Eħlisna mid-deni

by Karl Schembri

**Rebbieħ tal-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb 2026**

“Karl Schembri huwa l-iktar kittieb kuraġġuż tal-ġenerazzjoni tiegħi.”
— Clare Azzopardi

“L-istorja ta’ Karl Schembri hija eżorċiżmu tal-ħażen kif ukoll att ta’ umiltà quddiem l-uġigħ li dal-ħażen ħoloq.”
— Matthew Vella

"Dan rumanz ikessħek. U meta tasal f’tarf l-isqaq, fejn il-ġrajjiet ma jinfdux, jibqa’ biss is-sħana fietla tal-kelma u d-dehxa xxoqq il-għadam tat-tradiment."
— Adrian Grima

Il-maħtuf jinsab fl-istess kamra ma’ min ħatfu. Marbut. Diżorjentat. Ma jafx min hu dan ta’ quddiemu u għala ħatfu. Bħalma aħna ma nafux l-istorja tal-maħtuf, li tiżvela ruħha fi proċess ta’ tortura, abbuż u ġustizzja taħt il-baldakkin tal-Knisja Kattolika, fil-qrati tal-Istat u fis-swali oppressivi tal-psikjatrija.

Rumanz ġdid ta’ Karl Schembri li fih il-qarrej isib ruħu mhux biss xhud ewlieni ta’ ħtif xokkanti, imma hu mġiegħel jiddeċiedi hux l-akkużat jew l-akkużatur, fi storja msejsa fuq ġrajjiet devastanti mill-ħajja tal-awtur innifsu.

168 pages, Paperback

Published November 9, 2025

About the author

Karl Schembri, born in 1978, is a novelist and poet who branched out of investigative journalism into the humanitarian field, all the while maintaining a healthy literary output. His first published work appeared in 1997 with the self-published poetry anthology Frekwenzi ta’ Spirti fis-Sakra (Frequencies of Drunken Spirits). Next came the short story collection Taħt il-Kappa tax-Xemx (Under the Sun, Minima) in 2002, which placed Schembri in the roster of alternative literary voices gathered under the umbrella of the short-lived but deeply influential micro-publisher Minima. But it was the release of his debut novel Il-Manifest tal-Killer (Choppy Books, 2006) which secured his position as a notable and urgent literary voice, even leading veteran author Mario Azzopardi to describe it as the first truly “anarchist” work of Maltese literature. Telling the story of a group of young misfits banding together to push back against the dominant political narrative through subversive action, the novel fictionalises into satire the real-life strands of political corruption, moral hypocrisy and institutional complacency which Schembri often found himself tackling during his years as a journalist for national media.

Schembri’s professional life would continue to expand and evolve – he branched out into international journalism, and relocated from Malta in 2009 to work as a journalist with a Palestinian news agency in occupied Palestine, before assuming media-adjacent roles in humanitarian institutions such as Oxfam, Save the Children and the Norwegian Refugee Council. His poetry and short fiction would go on to appear in various anthologies, both local and international. And yet, the legacy of Il-Manifest tal-Killer continues to tower over Schembri’s literary reputation, as evidenced by it being privy to a rare phenomenon in Maltese publishing: a freshly reissued edition arriving in 2020 from the prestigious Merlin Publishers, no less. Schembri claims the novel has now come “full circle”, confirming that Malta’s institutionally stagnant political system remains ripe for satire with the same tools he employed back in 2006, despite apparent – and largely cosmetic – changes having occurred on the scene since.

But 2020 was as much about experimentation as it was about revisitation. Also for Merlin Publishers, Schembri collaborated with illustrator Alice Samuel for the picture book for children - It-tifel li salva d-dinja (The boy who saved the world, Merlin Publishers, 2020)– which speaks to Schembri's versatility as an author, capable of transforming a ‘napkin idea’ originally sketched at a Cairo cafe back in 2013 into a universal and slyly complex story about a lonely boy forging an imaginary friendship with the sun. The Lulu Diaries (Ede Books, 2020) adds a further kink to Schembri's recent publication history, being a poetry book inspired by a kitten which accidentally dropped into the author’s life while he was living in Gaza in 2012.

