Black Souls

by Gioacchino Criaco, Hillary Gulley (Translator)

The modern Italian classic about Calabrian organized crime—now an award-winning motion picture—makes its English-language debut.

In the remote Aspromonte Mountains in southern Calabria, Italy, three best friends embark on a life of crime in order to raise themselves up out of the poverty of their childhoods and the suffering of their parents. Brainy Luciano, the behind-the-scenes schemer, was orphaned as a little boy when the local mob boss had his postman father executed. Lazy, jovial Luigi has learned that there’s no point in following the rules, since there is no path to riches for poor boys. And completing the triumvirate is the nameless narrator, from whose black soul comes the inspiration and energy for each new criminal project, from kidnapping to armed robbery to heroin dealing to contract killing.

Set in the birthplace of the ’Ndrangheta, Calabria’s ruthless and ubiquitous mafia, Black Souls draws on centuries of brigand lore, peasant rebellion history, mountain mythology, and colonial suffering to offer a gripping morality tale about how violence begets violence.

Genres: Fiction, Italy, Crime, Historical, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, International

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

Gioacchino Criaco nasce ad Africo, un piccolo centro della costa ionica calabrese. Figlio di pastori, in giovane età inizia a meditare su una nuova trattazione letteraria dell'Aspromonte e luoghi limitrofi, data la scarsa divulgazione degli stessi.

Dopo anni di sperimentazione, nel 2008 pubblica Anime nere, il suo primo romanzo, di grande impatto socio-culturale. Inaugura così il noir di matrice calabrese.

Criaco racconta e descrive quelle realtà minori al limite della civiltà che, nonostante facciano parte di un contesto territoriale inserito in una nazione sviluppata e democratica, sembrano continuare a vivere di leggi e tradizioni proprie, a dimostrazione di una distanza fisica e politica forse irriducibile.

Reviews

[Yigal Zur · Rating 3 out of 5]

it have its dark beauty but on the whole it does not stick. partly i think due to translation - the result is dry and informative. sometimes it feels like lists: names, history,myths etc. but there are nice and deep episodes of nature and the truth about the poor people of south of Italy - calabria. i went there it is beautiful.

[Andy Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite being originally published in Italy in 2008 and released as a movie in 2014, the English translation has only just been published.
Beginning with the coming of age of three childhood friends in Calabria, the nameless narrator’s love for the landscape he grows up in, his friends (Luciano and Luigi) and family is in stark contrast to the crimes, which very quickly surge and multiply. From early kidnappings and killings that balance the powers around the farming family, they move toward urban connections as the boys graduate to University, and inevitably, to the drug trade.
Many books about organised crime are accused of glamourising the lifestyle of the criminals. Criaco intentionally draws his key characters to have a lack of emotional reaction to the violence they commit, a second generation who have inherited their role from their fathers, stumbling into it like a mundane family business, despite their degree education in this case in law, medicine and economics.
A great skill of Criaco is the description of the timeless land of Calabria, and marrying it to its criminal nature.
I have read few, if any, crime novels I can compare this to, crammed full of mystery, and dealing with evil in such a way that a degree of innocence remains, symbolising a reason for the violent struggles.
Befittingly, it has a twist to its final pages; one of those that needs reading again and again ( Did that just happen? ). I’ve an urge now to see the film, though I’m almost sure it won’t do the book justice.

[La mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ho visto un film che mi ha affascinato, diretto bene, girato bene, recitato molto bene. Anime nere di Francesco Munzi è un film che merita attenzione.
Il film è “liberamente tratto” dall’omonimo romanzo, e quindi molto ben disposto e curioso mi sono messo a leggere il libro.
La lettura è stata invece una cocente delusione. Tanta confusione, linee narrative contorte, personaggi improbabili, un tono eccessivamente enfatico, poca capacità di raccontare una storia. Fastidioso in certi passaggi sia nell’approccio etico (con un totale ribaltamento di buoni e cattivi, dove i buoni sono sempre quelli che stanno con i nostri protagonisti, per definizione) che nella lettura sociologica e politica (piatta, banale, giustificatoria). Il linguaggio della scrittura non aiuta sicuramente a raddrizzare tutte queste storture, semmai le enfatizza in alcuni passaggi. E soprattutto, nel libro non si trova traccia della tormentata storia raccontata con tanta maestria dal film.

[L A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this quite brief, but interesting account of a Calabrian "Black Soul". The story itself was compelling and relates the realities and violence of the life of a member of the ‘Ndrangheta over a number of years. The events feel true to life and the various settings and locations feel real and show a side to Italy that many may be unaware of. It certainly is different from the almost glamorous representations of the mafia in films like The Godfather. This book demonstrates the violent reality although it tended to be rather descriptive at points. Sometimes it read like a list of events, as if it was written as a journal as opposed to a deeper narrative.

