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The Girl Who Said No: A Search in Sicily
An eighteen-year-old woman named Franca Viola made history in 1966 as one of the first “#metoo” heroines of modern times, when she refused to go along with a centuries-old forcible marriage custom in Sicily. Having endured kidnap and rape, she publicly defied the expectation that she would marry the rapist to “restore her broken honor.” A social uproar occurred throughout the island ― and beyond.
In Natalie Galli’s The Girl Who Said No, Viola’s remarkable story unfolds when the author arrives in Palermo to search for this brave heroine, with little more than the memory of a tiny article she had spotted two decades prior. Galli wanted to know: whatever had become of this courageous girl who had overturned an ancient, entrenched tradition?
The riveting events after Franca pressed charges with the police form the core of this gripping memoir. Viola was subjected to public taunting whenever she appeared on the streets of her town; Mafia-orchestrated bullying threatened her entire family. Galli traced the dramatic tale to its conclusion, in spite of initial warnings from her own relatives not to break the Sicilian code of silence.
Throughout her search for the enigmatic Franca, Galli shares her own poignant and hilarious observations about a vibrant culture steeped in contradictions and paradoxes. Does she succeed in locating the elusive proto-feminist whose case forever changed Italian culture and history? Travel along on Galli’s engaging odyssey to find out.
In Natalie Galli’s The Girl Who Said No, Viola’s remarkable story unfolds when the author arrives in Palermo to search for this brave heroine, with little more than the memory of a tiny article she had spotted two decades prior. Galli wanted to know: whatever had become of this courageous girl who had overturned an ancient, entrenched tradition?
The riveting events after Franca pressed charges with the police form the core of this gripping memoir. Viola was subjected to public taunting whenever she appeared on the streets of her town; Mafia-orchestrated bullying threatened her entire family. Galli traced the dramatic tale to its conclusion, in spite of initial warnings from her own relatives not to break the Sicilian code of silence.
Throughout her search for the enigmatic Franca, Galli shares her own poignant and hilarious observations about a vibrant culture steeped in contradictions and paradoxes. Does she succeed in locating the elusive proto-feminist whose case forever changed Italian culture and history? Travel along on Galli’s engaging odyssey to find out.
352 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2019
15 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 14, 2019
I loved this book, more than I’d expected. I enjoyed the writing style and beautiful writing throughout (some might think that in places it’s too descriptive/flowery but I found it pleasing and think it was perfect for this book) and I loved the entertaining storytelling. I was hooked from the start, from the prologue all the way to the extras at the end. I hadn’t been sure just how interested I’d be in the topic, but I found the entire book delightful and I enjoyed basking in it as I read.
Not only was I interested in the story of the “girl who said no” and the journalistic research the author did about her, but I was at least just as interested in the writer’s memoir, her story and the stories about her family members and her ancestors, and by her various experiences over the years. They were just as compelling as the woman the author was researching. I was fascinated learning the parts about Sicily, its culture, its history, its art, and its nature/the natural world. I completely understand the passion and curiosity one can feel and its inspiration for wanting to research another, especially when first introduced to a story as a young person.
This is a wonderful, really perfect, armchair travel book. It made me want to visit (with certain caveats) and I yearned to experience much of it for myself, but the account made me feel as though I was there and it was a pleasure. I learned so, so much about so many aspects of the place.
The account is tragic, inspiring, and thankfully at many points amusing. I really appreciated the humor in the book and the complexity of many of the situations shown. I enjoyed (mostly with joy, sometimes with horror) spending time with the many people the author described.
I admired the whole arc of the story, from start to how it was wrapped up. Speaking of which, I could have been satisfied no matter what the outcome of the author’s search because this is one of those tales where the journey is at least as important as its destination, but I felt particularly satisfied by the ending. I was never heavily invested in any particular outcome though.
I adore maps in books and there is a map of Sicily here and I did frequently consult it. I do wish it had been even more detailed as not every place mentioned appeared on the map. (I guess that’s what the internet is for. It was easy to find places when I chose to look them up. The map as is was incredibly helpful.)
I made a lot of use of the Italian-English glossary in the back of the book, but I noticed not every Italian word used was included. The vast majority of the missing words I could translate given their context, and if I’d chosen I could have looked up the other relatively few. I also frequently used and enjoyed the glossary a lot. Italian is such a beautiful language.
I believe it was smart on the author’s part to place certain contents in the back in an appendix the way she did. It was perfect placement for readers’ enjoyment following this true story.