Karl Schembri is now based in Nairobi, Kenya, where he lives with wife Simine and son Salman, their dog Mitti and cats Munzer and Mario.

Reviews

[Kirsty Azzopardi]

Il-kitba ta’ Schembri żżommok. Dan ir-rumanz, li huwa monologu mill-bidu sal-aħħar, iġorrok miegħu minn paġna għal oħra, jiskomodak, jaqtagħlek nifsek, iġiegħlek tħoss it-tensjoni u jimliek b’rabja kbira għas-snin twal ta’ inġustizzja li sofrew persuni li kienu vittmi ta’ abbuż. L-effetti ta’ dan l-abbuż jibqgħu jintirtu minn ġenerazzjoni għal oħra u jwasslu lin-narratur jieħu l-liġi b’idejh. Għalhekk, l-att tal-kitba jsir mezz ta’ kif issir ġustizzja ma’ min il-karba tiegħu ma nstemgħetx u minflok ġie msikket.

[Jean Borg]

Dan l-aħħar rumanz ta’ Karl Schembri jfakkarni fl-inverżjoni li ħafna poeti Għarab iħobbu jużaw u li permezz tagħha jeqilbu kollox ta’ taħt fuq. Ngħidu aħna, il-pupa tagħfas id it-tifla, u l-mewt ippreżentata bħala l-unika ħaġa ħajja. Biha jinnormalizzaw it-tħarbit tal-ordni naturali. F’Eħlisna mid-Deni, il-vitma jinqaleb f’ħattief u l-ħattief jikkundanna lill-maħtuf tiegħu għall-ħajja. B’dawn l-inverżjonijiet, isinn il-mistoqsijiet, ta’ x’inhi l-ordni naturali, u x’inhi kostruzzjoni soċjali?

Dawn il-mistoqsijiet jibdew sa mit-titlu tar-rumanz innifsu: Eħlisna mid-Deni, intertestwalità ovvja għat-talba tal-“Missierna,” x’aktarx l-ewwel talba li l-Insara jitgħallmu bl-amment u jirrepetu minn jum għal ieħor, minn quddiesa għal oħra. Fiha l-missier iċċelebrat bħala essri li jinsab fis-smewwiet, sultan fuq kulħadd. U għalhekk, la jinsab tant ’il fuq, għaliex aħna s-sudditi li ninsabu hawn isfel, tant inqas ipprivileġġati minnu, għandna niddedikaw ħajjitna nitolbu għalih? Aktar minn hekk, kemm veru jeħlisna mid-deni?

Fil-qafas tar-rumanz, l-għażla tat-titlu hija aktar minn kollox ironika. Ir-rumanz, huwa nixxiegħa ta’ episodji ta’ tiġrib, ta’ deni, li għalihom ma hemm ebda solljev, ebda ħelsien. Aktar minn hekk, fl-għeruq ta’ kull tip ta’ deni hemm missier – kultant bijoloġiku, kultant simboliku. Il-figura tal-missier iddellel in-narrattiva tar-rumanz il-ħin kollu. Hemm missier li jġiegħel lil ibnu jħobbu u jobogħdu bl-istess qawwa. Hemm mewta ta’ missier li għall-bidu tinħass bħala solljev, imma wara twassal għal dipressjoni akuta. Hemm missier li anki meta jkun assenti jkompli jikkontrolla lil ibnu. Imbagħad hemm ukoll missier, li fit-talba li t-titlu meħud minnha, il-fidili jistqarru li jinsab fis-smewwiet, imma fl-aħħar mill-aħħar, huwa indifferenti għal dan id-deni kollu, fi kliem in-narratur, “jiġi għala bieb żobbu.”