I wasn't sure if it was the translation, but I found some parts of the book hard to follow. I also felt that it was impossible to really get a feel for any of the characters, Female characters, in particular, were basically non-existent. This is essentially a book about unapologetically bad people and I felt it was difficult to get a real sense of their motivations. I'm aware that it has been adapted into an award-winning film and I think the story probably works better in that medium.

Overall I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in organised crime or those wishing to learn more about a little talked about part of Italian history and culture.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The remote Aspromonte Mountains in southern Calabria, Italy, is a land of abject poverty. In order to survive, most must resort to a life of crime, especially organized crime. Black Souls is the story of three best friends who at first begin to rob businesses in order to have better clothes to wear to school. Brainy Luciano, happy-go-lucky Luigi, and the nameless narrator of this tale have a taste for the life, and as time goes by, they branch out into kidnapping, contract killing, and dealing drugs.

There is a lot to learn in Black Souls: local legends, the history of peasant rebellions, myths, and colonial suffering, and everything blends into a tale about how violence begets violence that's difficult to stop reading.

From its pastoral beginning to its strong finish, I found this book weaving a bit of a spell over me. Yes, the background and history of Calabria were fascinating, but what pulled me in was the voice of the narrator. You wouldn't think a reader like me who has led a rather sheltered life would get pulled into a story about three men who were good at killing people and flooding Italy with drugs-- but I did.

It had everything to do with that narrator's voice. His is an unflinching look at the life he and his friends led. Nothing is held back. His tone is completely matter-of-fact; nothing is glorified. There's never any posturing or "Hey, Ma, look at me!" The narrator never once says that what he did was right. In fact, throughout the book, readers will get the exact opposite feeling. Black Souls was a lot more than I expected to find, and that is a very good thing. It's the type of book that will stay with me for a long time.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

New from Soho Press. I'm reading along and the story unrolls in a very calm manner, but I'm on edge waiting to be kicked in the head! There's a vibe.....

I've finished the book and it remains a calm telling to the end, yet the impact of the story is really so dark that I can't think of any other read that left such a heavy weight on me when I was done. Everything happens in a very straightforward telling, and somehow that makes it even harder to take. Sometimes a seemingly minor action from someone in power can have rippling rounds of violence over generations to come.

If you're depressed, don't read this book. And the 4 stars is a very high 4.

[Ross Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an Italian crime novel that has now been translated into English and one that has been getting rave reviews on social media and rightly so. Although just a relatively short novel it covers a whole generation and tells the story of the un-names narrator and his two friends who are born into poverty in southern Italy and embark on a life of crime. They come from humble surroundings and they commence by committing petty crimes and rise to become drug traffickers, kidnappers and hitmen. Some of the hits are carried out on the instructions of others but some are also carried out to avenge wrongs done to them and their immediate families. They are ruthless killers but at the same time they care deeply for their loved ones and always ensure they are looked after safely and financially. The novel is also steeped in the folklore of area of southern Italy where they originate and is also full of tales which are told regarding the various characters who have become legends in their villages.
I really enjoyed this book and although it is very dark and the protagonists are ruthless criminals there is also a human side to them too, where they display great compassion. They know who they are and what they are doing but they also know that one day they will pay for their sins either by death or imprisonment.
I believe there is also film based on the novel which I also intend to seek out and watch.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author's stark prose serves him well in recounting a story set in the extremes of poverty and crime, showing how these two can intertwine so that morality becomes, not relative, but almost irrelevant. The narrator describes himself as a "risk-taker" who "likes to fight" and insists that he and his companions "couldn't have accepted a normal existence...." (loc 1371 on Kindle). And this is not a conventional narrative in the manner in which the reader is kept at a distance, both from the events (so as not to pass judgement?), and from emotion that the narrator may feel. The carefully written text manages to keep the reader's interest in the narrative, nonetheless. It is a striking novel that is well worth the time spent.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the teen version of the godfather, the soprano and the Italian Mob all in one. Some parts were very deep and intense that it almost made me want to stop. As I read on the theme of the book of figuring out how to get your life back on track and out of the trenches. These types of books have their own unique way of expressing a deep message and this,was a prime example of that.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will definitely be considered for our collection in our FRiction collection. That is why we give this book 4 stars!