While I would no longer eat most of the foods described (though my mind was veganizing those foods not naturally vegan) reading this book made me hungry. The foods native to the area sounded delicious and contributed to feeling truly immersed in the culture of the place, on both trips there that the author made.
Full disclosure: I have met author a few times and have been friends with two of her family members for almost my entire adult life so for over 4 decades. Those two friends gave me this book, but with no expectation or requirement that I would review it, shelve it, or mention it anywhere online unless I wanted to do so. (A note: For me at times it was a bit personally emotionally painful in ways it would not be for other readers, but I was able to mostly just enjoy the reading experience.) I’ve never been to Sicily but now feel as close to having had that experience as I could have without actually being there. I do know San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay Area well and I enjoyed those short portions the way I always do when reading about this area of the world.
Highly recommended for those interested in the current “me too movement” and feminist history, and those with any interest in Sicily and its culture and its history, its art and its food, etc. etc. etc. and those who enjoy rewarding/gratifying armchair travel via reading books. For those with a big stake in the resolution, there is quite a bit of suspense.
4-2/3 stars
Mine is the first review here at Goodreads. I hope that there will be many more.
Not only was I interested in the story of the “girl who said no” and the journalistic research the author did about her, but I was at least just as interested in the writer’s memoir, her story and the stories about her family members and her ancestors, and by her various experiences over the years. They were just as compelling as the woman the author was researching. I was fascinated learning the parts about Sicily, its culture, its history, its art, and its nature/the natural world. I completely understand the passion and curiosity one can feel and its inspiration for wanting to research another, especially when first introduced to a story as a young person.
This is a wonderful, really perfect, armchair travel book. It made me want to visit (with certain caveats) and I yearned to experience much of it for myself, but the account made me feel as though I was there and it was a pleasure. I learned so, so much about so many aspects of the place.
The account is tragic, inspiring, and thankfully at many points amusing. I really appreciated the humor in the book and the complexity of many of the situations shown. I enjoyed (mostly with joy, sometimes with horror) spending time with the many people the author described.
I admired the whole arc of the story, from start to how it was wrapped up. Speaking of which, I could have been satisfied no matter what the outcome of the author’s search because this is one of those tales where the journey is at least as important as its destination, but I felt particularly satisfied by the ending. I was never heavily invested in any particular outcome though.
I adore maps in books and there is a map of Sicily here and I did frequently consult it. I do wish it had been even more detailed as not every place mentioned appeared on the map. (I guess that’s what the internet is for. It was easy to find places when I chose to look them up. The map as is was incredibly helpful.)
I made a lot of use of the Italian-English glossary in the back of the book, but I noticed not every Italian word used was included. The vast majority of the missing words I could translate given their context, and if I’d chosen I could have looked up the other relatively few. I also frequently used and enjoyed the glossary a lot. Italian is such a beautiful language.
I believe it was smart on the author’s part to place certain contents in the back in an appendix the way she did. It was perfect placement for readers’ enjoyment following this true story.
While I would no longer eat most of the foods described (though my mind was veganizing those foods not naturally vegan) reading this book made me hungry. The foods native to the area sounded delicious and contributed to feeling truly immersed in the culture of the place, on both trips there that the author made.
Full disclosure: I have met author a few times and have been friends with two of her family members for almost my entire adult life so for over 4 decades. Those two friends gave me this book, but with no expectation or requirement that I would review it, shelve it, or mention it anywhere online unless I wanted to do so. (A note: For me at times it was a bit personally emotionally painful in ways it would not be for other readers, but I was able to mostly just enjoy the reading experience.) I’ve never been to Sicily but now feel as close to having had that experience as I could have without actually being there. I do know San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay Area well and I enjoyed those short portions the way I always do when reading about this area of the world.
Highly recommended for those interested in the current “me too movement” and feminist history, and those with any interest in Sicily and its culture and its history, its art and its food, etc. etc. etc. and those who enjoy rewarding/gratifying armchair travel via reading books. For those with a big stake in the resolution, there is quite a bit of suspense.
4-2/3 stars
Mine is the first review here at Goodreads. I hope that there will be many more.
June 25, 2020
3.5 ⭐️
A great read for those planning to travel to Sicily or those who enjoy to travel from the conform of their home. The book is rich in Sicilian history, culture, language, gastronomy, traditions and daily life. I enjoyed it, although I was hoping to read more about Franca’s story and how her brave decision changed an abusive and archaic tradition.
A great read for those planning to travel to Sicily or those who enjoy to travel from the conform of their home. The book is rich in Sicilian history, culture, language, gastronomy, traditions and daily life. I enjoyed it, although I was hoping to read more about Franca’s story and how her brave decision changed an abusive and archaic tradition.