Daqstant ieħor, il-protagonist jiġi għala bieb żobbu – mhux sforz indifferenza imma sforz rabja, li fil-ġewwieni tagħha hemm umiljazzjoni. Għall-protagonist, il-ħattief, il-ġustizzja, suppost pilastru tal-ordni naturali, twassal biss inġustizzja wara oħra, u għalhekk jieħu l-liġi f’idejh. La s-suppost ġustizzja tħallilu daqstant diżappunti, minflok jiddeċiedi għal tpattija. Kif jistqarr, “niġi nitnejjek mill-ġurnaliżmu, inutli nirrapporta x’jgħidu daċ-ċorma korrotti fil-Pulizija, fil-Kurja u fil-Vatikan, meta lanqas il-verità mhi se twassal għall-ġustizzja. Issa jeħtieġ nimxu għall-azzjoni u għall-eżekuzzjoni, nimxu mill-kliem għall-fatti, u dal-fatti jeħtieġ inwettquhom.” Imxebba’ jara lilu nnifsu jdur u jagħqad f’labirint, jiddeċiedi li biex jimxi ’l quddiem ikollu jimxi lura, għat-Testment l-Antik, li fih il-ġustizzja mwassla bħala għajn għal għajn, sinna għal sinna. F’qiegħ qalbu, jaf li hu biss jista’ jeħles lilu nnifsu minn kull deni. Il-missier li qiegħed fis-smewwiet kieku ried jeħilsu, ilu li ħelsu.

Fil-proċess għall-ħelsien aħħari tiegħu, li jibda sa mill-ewwel paġna tar-rumanz, bil-maħtuf f’idejh, diffiċli tgħid hux juża d-djalogu jew il-monologu. Fuq naħa hemm hu bl-isem ta’ Mario, iben Victor, raġel abbużat sesswalment fi tfulitu b’konsegwenzi traġiċi. Fuq in-naħa l-oħra, hemm il-Monsinjur Peralta – “li ħexa ġenerazzjoni wara oħra, u oħrajn li għadhom iridu jiġu, li qatt mhu se jkunu semgħu bih imma xorta waħda se jirtu l-isperma tal-abbuż li żera’ fi qrabathom snin ilu.” Bħalissa jinsab marbut ma’ siġġu, b’ħalqu mgħammed u ma jistax iwieġeb. Jista’ biss juri d-diżapprovazzjoni tiegħu billi jiċċaqlaq u jiħmar. Dal-karattru li bħala ċelebrant tal-quddies, qasam il-Missierna mal-fidili tiegħu jum wara ieħor, did-darba jidher marbut sew u ma jistax jinħeles. Did-darba mhux protett mit-tarki tal-patrijarkat, il-knisja kattolika, il-qrati, il-pulizija u l-alla li jirrappreżenta. Did-darba, jidher ċar li l-aħħar kelma mhux se tkun tiegħu. Did-darba mhux se jkun f’pożizzjoni jagħti l-penitenza. Did-darba jinsab rasu baxxuta quddiem raġel irrabjat b’lanza f’idu. Imma minkejja l-lanza f’idejh, l-antagonist tiegħu ma jridx iniffdu għalissa. Minflok, irid jgħaddih minn ġuri f’qorti mingħajr togi. Għal darba, lil dar-raġel li sa issa dejjem tqies ’il fuq mill-liġi u saħansitra l-verità, jista’ jelenkalu akkuża wara oħra. Għal darba, jista’ jtarraflu minn xiex għaddieh. Għal darba, jista’ jaqla’ kollox minn fuq l-istonku. Bħala qarrejja, aħna ninsabu fil-gallarija nisimgħu kollox – fid-dettall.

Il-protagonist, daqskemm jogħxa li fl-aħħar jista’ jirremetti kollox fuq l-antagonist tiegħu, jinża’ għeri quddiemna nassistu mill-gallarija. Il-lista tal-akkużi għandha l-prezz tagħha: il-kxif ta’ dak kollu li kellu jaħbi biex jidher “normali.” Il-kxif ta’ kull imbarazzament li kellu jgħaddi minnu, minn tifel sa raġel. Il-kxif ta’ kull skumdità. Il-kxif ta’ kull umiljazzjoni. Minn ġol-klassi bħala tifel, sa raġel fil-qorti jara lil missieru jiġi akkużat bil-qtil ta’ ommu l-għażiża daqslikieku għamel li għamel għax kien f’sensih, b’Avukat Ġenerali li aktar milli moħħu fil-ġustizzja, moħħu biex juri l-poter tiegħu.

Ir-rabja titwaħħad mal-vulnerabbiltà. Ir-rabja li darba l-protagonist kien iħoss biex jipproteġi ruħu mill-bqija, titwaħħad ma’ onestà fil-forma ta’ qrara pubblika. F’rumanz mimli rġiel, b’omm li tiskontra magħhom kollha, “tgħannaqna bi mħabba li tkebbes in-nar,” il-kuraġġ joħroġ mhux mid-daqqiet ta’ ponn jew ħtif, imma minn din il-vulnerabbiltà. Ir-rumanz jibqa’ jrendi sal-aħħar. Waqt li l-pjan jimxi ħarir, bħal qisu f’antiteżi għal kull ostaklu kontinwu ta’ matul ħajjet il-protagonist, il-konklużjoni tissorprendi u hija denja ta’ rumanz minn kittieb meqjus skont Clare Azzopardi, l-aktar wieħed kuraġġuż ta’ din il-ġenerazzjoni ta’ kittieba.

[joséphine caruana]

bla kliem, dan il-ktieb ħalla taħlita ta’ emozzjonijet ibaqbqu fl-istonku tiegħi, ma stajtx nieqaf naqra avolja qalbi bdiet tinkiser ftit ftit. xogħol tal-ġenn.

[Steve Cachia]

Ktieb intens, mimli emozzjoni, miktub b'qawwa u li jħallik bla nifs. Kapolavur ġdid tal-letteratura moderna Maltija, jaffronta temi li għadhom xi ftit jew wisq tabu' fis-soċjeta' Maltija, b'mumenti liriċi u poetiċi mħalltin ma' oħrajn ikkaratterizzati minn sarkażmu u rabja. Prosit Karl Schembi ta' dan ir-rumanz uniku.

[Andrew Sammut]

Riċensjoni bil-Malti: Dan rebaħ il-Premju Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb u minkejja li nifhem li s-suġġett huwa wieħed intimu ferm, ma nifhimx preċiżament għalfejn rebaħ. Tassew apprezzajt il-fatt li huwa miktub b'tali mod li tibda tissusspetta li inti, bħala l-qarrej, sirt il-pedofelu li Mario jitkellem miegħu tul in-narrativa iżda rigward plott ħassejt nuqqas kbir u ma tantx impressjonajt ruħi bil-kliem ħażin f'dan il-kuntest speċjalment għax fanatiku tas-serje "Dexter" ta' Jeff Lindsay u mdorri għal dawn it-tip ta' xeni. Minkejja dan, napprezza l-fatt li Schembri, permezz tal-karattru ta' Mario, żvoga kemm tassew iseħħ abbuż klerikali u kemm nies li jippretendu li huma mibgħuta minn Alla biex ixandru l-kelma tiegħu huma fil-verità nies diżgustanti u kemm tassew għandhom intenzjonijiet ħżiena għalkemm dak li jidher f'għajnejn il-pubbliku huwa l-oppost ta' dak li jseħħ wara bibien imsakkrin. Fil-fehma tiegħi dawn in-nies ma ħaqqhom xejn ħlief l-agħar fil-ħajja u apprezzajt il-fatt ta' kif Schembri ħelisna mid-deni b'dak li għamel lill-Monsinjur lejn it-tmiem tan-narrattiva. Naturalment ma fassalx il-pjan waħdu u apprezzajt ukoll l-ironija li l-qassisin ta' spiss iqattgħu sigħat ireddnu dwar kif wieħed għandu jgħix iżda qabel il-kastig li ngħata l-Monsinjur ma ġiex mgħoti ċ-ċans li jitkellem sabiex jippreveni dak li kien ġej għalih u li kien ħaqqu.

Il-pedofelija hija tema li jien familjari magħha għax niddiskutiha ferm ma' sħabi u naqra frekwentament dwarha u Schembri żvela ħafna xorti li forsi kittieba u vittmi ta' dawn il-qassisin beżgħu jiktbu dwarhom. Napprezza wkoll il-fatt li din l-istorja hija waħda li tirrifletti l-ħajja tal-kittieb u fin-narrativa naraw kif il-familja ta' Mario tinkiser kompletament minħabba l-mard psikoloġiku li jgħaddi minnu missieru wara bosta esperjenzi trawmatiċi ta' pedofelija f'età żgħira. Mhux ser nidħol f'iżjed dettall rigward in-narrattiva għax irrid li ċerti esperjenzi li jirrakkonta Mario lill-Monsinjur jibqgħu sorpriża. Il-mod ta' kif spiċċa dan ir-rumanz kien wieħed interessanti ferm u ma ħsibtx li l-Monsinjur kien ser jiġi umiljat bil-mod ta' kif umilja bosta tfal f'numru ta' pajjiżi differenti. Naturalment dawn ma kinux kapaċi jiddefendu lilhom infushom u ma kellhomx lil min jipproteġihom minn tant atti krudili u trawmatiżżanti. Ħassejt li l-pass tal-istorja kien wieħed li dar xi ftit mal-lewża minkejja kemm kont fuq ix-xwiek biex nara l-konsegwenzi fiex kienu ser isarrfu u għalhekk ma ħallejtx wisq żmien biex naqbeż minn kapitlu għal ta' warajh. Inkredibbli kemm tfassal pjan għaqli wara l-iskoperta ta' ittra u wara nuqqas kbir ta' għajnuna jew responsabbiltà min-naħa tal-oppressuri.

Review in English: This one won the National Book prize and despite how I understand that the subject is an intimate one indeed, I don't understand why it precisely won. I must admit that this book certainly didn't reinvent the wheel in any way and isn't written in such a way that blew my mind (not to mention how filthy the language used is although this perhaps being for good reason). I did appreciate the fact that this is written in such a way that as the reader, you start to suspect as to whether you're the paedophile that Mario speaks to throughout the narrative. I don't often get the opportunity to read in the second person singular. I found that there was a lack of a plot and the themes which Schembri alluded to, although being quite blatant about them at other points of the story, weren't as shocking as I thought they would be especially since I am a huge fan of the "Dexter" series by Jeff Lindsay and I am rather used to these kinds of scenes. Despite all this, I do appreciate that Schembri, through the character of Mario, vents about how much clerical abuse takes place and goes unpunished and how those who pretend to be the messengers of God tend to be those with the worst intentions. What happens behind closed doors tends to be entirely different from what the public is deceived to believe.

Paedophilia is a theme which I am very familiar with since I often find myself discussing it with my friends and I read plenty about it and Schembri revealed plenty of dirty truths which other writers and victims would have trouble expressing and in doing so giving the clergy more power to keep paedophilia alive. I also appreciate how this narrative is one which reflects the author's own life and in it we see how Mario's family is completely shattered because of the mental illness that his father suffered through after several experiences of sexual abuse as a child. I won't go into further detail as to the narrative since I would like for those who haven't yet read this one to be surprised and shocked by what Mario tells his father's abuser. The way in which this tale ended was certainly not how I was expecting it to and it was rather gratifying to see the abuser being humiliated in a way in which he humiliated countless children in a variety of countries. These children were of course unable to defend themselves and had nobody to speak to since these men of God had nothing but good intentions and would never stoop so low. The story did beat around the bush but I was on edge to finally figure out how the sexual predator would ultimately pay for the price and that's precisely why I read this from cover to cover in a matter of days. All this stemmed from the discovery of a letter which proved how trauma could be transmitted from one generation to the next and how the chain of violence has to be broken at some point for the whole world to know peace.