[Mariaserena Silletta · Rating 2 out of 5]

molto scorrevole, descrittivo e a ritmo incalzante in certi punti! ma in altri assolutamente pesante e decisamente prolisso

[Scott Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd heard a little about this one before receiving it as a gift from my Dad's trip to the Mysterious Bookshop on an NYC holiday, but had no real expectations for what it would be. It's one of those where you have to concentrate a lot in the opening as you are thrust into the world of Calabria with little introduction and left to decipher what's going on. From here and for the initial 100 pages the author exhales Calabria onto the page with descriptions and Calabrian folklore the initial focus before the narrator really gets into the story of he and his cohorts, Luciano and Luigi.

Following on the book had a feel to it that reminded me of Don Winslow's "The Power of the Dog" in an abbreviated form. Events are zipped through at pace and the book takes us through many years quickly, but it manages to nail the feeling of events well never feeling like it's skimming past anything. The best example I use for this is the relationship our narrator strikes up with Giulia, which is described in a short few pages, but we truly feel what our narrator is going through even though it is over as soon as it began within the story.

I loved this and can only hope that more of Criaco's novels are translated to English in the future or I'll have to take up Italian lessons. I'll definitely seek out the film adaptation too.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely phenomenal. I have a love for the crime genre and especially books about the Mob or Organized Crime, but this book is a cut above most of those released in any given year.

Criaco weaves the story of 3 teens that attempt to escape the poverty of the region and to avenge the death of a loved one who was murdered by the local mob ('Ndrangheta for anyone who is nitpicky about which mob).

Criaco masterfully explores the failings of society of it's most vulnerable members while also showing the danger of hunting monsters and attempting to not become one in the process.

I would give this 5 out 5 stars but in a few parts the book reads oddly and was somewhat hard to follow, however those parts were few and far between and may have been things that were lost in translation.

I also noticed that of the poor reviews most if not all have been from Italian speakers and they may have more cultural context in which to place the book.

[Philippe G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Süditalien, genauer gesagt Kalabrien. Noch genauer Aspromonte (deutsch "rauher Berg"). Die Geschichte junger Männer, die ihrem Alltag entfliehen wollen, um nicht das Leben ihrer Väter leben zu müssen. Sie wählen dafür die Karriere in der 'Ndranghetta, der kalabresischen Mafia.
Das Leben führt sie nach Mailand. Tod und Gewalt ist ihr Alltag.

Der Bruder des Autors war einer der meistgesuchten Verbrecher Italiens. Er bezahlte es wie sein Vater mit dem Leben. Ob der Schmerz den Autor dazu veranlasste so distanziert, kühl zu schreiben, oder ob er den harten Mann spielen wollte, ist mir nicht klar.
Es bleibt eine düstere Geschichte, mit viel Unausgesprochenem. Vielleicht weil der Autor zum Schutz der Familie gewisse Dinge nicht sagen darf?

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoo. I'm crying. Did not expect that from this story. Criaco's book follows 3 friends as they rise from poverty to wealth and power in the Calabrian area of Italy. It isn't the type of book I generally pick up, but I picked it up a few weeks after reading the back and seeing it on a library shelf. It has been an experience. While reading, I kept wanting to compare it to Scarface. There's such a sweet undercurrent of family, loyalty, even love. The author uses such beautiful language and that last twist? I won't be watching the film, because I don't want some weirdo director to change what I have seen in Luigi, Luciano and our main narrator's story.

Recommended.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of young men growing up in southern Italy who become gangsters or black souls. Interesting mix of local tradition, some of which drives the gangster behavior, and the reaction to outside forces. Book starts off slowly then gathers steam. Ends up fairly memorable. Fan (if that’s the right word) of Michael Corleone or Tony Montanan or Tony Soprano may like this book as a complement to those stories. Some of the guys in the book remind me of the men Michael Corleone surrounded himself with when he had to go into hiding in Sicily.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

It can't get higher. A lot of things can't get higher now that I've devoured Ready Player One.

That said, this is still an excellent book. Reading this explains why so much of Italian literature and art classifies as surreal. It's still a very regional country and less cohesive than other places. Sometimes it is both more moral and less moral than other places at the same time. I believe that Italians can be comfortable with contradictions that would drive other people crazy, and that can be both a strength and a weakness.

[Katee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely terrible book. So confusing and not well written.

Three friends live lives of crime and are assassins. They somehow grow apart and the narrator, Kyria, ends up killing his best friend at the end.

I don’t think this story translated well at all from the original language. I don’t think the plot or characterization was well organized or thought out.

Do not recommend. No connections or comprehension of this disastrous book.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic criminal rise and fall story with the fresh twist of being outside the traditional Italian mafia structure. This is about Calabrians, the poor southerners, looked down upon and overlooked. Unfortunately, I think a lot is lost in translation. Not the narrative so much as the connection tot he characters and language.

[Isa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

'The children of the forest carried on, living like birds of prey in Milan [...] they had know their wealth was stolen, and therefore shared it'

Interesting style and twisty narrative but all felt a bit too detached so wasn't that engaged in the drama.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating although not what I expected. Not for everyone but patience is rewarded.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark, disturbing and different from others mafia novels, this book has a unique voice and atmosphere.

[Brady Oberholtzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good. I enjoyed the story.

[Alberto Tebaldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

ottimo romanzo, una full immersion nella storia e ambienti di una certa criminalità organizzata italiana

[Rita Angelelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

In un crescendo emozionale Criaco ci trasporta in un ambiente oscuro, dove semplici pastori sono in realtà criminali, alcuni facenti parte della 'ndrangheta o altri "semplicemente" anime nere (come cita il titolo). La vicenda si snoda in più ambienti e luoghi. Il primo è quello delle impervie montagne dell'Aspromonte, dove tre figli di pastori, non affiliati alla 'ndrangheta, seguono uno degli adulti verso i pascoli "trasportando" con loro il porco: un uomo rapito, per il quale avrebbero chiesto un riscatto. Una prima parte in cui Criaco racconta gli usi e costumi di una zona legata alle tradizioni, con relativi profumi di una terra della nostra Italia molto caratteristica; zona legata strettamente anche ai traffici illegali, alle rapine, ai rapimenti e alle vendette trasversali. I tre ragazzi, crescendo, emigrano al nord per studiare, ma anche lì sfruttano la loro indole nera e mettono su un traffico di stupefacenti. Ragazzi, ormai giovani adulti, che pur di garantirsi una vita agiata sono disposti a tutto. Con l'ombra di una vendetta da portare a compimento, l'uccisione del padre di uno di loro, vivono una parte della loro vita nella modernissima Milano e poi in giro per l'europa. Giovani che mostrano la loro parte umana in contrapposizione alla loro anima nera. Ed è proprio questo che mi ha colpito del racconto: dietro ogni anima nera c'è un uomo, con le sue normali pulsioni, con le sue emozioni e i suoi sentimenti, con un legame indissolubile con la famiglia, con gli amori nascenti, con l'amore per i figli e per la donna che li ha concepiti. Insomma, una realtà, quella di Anime Nere, del tutto normale, se si detraggono le malefatte e gli omicidi. Un libro che si divora per la maniera in cui vengono esposti i fatti e per la brama di conoscere i risvolti umani di ogni personaggio.

[Andrei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Get it in Italian if you understand the language I think it's better.

[Simonetta]

Tre giovani calabresi fuori ‘ndrangheta intraprendono un percorso criminale che li porterà a Milano dove, resisi invisibili e apparentemente rispettabili, faranno grandi affari col commercio di eroina prima e di cocaina poi, nella più totale impunità e barcamenandosi tra Stato e Mafia fino a quando un’entità ancora più invisibile e spietata non distruggerà il loro impero e il loro sodalizio.
Inizialmente un poco noioso, ma poi prende quota e, obiettivamente parlando, mi sembra molto ben scritto. Cercherò di vedere il film quanto prima.

[Cristian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bella lettura. Sicuramente molto ben scritto.
Però.
Però c'e un unico aspetto che un po mi ha deluso.
Vi è un continuo mettere il colpo in canna, cioè un fare finalmente partire la storia, e poi di nuovo rimandarne gli sviluppi. Più volte.
Sino all'ultimo terzo del libro nel quale finalmente l'autore ci soddisfa quell'aspettativa da lui stesso creata.
Comunque una lettura importante con dei passi davvero poetici.
Una scrittura che mi piace quella di Criaco.
Leggerò dell'altro.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Che dire, una partenza da leoni, ma a meta volume inizia a perdere colpi.
Però lo stile narrativo di Criaco è molto bello, fluisce senza intoppi, tanto che riesci ad immaginare i più piccoli particolari.
È un libro molto poetico, sebbene la tematica principale.
Avrei voluto dare una valutazione più alta, ma nell'ultima parte ho fatto fatica a continuare a leggere.

[Alatriste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Storia straordinaria, dovresti leggere anche questo racconto: https: //crimereads.com/finding-an-epic-crime-... la storia dell'editor che ha pubblicato il libro in inglese.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though very interesting at parts, I'm guessing much is lost in translation. Large sections felt like lists and "oh then this happened". Probably a better story for people who know more about Calabria.