October 21, 2022
By turns deeply moving, totally enraging, immersively beautiful, tragic and funny, this book reflects on the position of women in Sicily in and before 1966, when Franca Viola said her historic “no!” and went on to prosecute her rapist and the thirteen men who helped him to kidnap her; and in 1988 when the author traveled to try to find Franca and learn what her life was like afterward.
The kidnap/rape to force a women into marriage against her will was not just a Sicilian tradition, it was enshrined in the Italian penal code, a law that stated that if a woman married her rapist, his crime would be expunged. Incredibly, it was not until 1981 that the law was abolished, and not until 1996 that the crime of rape changed from a “crime against public morality” to a crime of violence against the person raped. So it is very interesting to see what Galli encountered when she stayed with her Sicilian relatives in Palermo and then as a young woman traveling through Sicily, with a brief stop across the Straits of Messina, in Reggio in Calabria.
These stories are contextualized in a richly realized, beautifully-written portrait of Sicily in all its many facets.
It's heartening to realize that today in Sicily, women are on an equal footing with men, legally, politically, socially and economically. And, as opposed to women in the U.S., they have unrestricted access to free abortions provided by the Italian National Health service throughout Italy, where, by the way, there is no anti-choice movement.
The kidnap/rape to force a women into marriage against her will was not just a Sicilian tradition, it was enshrined in the Italian penal code, a law that stated that if a woman married her rapist, his crime would be expunged. Incredibly, it was not until 1981 that the law was abolished, and not until 1996 that the crime of rape changed from a “crime against public morality” to a crime of violence against the person raped. So it is very interesting to see what Galli encountered when she stayed with her Sicilian relatives in Palermo and then as a young woman traveling through Sicily, with a brief stop across the Straits of Messina, in Reggio in Calabria.
These stories are contextualized in a richly realized, beautifully-written portrait of Sicily in all its many facets.
It's heartening to realize that today in Sicily, women are on an equal footing with men, legally, politically, socially and economically. And, as opposed to women in the U.S., they have unrestricted access to free abortions provided by the Italian National Health service throughout Italy, where, by the way, there is no anti-choice movement.
August 29, 2022
This book was very meaningful to me, because it gave me insight into the world that my grandparents and their ancestors lived in. My grandmother was from a large city in Sicily, while my grandfather was from a small Sicilian village. They immigrated to the USA about 150 years ago.
The story about how Franca Viola, a humble girl, busted up an old custom of how a man could trap a woman into marrying him was fascinating. And how her actions to claim her autonomy gave future generations a freedom and brought Sicily into a new way of viewing women was inspiring. The stories of how secrets related to how people died and married made me smile, as I thought about my own ancestors.
The stories in this book are masterfully embedded within the author's travels throughout Sicily. The warmth of the culture, its enduring traditions, its colorful vibrancy are all on display. I was introduced to purple skinny asparagus, but also reminded of the bleached Greek temples and multi-colored mosaic Roman floors I saw decades ago when I visited Sicily. I also was remined of the wonderful pastries I ate in Taormina, as I read about the author eating rare pastries silently delivered through the small window of a famous Palermo convent. As you read this book you will feel as though you are there with the author every step of the way, and if your ancestors came from Sicily, you will be able to imagine the experiences they might have had.
I highly recommend this book.
The story about how Franca Viola, a humble girl, busted up an old custom of how a man could trap a woman into marrying him was fascinating. And how her actions to claim her autonomy gave future generations a freedom and brought Sicily into a new way of viewing women was inspiring. The stories of how secrets related to how people died and married made me smile, as I thought about my own ancestors.
The stories in this book are masterfully embedded within the author's travels throughout Sicily. The warmth of the culture, its enduring traditions, its colorful vibrancy are all on display. I was introduced to purple skinny asparagus, but also reminded of the bleached Greek temples and multi-colored mosaic Roman floors I saw decades ago when I visited Sicily. I also was remined of the wonderful pastries I ate in Taormina, as I read about the author eating rare pastries silently delivered through the small window of a famous Palermo convent. As you read this book you will feel as though you are there with the author every step of the way, and if your ancestors came from Sicily, you will be able to imagine the experiences they might have had.
I highly recommend this book.
February 17, 2022
The Girl Who Said No, by Natalie Galli
A travel memoir like this results only when the author truly loves the place about which she is writing.
Sicilian-Californian Natalie Galli writes with heart about the land of her ancestors—despite its tragedy, poverty, and anti-female violence.
Accompanied by her relatives, the narrator makes her way through Sicilian festivals and
through platefuls of wonderful food. Yet The Girl Who Said No is more than an average travel memoir: it
is an exegesis of an old court case that changed the lives of Franca Viola, a young woman wronged decades before, and countless women of her country.
I have known this book since its infancy; and, lo, it has evolved into a full-bodied, satisfying, tour-de-
force. The Girl Who Said No engages each of the senses: we hear the musicality of the Italian language,
we see piazzas and cathedrals—and most of all taste the cuisine of, and the paradoxical beauty of Sicily.
And, our appetite for justice is satisfied by the end of this rich and suspenseful tour-with-menu
A travel memoir like this results only when the author truly loves the place about which she is writing.
Sicilian-Californian Natalie Galli writes with heart about the land of her ancestors—despite its tragedy, poverty, and anti-female violence.
Accompanied by her relatives, the narrator makes her way through Sicilian festivals and
through platefuls of wonderful food. Yet The Girl Who Said No is more than an average travel memoir: it
is an exegesis of an old court case that changed the lives of Franca Viola, a young woman wronged decades before, and countless women of her country.
I have known this book since its infancy; and, lo, it has evolved into a full-bodied, satisfying, tour-de-
force. The Girl Who Said No engages each of the senses: we hear the musicality of the Italian language,
we see piazzas and cathedrals—and most of all taste the cuisine of, and the paradoxical beauty of Sicily.
And, our appetite for justice is satisfied by the end of this rich and suspenseful tour-with-menu
September 6, 2022
I just finished rereading The Girl Who Said No, and it is a lovely world to visit again. The first time I simply trotted through it, nose down, tail wagging, intent on the twists and turns of the plot. This time I found myself savoring the descriptions of the food (caramelized baby artichokes! golden crunchy semolina rolls!) and letting her lead me through vivid descriptions of streets, churches, mountain roads. The author is aware of her own reactions as she imbibes and collides with the ancient culture of Sicily, but this is more than a travelogue. With impeccable research, Galli lays out the intricacies of the rape culture that has lasted for ages, some of which still remains under the surface. Traveling with her, you meet real people described with humor and understanding, and begin to see where one girl found the courage to follow her heart, say No, and build her own thriving life; an ordinary girl with a loving family who took the first steps in changing that old, cruel custom.
February 11, 2022
This is an engrossing and evocative memoir of Ms. Galli's search for Franca Viola, in the hope of being able to interview her about her courageous journey and her life since then.
The narrative is richly interwoven with descriptions of Sicilian history, architecture, culture, food, antiquities, and language. It includes translation of the actual court documents and newspaper articles describing Franca Viola's ordeal and her eventual victory.
The narrative is richly interwoven with descriptions of Sicilian history, architecture, culture, food, antiquities, and language. It includes translation of the actual court documents and newspaper articles describing Franca Viola's ordeal and her eventual victory.
May 13, 2022
Every now and then you come cross a book that whisks you on an instant voyage to a distant place. I became enamored and involved from the first pages, as if I’d been plunked down in the middle of Sicily. The moving story of the girl speaks for itself, and I love the way Galli surrounded it with vivid cultural details and memorable personalities with who she interacted.
October 17, 2022
This book is amazing! It truly tells the story of old school Italy and how in the mid 60s a girl had the courage to fight for the right to self determination. It embodies what equality is all about. The book gives a modern vision of a very ancient island. When you read it, you won’t be able to put it down!
April 10, 2022
A absolutely great read detailing A woman’s perilous journey invite to prevail through extremely difficult circumstances. Educational and entertaining. I highly recommend this book!
July 12, 2023
A true story! A good read for all Sicilian women. Different times!!
July 13, 2022
My sister-in-law, Jeanne, is going to faint. 652 books read, and only 21 five stars, including this one. But sometimes you just need to accept the fact that a first-time author can match my heroes and heroines of the writing game. Story line: in 1969, San Francisco 4th grader reads a filler about an 18 yr old in Sicily who fought several thousand years of tradition by refusing to marry the man who had kidnapped and raped her. The newspaper filler stays in her mind because her mom is from Sicily. 20 years later, same girl goes to Sicily to meet and stay with her aunt and to research what happened to that girl. Not going to say more because of spoilers, but the book kept my attention with the story, the writing, and complete knowledge that this is a true life story of the girl who I would call the Sicilian Me Too Movement anchor. Worth reading, to say the least.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews