! The description of the book is:
"In the last days before war engulfed the tiny Mediterranean island, the eldest son of an old Maltese family asked his father to bless his marriage and instead received his curse. At the turn of the new millennium, the last descendant of the family, Kristjana Falzon, returns to her native Malta with her English fiancé, determined to explain the destruction of her family to him through the events of that day.
Through the converging stories of a working class family from Sliema and the Sant'Angelos, whose ancestors were merchants and noblemen, they witness the experiences of men and women across three generations who endured displacement and poverty, a bitter wartime siege, the hopes and insecurities of the sixties and the emergence of an independent nation state with struggles of its own. Men and women such as Carmelina Buhagiar, a widow whose talent and courage held her family together, Alexandria Sant'Angelo, whose violent upbringing drove her into exile, and an innocent young priest unwittingly caught in the cross currents of social and political unrest..."
And though the story tells the tale fictional tale of a Maltese family and the curse upon the generations. The great grand daughter is telling the story to her husband to be. The story of her family. And as we read, we wonder if she is not dropping all the skeletons from the closet in order to see if her benedict will bolt. Or just to be able to have her whole history out in the open. But it is hard for her and often uncomfortable for him. The story is told as they wander around Malta, in and out of buildings, churches.
The story may be written about a Maltese family, but it could just as easily have been written about either the Scottish or Irish sides of my family. Near the end of the book reflection on the story and the need to tell the story we are told:
“I am not so sure, and I know it is not my country, any more than England where divisions fester beneath a veneer of inclusiveness and the virtue of tolerance has morphed into a weapon to silence dissent. Better to be a stranger there than in a place that feels so familiar that it is impossible to bear it. I can take my leave of all of them: Edward Sant’Angelo, Loenardo, Antoni, Carmelina, Gorg Buhangiar, Lawrence, Sam/Salvatore, nanna Buhagiar, Luigi, Elisabeth, Rosaria, the whole array of them whom I have loved and hated and buried on the way. Who knows where they are now? I do not suppose it makes much difference, but those of us who remain will them no ill, not even the ugliest amongst them. We will all stand before God one day and probably when we least expect it, when there are no more places of escape left open to us. Let them all rest now in their far away graves, in America, in France, at the bottom of the sea. Let them all be at peace as those of us who remain behind cannot and will not allow ourselves to be.”
This book was deeply moving. Fiorella is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and one of my all time favorite Catholic novelists. This story is very well written. They characters are incredibly written. And the story spans generations and a generational curse. The Catholic tradition and faith weaves in and out of the family. Including priests and a man who leaves the priesthood. A convent school that provides shelter and protecting. And a family, maybe not that unlike your own. And a young woman coming to terms with her history and looking to her possible future.
An incredible read by a very gifted writer. If you can lay you hands on it, do give it a read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Fiorella de Maria. And also an author profile and interview with Fiorella.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
“For those of us who were born in the wrong country, at the wrong time or under the wrong circumstances, to feel at home can never be a comforting feeling. We do not tell strangers to make themselves at home when we want them to feel secure, we do not expect them to feel at ease with there environment. For those of us who were meant never to belong nowhere, to be at home is to feel unsettled, to feel unsafe, to feel not quite welcome but not entirely rejected either.”
Those words immediately echoed with me and my spirit. I felt like they had been written directly to my heart, and my experience. And maybe that is why I put the book down the first time, because it was hitting too close to home, too close to the heart! The description of the book is:
"In the last days before war engulfed the tiny Mediterranean island, the eldest son of an old Maltese family asked his father to bless his marriage and instead received his curse. At the turn of the new millennium, the last descendant of the family, Kristjana Falzon, returns to her native Malta with her English fiancé, determined to explain the destruction of her family to him through the events of that day.
Through the converging stories of a working class family from Sliema and the Sant'Angelos, whose ancestors were merchants and noblemen, they witness the experiences of men and women across three generations who endured displacement and poverty, a bitter wartime siege, the hopes and insecurities of the sixties and the emergence of an independent nation state with struggles of its own. Men and women such as Carmelina Buhagiar, a widow whose talent and courage held her family together, Alexandria Sant'Angelo, whose violent upbringing drove her into exile, and an innocent young priest unwittingly caught in the cross currents of social and political unrest..."
And though the story tells the tale fictional tale of a Maltese family and the curse upon the generations. The great grand daughter is telling the story to her husband to be. The story of her family. And as we read, we wonder if she is not dropping all the skeletons from the closet in order to see if her benedict will bolt. Or just to be able to have her whole history out in the open. But it is hard for her and often uncomfortable for him. The story is told as they wander around Malta, in and out of buildings, churches.
The story may be written about a Maltese family, but it could just as easily have been written about either the Scottish or Irish sides of my family. Near the end of the book reflection on the story and the need to tell the story we are told:
“I am not so sure, and I know it is not my country, any more than England where divisions fester beneath a veneer of inclusiveness and the virtue of tolerance has morphed into a weapon to silence dissent. Better to be a stranger there than in a place that feels so familiar that it is impossible to bear it. I can take my leave of all of them: Edward Sant’Angelo, Loenardo, Antoni, Carmelina, Gorg Buhangiar, Lawrence, Sam/Salvatore, nanna Buhagiar, Luigi, Elisabeth, Rosaria, the whole array of them whom I have loved and hated and buried on the way. Who knows where they are now? I do not suppose it makes much difference, but those of us who remain will them no ill, not even the ugliest amongst them. We will all stand before God one day and probably when we least expect it, when there are no more places of escape left open to us. Let them all rest now in their far away graves, in America, in France, at the bottom of the sea. Let them all be at peace as those of us who remain behind cannot and will not allow ourselves to be.”
This book was deeply moving. Fiorella is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and one of my all time favorite Catholic novelists. This story is very well written. They characters are incredibly written. And the story spans generations and a generational curse. The Catholic tradition and faith weaves in and out of the family. Including priests and a man who leaves the priesthood. A convent school that provides shelter and protecting. And a family, maybe not that unlike your own. And a young woman coming to terms with her history and looking to her possible future.
An incredible read by a very gifted writer. If you can lay you hands on it, do give it a read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Fiorella de Maria. And also an author profile and interview with Fiorella.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan!
November 30, 2024
"The Cassandra Curse" is an intriguing and poignant tale that follows the plight of a "cursed" family over three generations. The story is narrated by the granddaughter of the man who initiated the curse, and it spans the tumultuous times of World War II.
The book delves deep into themes such as family values, childhood neglect, and abuse. It brings to light how avoiding scandal or shame often protected abusers, adding an emotional depth that resonates deeply. The narrative also explores the challenges and hopes associated with migration, with characters traveling to America and England for work and study.
I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling, though I found it challenging to remember some of the names. It would have been helpful to have time stamps to aid the flow of the story. Despite this, the emotional weight and historical context kept me hooked from start to finish.
One aspect of the book that particularly intrigued me was its setting in Malta during World War II. It sparked my curiosity to learn more about Malta's history and its relationship with the UK. The story's backdrop provided a unique lens through which to view the historical events and cultural shifts of the time.
I picked up this book at a charity shop and couldn’t find it available anywhere else, but I’m glad I did. It’s a hidden gem that has prompted me to seek out more works by Fiorella de Maria.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews