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The Family
In the vein of an American Elena Ferrante, a captivating debut novel about the tangled fates of two best friends and daughters of the Italian mafia, and a coming-of-age story of twentieth-century Brooklyn.
Two daughters. Two families. One inescapable fate.
Sofia Colicchio is a free spirit, a loud, untamed thing. Antonia Russo is thoughtful, ever observing the world around her. Best friends from birth, their homes share a brick wall and their fathers are part of an unspoken community that connects them all: the Family. Sunday dinners gather the Family each week to feast, discuss business, and renew the intoxicating bond borne of blood and love.
Until Antonia’s father dares to dream of a different life and goes missing soon after. His disappearance drives a whisper-thin wedge between Sofia and Antonia as they become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflicted friendship. Both women are pushing against the walls of a prison made up of expectations, even as they remain bound to one another, their hearts expanding in tandem with Red Hook and Brooklyn around them. One fateful night their loyalty to each other and the Family will be tested. Only one of them can pull the trigger before it’s too late.
Two daughters. Two families. One inescapable fate.
Sofia Colicchio is a free spirit, a loud, untamed thing. Antonia Russo is thoughtful, ever observing the world around her. Best friends from birth, their homes share a brick wall and their fathers are part of an unspoken community that connects them all: the Family. Sunday dinners gather the Family each week to feast, discuss business, and renew the intoxicating bond borne of blood and love.
Until Antonia’s father dares to dream of a different life and goes missing soon after. His disappearance drives a whisper-thin wedge between Sofia and Antonia as they become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, all the while maintaining a complex and at times conflicted friendship. Both women are pushing against the walls of a prison made up of expectations, even as they remain bound to one another, their hearts expanding in tandem with Red Hook and Brooklyn around them. One fateful night their loyalty to each other and the Family will be tested. Only one of them can pull the trigger before it’s too late.
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 2, 2021
1990 people are currently reading
34766 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Krupitsky
1 book275 followersNaomi Krupitsky is an author, editor, and bookseller.
She was born in Berkeley, California, and attended NYU’s Gallatin school of Individualized Study, where she graduated in 2012. She lives in San Francisco, but calls many places home. The Family is her first novel.
She was born in Berkeley, California, and attended NYU’s Gallatin school of Individualized Study, where she graduated in 2012. She lives in San Francisco, but calls many places home. The Family is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,883 reviews
January 13, 2024
A mob story mixed with tales of friendship and motherhood
Antonia and Sofia are daughters of crime families. As they grow up, they find that escaping the Family ways isn't always easy. Antonia and Sofia face the challenges of marriage and motherhood, dreaming the dreams of what might have been if a different path was selected.
The first half of The Family was really slow. If I was the editor, I would have taken the last half the story and then introduced the background information as flashbacks so that the reader doesn't have to wade through all of the background information to really get to the main story. This book also seemed a bit lackluster. The storytelling needed to be refined to build up the excitement. The mob portions weren't written in a particularly appealing manner although I did really enjoy the parts about Sofia and Antonia becoming mothers and wives (especially how what people envision and plan is not always what happens in reality).
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
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Antonia and Sofia are daughters of crime families. As they grow up, they find that escaping the Family ways isn't always easy. Antonia and Sofia face the challenges of marriage and motherhood, dreaming the dreams of what might have been if a different path was selected.
The first half of The Family was really slow. If I was the editor, I would have taken the last half the story and then introduced the background information as flashbacks so that the reader doesn't have to wade through all of the background information to really get to the main story. This book also seemed a bit lackluster. The storytelling needed to be refined to build up the excitement. The mob portions weren't written in a particularly appealing manner although I did really enjoy the parts about Sofia and Antonia becoming mothers and wives (especially how what people envision and plan is not always what happens in reality).
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.
2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta
March 4, 2021
There's a meme going around asking what if legitimate books got reviews like fanfiction.
Let me tell you, I loved this book so much my first instinct is just to leave a key smash.
Krupitsky's technical skill is astounding. We dip in and out of various characters heads, but it's done beautifully. The whole book is lyrically beautiful.
I'm a woman who has always loved mafia stories-The Godfather, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, etc. Even before I read the author's notes I could see these influences in Krupitsky's writing. This is genre-breaking, though, in that Krupitsky's story is driven by the women in the Family.
Women in mafia stories are often mocked or overlooked. (Mama Corleone doesn't even have a name!) Krupitsky delves into the female perspective on the burgeoning mafia of the early 20th century and develops two generations of extraordinarily interesting, infuriating, and complex women who are just as real, dynamic, and interesting as the men carrying the guns.
Sofia and Antonia are seriously both triumphs. Their friendship is so carefully wrought on the page.
I can't wait to sell this book this fall.
Let me tell you, I loved this book so much my first instinct is just to leave a key smash.
Krupitsky's technical skill is astounding. We dip in and out of various characters heads, but it's done beautifully. The whole book is lyrically beautiful.
I'm a woman who has always loved mafia stories-The Godfather, The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, etc. Even before I read the author's notes I could see these influences in Krupitsky's writing. This is genre-breaking, though, in that Krupitsky's story is driven by the women in the Family.
Women in mafia stories are often mocked or overlooked. (Mama Corleone doesn't even have a name!) Krupitsky delves into the female perspective on the burgeoning mafia of the early 20th century and develops two generations of extraordinarily interesting, infuriating, and complex women who are just as real, dynamic, and interesting as the men carrying the guns.
Sofia and Antonia are seriously both triumphs. Their friendship is so carefully wrought on the page.
I can't wait to sell this book this fall.
November 25, 2021
All tell, no show and terribly slow. I skimmed to the end where at least there was less passivity. Not recommended. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
November 18, 2021
Highly disappointing. Characterization was so weak that it was hard to tell who was who. It was impossibly to picture the individual characters as they were all carbon copies with a major lack of dimension. God forbid we were given anything, even physical characteristics. Beyond being flat they had no narrative and I found myself wishing they would all have been killed. At least if all these unlikable people were killed off it would have been SOMETHING. Personally this book would have been better written in first person, rather than third. I think it would have made me feel more connected to anyone. I think this book would have been a five star novel, if only the writing style and perspective had been changed. The plot was so slow, the prose was so heavy and soupy. It was so muddled down with poetic mechanisms that I felt like I was reading through a fog. Heavy poetic prose with with very little actually happening. I felt so cheated. Their were so many huge historical happenings that were minimized or completely overlooked. Again this could have been an amazing story had the writing style been changed. My biggest gripe is the lack of action. I am not saying that I went into this book hoping their would be guns blazing, but dear god their wasn't even a fire, not even the scent of smoke. The entire plot followed the girls , who were written as if they were the exact same person. The entire plot was their lives where LITERALLY NOTHING HAPPENED. For a book about the mob their was very little, I was bored to tears. Their was no build, their was no sharp dialogue or likable characters, just page after page of overly perfumed poetic dabble. I found myself breathing a sign of relief at FINALLY reaching the end, not out of interest but from sheer determination, sheer dumb faith that this book might end well. Spoiler alert the sanguine ending fell flat, like a feather on the floor. The writing style was beautiful, but was totally lost against this backdrop. Save yourself the torture. If you are into generational dramas spanning decades with an actual PLOT try reading "The Nest" or "The Dearly Beloved."
November 7, 2021
This fell flat for me. I was intrigued by the story of two girls growing up in a mob family in the 1930s-1940s, but with every page I kept waiting for something to happen. This novel was not plot driven nor was it character driven.
January 13, 2022
I’m sure the intention of The Family was to be some sort of sweeping epic saga covering decades upon decades of the life of the Collichio crime family, but unfortunately the only thing I have to say about this one is . . . .
I’m not about having to read 300 pages to finally get a little bit of interesting. Okay, that’s a lie. While I wish I was not about that type of life the fact that I am incapable of a DNF means I totally live it. And sadly that was the case here. How in the holy hell can a dang MAFIA book be so boring? I mean they even ripped off The Godfather font for the cover page. Do you know what that would have meant back in my day???
I’m not about having to read 300 pages to finally get a little bit of interesting. Okay, that’s a lie. While I wish I was not about that type of life the fact that I am incapable of a DNF means I totally live it. And sadly that was the case here. How in the holy hell can a dang MAFIA book be so boring? I mean they even ripped off The Godfather font for the cover page. Do you know what that would have meant back in my day???
November 3, 2021
4.5 stars, rounded upward.
The cover grabbed me first, two women in vintage sweaters—no faces even—and the title written in Godfather font. Oh, heck yes. I need to read this thing. The author is a newbie about whom I know nothing, so I know it may be a recipe for disappointment. I’ve taken review copies this way in the past, and have regretted it, because of course, the cover doesn’t speak to the author’s ability. But old school mobster books are fun, and they’re thin on the ground these days, so I hold my breath as I take a chance…and hit the jackpot!
This is one of the year’s best works of historical fiction, and you should get it and read it. My thanks go to Net Galley and Putnam for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
Antonia and Sofia grow up together; their fathers are both mobsters, and their houses share a wall. Not only are they thrown together for Family events from early childhood forward, but their peers ostracize them in elementary school, their family’s reputations having preceded them, so for several years, they are each other’s only option. But it’s enough.
Our story starts in 1928, and it ends in 1948. We follow the girls through childhood, adolescence, and into their early adult years. At the outset, their fathers are best friends, until Carlos, Antonia’s daddy, starts skimming, covertly building a nest egg in the hope of making a new start far away with his little family, doing an honest job, and leaving the Family behind. His theft is, of course, detected, and he disappears; Joey, Sofia’s father, is promoted, and told to take care of Carlos’s widow and daughter. Thus, we have a clear, concrete reminder, right up front, that this is an ugly, violent business. The author’s note says she wants to demonstrate the strange way that violence and love can coexist, and she does that and more.
Those readers seeking a mob story full of chasing and shooting and scheming will do well to look elsewhere. We do find these things, of course, primarily in the second half, but the story’s focus is entirely on Sofia and Antonia. Whereas setting is important—and done nicely—the narrative’s fortune rises or sinks on character development, and Krupitsky does it right. These women become so real to me that toward the end, when some ominous foreshadowing suggests that devastating events are around the corner, I put the book down, stop reading it or anything else for half a day, and brood. I complain to my spouse. I complain to my daughter. And then, knowing that it’s publication day and I have an obligation, I return to face the music and finish the book. (And no. I’m not telling.)
My only concern, in the end, is a smallish smattering of revisionism that occurs during the last twenty percent of the novel. Knowing what gender roles and expectations are like in that time and place, I have to say that, while I can see one intrepid, independent female character stepping out of the mold, having multiple women do it to the degree I see it here is a reach.
Nevertheless, this is a badass book by a badass new talent, and Naomi Krupitsky proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. Get this book! Read it now.
The cover grabbed me first, two women in vintage sweaters—no faces even—and the title written in Godfather font. Oh, heck yes. I need to read this thing. The author is a newbie about whom I know nothing, so I know it may be a recipe for disappointment. I’ve taken review copies this way in the past, and have regretted it, because of course, the cover doesn’t speak to the author’s ability. But old school mobster books are fun, and they’re thin on the ground these days, so I hold my breath as I take a chance…and hit the jackpot!
This is one of the year’s best works of historical fiction, and you should get it and read it. My thanks go to Net Galley and Putnam for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
Antonia and Sofia grow up together; their fathers are both mobsters, and their houses share a wall. Not only are they thrown together for Family events from early childhood forward, but their peers ostracize them in elementary school, their family’s reputations having preceded them, so for several years, they are each other’s only option. But it’s enough.
Our story starts in 1928, and it ends in 1948. We follow the girls through childhood, adolescence, and into their early adult years. At the outset, their fathers are best friends, until Carlos, Antonia’s daddy, starts skimming, covertly building a nest egg in the hope of making a new start far away with his little family, doing an honest job, and leaving the Family behind. His theft is, of course, detected, and he disappears; Joey, Sofia’s father, is promoted, and told to take care of Carlos’s widow and daughter. Thus, we have a clear, concrete reminder, right up front, that this is an ugly, violent business. The author’s note says she wants to demonstrate the strange way that violence and love can coexist, and she does that and more.
Those readers seeking a mob story full of chasing and shooting and scheming will do well to look elsewhere. We do find these things, of course, primarily in the second half, but the story’s focus is entirely on Sofia and Antonia. Whereas setting is important—and done nicely—the narrative’s fortune rises or sinks on character development, and Krupitsky does it right. These women become so real to me that toward the end, when some ominous foreshadowing suggests that devastating events are around the corner, I put the book down, stop reading it or anything else for half a day, and brood. I complain to my spouse. I complain to my daughter. And then, knowing that it’s publication day and I have an obligation, I return to face the music and finish the book. (And no. I’m not telling.)
My only concern, in the end, is a smallish smattering of revisionism that occurs during the last twenty percent of the novel. Knowing what gender roles and expectations are like in that time and place, I have to say that, while I can see one intrepid, independent female character stepping out of the mold, having multiple women do it to the degree I see it here is a reach.
Nevertheless, this is a badass book by a badass new talent, and Naomi Krupitsky proves that she is a force to be reckoned with. Get this book! Read it now.
November 13, 2021
Author Naomi Krupitsky’s debut novel starts in the 1920s and goes through the late 1940s. Sofia Colicchio and Antonia Russo are best friends raised together. For most of their years growing up, they were each other’s only friend as it was well known in their Brooklyn neighborhood that their fathers were members of the local mob. “The Family.” The girls were simply told that their fathers’ jobs entailed “helping people.” They quickly learned that was not the case. The closeness of the two families ended when Antonia’s father disappeared. And once again, the children knew what that meant. Sofia’s father Joey earns a larger role in the organization and things will never be the same for the two friends. As the years progress, both Sofia and Antonia find love, marry, have children and have to come to terms with the life they were born into.
While it is clear that the mob members get involved in very bad behavior, the focus is on Sofia and Antonia and how their lives evolve and the conflicts they are faced with. The brutality that their loved ones are involved in take a back seat to the deep emotions they feel through the years. Regret, anger, love, disillusionment. The men come across very human as well. We get the sense that they all would choose a different path if given the chance. Like I believe Tony Soprano would have done.
The Family checks off many appealing boxes. It’s historical fiction. The story takes place in Brooklyn (where I was raised, so that’s a plus.) It is about friendship and family. And organized crime. What a combo! Krupitsky is an excellent writer and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
While it is clear that the mob members get involved in very bad behavior, the focus is on Sofia and Antonia and how their lives evolve and the conflicts they are faced with. The brutality that their loved ones are involved in take a back seat to the deep emotions they feel through the years. Regret, anger, love, disillusionment. The men come across very human as well. We get the sense that they all would choose a different path if given the chance. Like I believe Tony Soprano would have done.
The Family checks off many appealing boxes. It’s historical fiction. The story takes place in Brooklyn (where I was raised, so that’s a plus.) It is about friendship and family. And organized crime. What a combo! Krupitsky is an excellent writer and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
November 4, 2021
Telling not showing… argh
November 27, 2021
The only thing this book has in common with My Brilliant Friend is that both of the main characters are Italian females.
Ultimately this one just wasn't for me.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential but ended up falling short. It is written like a plot driven work but had no action whatsoever until the last pages.
Ultimately this one just wasn't for me.
I feel like this book had a lot of potential but ended up falling short. It is written like a plot driven work but had no action whatsoever until the last pages.
March 2, 2022
Two females from a mob family.
They grow up to become wives and mothers.
They both dream of “what could have been” if the Family were different, if they’re paths were different, but, alas they are not.
This book was slow and so I downloaded the audio version from my library.
The narrator was too monotone for my preference even if I sped up the listening time!
I couldn’t get close to either character, actually I couldn’t relate or get close to anyone in this book.
I think the Editor has done the author a miss service in her ability to edit this book add and takeaway from pages or adding valid suggestions to the author. The book lacked lustre and I almost put it down. And that’s very much not like me.
It’s basically a mob story with two women thrown in.
I could have done with more dialogue and some good excitement in there and I think, it could have peaked my interest more.
Even the narrator was getting on my nerves, I felt like charging her up as her batteries seemed like they needed changing and/or sticking a pin in her to give her more flexibility in her tone!
For anyone who liked this book I apologise and to the author but this is how I felt.
They grow up to become wives and mothers.
They both dream of “what could have been” if the Family were different, if they’re paths were different, but, alas they are not.
This book was slow and so I downloaded the audio version from my library.
The narrator was too monotone for my preference even if I sped up the listening time!
I couldn’t get close to either character, actually I couldn’t relate or get close to anyone in this book.
I think the Editor has done the author a miss service in her ability to edit this book add and takeaway from pages or adding valid suggestions to the author. The book lacked lustre and I almost put it down. And that’s very much not like me.
It’s basically a mob story with two women thrown in.
I could have done with more dialogue and some good excitement in there and I think, it could have peaked my interest more.
Even the narrator was getting on my nerves, I felt like charging her up as her batteries seemed like they needed changing and/or sticking a pin in her to give her more flexibility in her tone!
For anyone who liked this book I apologise and to the author but this is how I felt.
November 24, 2021
Wow, this is a really bad book. Poorly written and plotted, generic characters. I read some reviews that said the second half made the book worth the read, that would be false. Points of view were also poorly done.
Give this one a hard pass.
Give this one a hard pass.
November 9, 2021
If you're looking for a good mafia read look elsewhere. It feels like the bare minimum amount of research was actually done for this book regarding what the structure of a mafia family actually looks like. It was set from the 1930s to the late 1940s in Brooklyn and yet somehow aside from the mention of WWII I was constantly being taken out of the time period.
As someone who has read and consumed a lot of mafia fiction, this book just didn't do it for me. Having one of the leads named Joey? No one, in 1940's Brooklyn would be using that name for a mafia capo. Especially if he was off the boat, there's no doubt in my mind he would have stuck to using his Italian name Giuseppe. And that's if capo was even his rank. Nothing is ever outlined as to where Joey's family is in the Fizano crime structure.
Also incredibly unrealistic, Saul would not have been given the Colicchico surname and welcomed into the family after getting Sophia pregnant. They would have just killed him. On top of that, later on, Joey essentially hands over his entire operation to Saul. ON WHAT PLANET? As sharp as Saul is, he is still of Jewish descent, which by mafia standards means he could not go past a certain rank. But since we don't know if Joey was a capo or not, we don't know what position Saul actually held.
Look, I know this is a work of fiction, but if you're gonna write a mafia story at least look up the basic structure of these crime families.
As someone who has read and consumed a lot of mafia fiction, this book just didn't do it for me. Having one of the leads named Joey? No one, in 1940's Brooklyn would be using that name for a mafia capo. Especially if he was off the boat, there's no doubt in my mind he would have stuck to using his Italian name Giuseppe. And that's if capo was even his rank. Nothing is ever outlined as to where Joey's family is in the Fizano crime structure.
Also incredibly unrealistic, Saul would not have been given the Colicchico surname and welcomed into the family after getting Sophia pregnant. They would have just killed him. On top of that, later on, Joey essentially hands over his entire operation to Saul. ON WHAT PLANET? As sharp as Saul is, he is still of Jewish descent, which by mafia standards means he could not go past a certain rank. But since we don't know if Joey was a capo or not, we don't know what position Saul actually held.
Look, I know this is a work of fiction, but if you're gonna write a mafia story at least look up the basic structure of these crime families.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2021
This is a slow burn at the beginning but is totally worth hanging in there for the second half. This is obviously the first in a series and I wasn’t mad at that. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book and excited to see where these characters go. Highly recommend if you don’t mind waiting for the next installment.
May 11, 2022
Family is Everything
"If you can see me, I must be here!"
Antonia and Sofia, two friends since birth, different characters, different families but in the same job! Their fathers are Italian in New York, so this may remind you of THE GODFATHER, this is exactly what they do. When they got their daughter in arms for the first time, Antonia's father was shamed and Sofia's father bought a gun, this separated their destiny.
The story starts from 1928 till 1948, we know Antonia and Sofia as children, teenagers, wives, and mothers. They lived in a family then built one and try to protect. I really enjoyed the message of friendship and family.
The author beautifully built different characters with individual traits. Antonia a bookworm but Sofia is more like her father, a punch girl. They are likable, choose different paths, made mistakes, and got regret.
There were options that were never considered, and now it's too late. No matter what we choose, there is always this thought of "what if", my whole life would change, regret is a constant companion.
Excellent narrator, engaging story, great characters, plot and setting in a time of WWII in New York, so what is more needed for a book to get 5 stars?!
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio via NetGalley for giving me the chance of listening to The Family by Naomi Krupitsky, Narrated by Marin Ireland, I have given my honest review.
Duration: 9 Hours, 53 Minutes
"If you can see me, I must be here!"
Antonia and Sofia, two friends since birth, different characters, different families but in the same job! Their fathers are Italian in New York, so this may remind you of THE GODFATHER, this is exactly what they do. When they got their daughter in arms for the first time, Antonia's father was shamed and Sofia's father bought a gun, this separated their destiny.
The story starts from 1928 till 1948, we know Antonia and Sofia as children, teenagers, wives, and mothers. They lived in a family then built one and try to protect. I really enjoyed the message of friendship and family.
The author beautifully built different characters with individual traits. Antonia a bookworm but Sofia is more like her father, a punch girl. They are likable, choose different paths, made mistakes, and got regret.
There were options that were never considered, and now it's too late. No matter what we choose, there is always this thought of "what if", my whole life would change, regret is a constant companion.
Excellent narrator, engaging story, great characters, plot and setting in a time of WWII in New York, so what is more needed for a book to get 5 stars?!
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio via NetGalley for giving me the chance of listening to The Family by Naomi Krupitsky, Narrated by Marin Ireland, I have given my honest review.
Duration: 9 Hours, 53 Minutes
December 1, 2021
More like 4.5 for me.
I want to start by giving a huge thank you to @PutnamBooks for gifting me a copy of 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 by Naomi Krupitsky. This honestly wasn’t really a book I’d planned on reading. Historical fiction has been tricky for me since the start of the pandemic and the premise itself didn’t feel quite right for me. When the book came in the mail, I was immediately drawn to that cover, and sat down to read just a chapter or two. You probably know how it goes from there. I couldn't put the book down and ended up loving it.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 is surrounded by life in a WWII era Italian “Family,” but at its core it’s a story of the lifelong friendship between Sofia and Antonia, daughters of mobsters. They love their fathers and their families, but want different paths for their own lives.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭....𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.”
Debut author Krupitsky was masterful in developing these two characters and their complex, ever-changing, yet always enduring friendship. This was not an action packed story, to some it might even seem a little slow, but a deep, often dark, character-driven novel is exactly my kind of book!
I want to start by giving a huge thank you to @PutnamBooks for gifting me a copy of 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘 by Naomi Krupitsky. This honestly wasn’t really a book I’d planned on reading. Historical fiction has been tricky for me since the start of the pandemic and the premise itself didn’t feel quite right for me. When the book came in the mail, I was immediately drawn to that cover, and sat down to read just a chapter or two. You probably know how it goes from there. I couldn't put the book down and ended up loving it.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 is surrounded by life in a WWII era Italian “Family,” but at its core it’s a story of the lifelong friendship between Sofia and Antonia, daughters of mobsters. They love their fathers and their families, but want different paths for their own lives.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭....𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.”
Debut author Krupitsky was masterful in developing these two characters and their complex, ever-changing, yet always enduring friendship. This was not an action packed story, to some it might even seem a little slow, but a deep, often dark, character-driven novel is exactly my kind of book!
March 6, 2022
Enjoyable
“The Family” is a Coming-of-age type of story. However, it is different because it follows two good friends from as they play as children through their married lives.
It is an exceptional thing. Showing a mafia experience from the eyes of two wives. Different!
Enjoyable but not fantastic. .
“The Family” is a Coming-of-age type of story. However, it is different because it follows two good friends from as they play as children through their married lives.
It is an exceptional thing. Showing a mafia experience from the eyes of two wives. Different!
Enjoyable but not fantastic. .
Read
November 16, 2021I struggled with this one at first - I think it just wasn't what I was expecting, but I am so glad that I stuck with it, because I ended up loving it by the end! This character driven novel about two girls growing up in "The Family" in NYC during the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's is have your heart racing. At its core, it is a story about women, friendship, family, and what one will do for the people they love.
December 23, 2021
This book was written to be savored and I certainly did. It was rich and slow (in a beautiful way), and filled with gorgeous descriptions of life, love, and friendship. A sense of foreboding infused every page, but the conclusion came at a leisurely pace until suddenly I couldn't turn pages fast enough. Sofia and Antonia's friendship was truly the heartbeat of this book.
September 3, 2021
The daughters of Italian immigrants in 1920s Brooklyn, Antonia and Sofia are the closest of friends, more than sisters. They do not have any other friends because the neighbors know that their families are part of the Family, the mob. This seems like any other job the the girls until Antonia's father is called out for a walk with the boss and does not return.
Antonia is the last person in the world to imagine she would marry a Family man, but she does, as does Sofia. They both want more in their lives and will they find it? Or is it too dangerous?
"The Family" is written with a calm, powerful style, filled with the gravitas the Family men see themselves possessing. It is not a flamboyant book, but one focused on relationships, and a sense of history. There's a satisfying end, until you think about it for a minute and say, "oh, boy. Now what?"
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for access to this title.
Antonia is the last person in the world to imagine she would marry a Family man, but she does, as does Sofia. They both want more in their lives and will they find it? Or is it too dangerous?
"The Family" is written with a calm, powerful style, filled with the gravitas the Family men see themselves possessing. It is not a flamboyant book, but one focused on relationships, and a sense of history. There's a satisfying end, until you think about it for a minute and say, "oh, boy. Now what?"
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for access to this title.
November 29, 2021
First and foremost, a HUGE bookish thank you to Putnam for sending me a review copy, 'twas greatly appreciated!!!!
Alright, now queue the Frank Sinatra music and boil the water for the friggin' rigatoni!!!!
I am an avid reader of historical fiction and love a good coming-of-age story however The Family was as dull as the bread knife in my kitchen :(
I had such high hopes going into this book but I regret to inform you that this book was the equivalent of a marina sauce without any flavor. This novel was so painstakingly slow and character driven but lacking any emotional depth. It was quite anti-climatic. Did I binge read this book? Yes. Did Sofia Colicchio or Antonia Russo leave an imprint on my bookish soul? Sadly, no.
OKAY, OFF TO GO STRAIN THE PASTA! TAH-TAH!!!
Alright, now queue the Frank Sinatra music and boil the water for the friggin' rigatoni!!!!
I am an avid reader of historical fiction and love a good coming-of-age story however The Family was as dull as the bread knife in my kitchen :(
I had such high hopes going into this book but I regret to inform you that this book was the equivalent of a marina sauce without any flavor. This novel was so painstakingly slow and character driven but lacking any emotional depth. It was quite anti-climatic. Did I binge read this book? Yes. Did Sofia Colicchio or Antonia Russo leave an imprint on my bookish soul? Sadly, no.
OKAY, OFF TO GO STRAIN THE PASTA! TAH-TAH!!!
December 7, 2024
The Family by Naomi Krupitsky is a novel of friendship, loyalty, and betrayal as it exists within a Brooklyn mafia family. Sofia and Antonia, tied are united together by their fathers’ roles in the 1940s mafia. Together they live a life of certain expectations and dangerous secrets. This is a novel of power, identity, and the ultimate cost to belong. The novel definitely takes the reader through the twists and turns of living within the mafia, the high cost and what happens if one not only doesn’t follow the rules but tries to leave. This is not a fast paced novel. Nor is there any action. More like the life and times inside a mafia family in the 30 and 40s
October 22, 2021
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲.
𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬.
Sofia and Antonia are more than best friends, close as sisters from the beginning but not interchangeable. Living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, at the order of their fathers boss (in a business you know better than to talk about), the girls live next door to each other, and their families are close as blood relations, spending every possible moment together, knotted in the business. Loyalty to this family ‘is everything’. The girls parents understand how important it is to have a place where you belong, a community. Carlo, Antonia’s father, having arrived in America from Italy in the early 1900’s, with no knowledge of this new world, desperate to be shown the way and ease the hunger in his belly was lucky to find a ‘mentor’. Joey came over on the boat when he was a baby, his parent’s dream of finding roots in America lay heavy on his head. He learned fast how hard life is when you’re different and expected to ‘stick to your own’. Both do what they must for their children’s future, under the rule of Tommy. Sofia is wild as an animal and as free, so much like her important, dangerous father. Burning up with life, hungry to devour the world, she will not be broken. Antonia is the steady one, a good girl who would love nothing more than to feel as alive in her body, as lit up with passion and confidence as Sofia. Alongside her vibrant friend, she is someone else, freer, more real somehow. Antonia has a far better grasp on their world, intuiting the emotions, expressions of the people around her. Even seeing something inside Sofia that alarms her, for reasons she does not quite understand.
One morning, Carlo is gone. Once connected in the world of crime, you never get out. Antonia and her mother Lina are left with the lightning strike of loss. Lina blames ‘The Family’, refuses to be a part of it any longer. Despite the rift, Antonia remains close to Sophia’s growing family, though never feeling as safely ‘cocooned’ as her friend. There is life brewing at Sophia’s, where emptiness reigns supreme in her own home. Despite Lina’s blaming Joey, they still make sure that Lina and Antonia are well cared for. They come of age during the great depression, outsiders from the other children at school, tied as they are to the criminal syndicate. Through proximity and circumstance, they have only each other. Both wish to escape their restricted, narrow world.
High School finally gives Antonia a sort of anonymity she has been dying for. Antonia isn’t looking for a future others have outlined for women. She doesn’t want to end up in her own mother’s desperate circumstances. Yet, no longer enlivened by Sophia’s constant presence, separated in high school as happens, it is so much harder to be seen, to find definition. She turns to studying. Sophia becomes popular, going through boys and friends with an endless appetite. Testing limits, always. Both want to discard the demands being a woman puts on them, in this way they are the same. As they ride the waves on this ‘sea of change’, their friendship is paused but it waxes and wanes through time. They fall in love, infatuations, search for courage or ways to temper desires, through war, marriage, and children. The future they’ve made isn’t as either envisioned it, despite being the ones who made the choices that led them in their current roles. Both women breathe life into each other in surprising ways. How far have they escaped their origins? Why are there so many wounds and how to close them? Is there still a whiff of danger, threatening their happiness?
It is a story of friendship between women and the confines of society. The novel also highlights the price children pay for the choices their parents make. By the end, it is about resilience.
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Penguin Group
Putnam
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲.
𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬.
Sofia and Antonia are more than best friends, close as sisters from the beginning but not interchangeable. Living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook, at the order of their fathers boss (in a business you know better than to talk about), the girls live next door to each other, and their families are close as blood relations, spending every possible moment together, knotted in the business. Loyalty to this family ‘is everything’. The girls parents understand how important it is to have a place where you belong, a community. Carlo, Antonia’s father, having arrived in America from Italy in the early 1900’s, with no knowledge of this new world, desperate to be shown the way and ease the hunger in his belly was lucky to find a ‘mentor’. Joey came over on the boat when he was a baby, his parent’s dream of finding roots in America lay heavy on his head. He learned fast how hard life is when you’re different and expected to ‘stick to your own’. Both do what they must for their children’s future, under the rule of Tommy. Sofia is wild as an animal and as free, so much like her important, dangerous father. Burning up with life, hungry to devour the world, she will not be broken. Antonia is the steady one, a good girl who would love nothing more than to feel as alive in her body, as lit up with passion and confidence as Sofia. Alongside her vibrant friend, she is someone else, freer, more real somehow. Antonia has a far better grasp on their world, intuiting the emotions, expressions of the people around her. Even seeing something inside Sofia that alarms her, for reasons she does not quite understand.
One morning, Carlo is gone. Once connected in the world of crime, you never get out. Antonia and her mother Lina are left with the lightning strike of loss. Lina blames ‘The Family’, refuses to be a part of it any longer. Despite the rift, Antonia remains close to Sophia’s growing family, though never feeling as safely ‘cocooned’ as her friend. There is life brewing at Sophia’s, where emptiness reigns supreme in her own home. Despite Lina’s blaming Joey, they still make sure that Lina and Antonia are well cared for. They come of age during the great depression, outsiders from the other children at school, tied as they are to the criminal syndicate. Through proximity and circumstance, they have only each other. Both wish to escape their restricted, narrow world.
High School finally gives Antonia a sort of anonymity she has been dying for. Antonia isn’t looking for a future others have outlined for women. She doesn’t want to end up in her own mother’s desperate circumstances. Yet, no longer enlivened by Sophia’s constant presence, separated in high school as happens, it is so much harder to be seen, to find definition. She turns to studying. Sophia becomes popular, going through boys and friends with an endless appetite. Testing limits, always. Both want to discard the demands being a woman puts on them, in this way they are the same. As they ride the waves on this ‘sea of change’, their friendship is paused but it waxes and wanes through time. They fall in love, infatuations, search for courage or ways to temper desires, through war, marriage, and children. The future they’ve made isn’t as either envisioned it, despite being the ones who made the choices that led them in their current roles. Both women breathe life into each other in surprising ways. How far have they escaped their origins? Why are there so many wounds and how to close them? Is there still a whiff of danger, threatening their happiness?
It is a story of friendship between women and the confines of society. The novel also highlights the price children pay for the choices their parents make. By the end, it is about resilience.
Publication Date: November 2, 2021
Penguin Group
Putnam
August 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. I mean, how can you not with Marin Ireland in the house?
This is a novel about family, both in the traditional sense, and a bit in the Sicilian mafia sense.
I enjoyed the girls' journey growing up and was invested in their lives. I do wish it had been a bit more about them as individuals than about the way the men in their lives changed things. That may have been a bit of the point, to show the lack of control most women held at the time, in the place, in the culture, and in the danger.
I did wish to have a bit more of a look into the mafia itself than was given, but it was a good read overall.
My favorite quote was:
"He never intended be the kind of man that would cause such regular small-scale domestic depression"
This was a great look at motherhood and the small powers you can grasp as both a wife and a woman.
Solid 4 Stars for me.
This is a novel about family, both in the traditional sense, and a bit in the Sicilian mafia sense.
I enjoyed the girls' journey growing up and was invested in their lives. I do wish it had been a bit more about them as individuals than about the way the men in their lives changed things. That may have been a bit of the point, to show the lack of control most women held at the time, in the place, in the culture, and in the danger.
I did wish to have a bit more of a look into the mafia itself than was given, but it was a good read overall.
My favorite quote was:
"He never intended be the kind of man that would cause such regular small-scale domestic depression"
This was a great look at motherhood and the small powers you can grasp as both a wife and a woman.
Solid 4 Stars for me.
April 26, 2021
I liked this book right up until the end - I liked Saul especially - but the story moved so, so slowly that by the end I had kind of given up interest. OK I admit I also finished this book on a Friday night and my wine consumption may have interfered with my reading comprehension.
August 7, 2022
So i was in between a 3 and 4 star rating. Overall I really liked the book, the characters, the story. There were many times in the book I thought it was going to go in a different direction. The ending is what was going to push my rating down to 3 stars. It just seemed to abruptly stop and there were too many loose ends. But the overall story was strong enough for me.
September 25, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
Naomi Krupitsky’s debut novel is a literary historical fiction composition that deposits the reader into times gone by when the Italian mafia ruled the world. The Family closely follows the long standing friendship and lives of two women, in a strong character focussed meditation.
Situated in Brooklyn during the 1920s through to the 1940s, The Family is an evolution story that zones in on the lives of two daughters from two well-known Italian mafia families. The first key character we meet is Sofia, a fiery and independent girl who longs to live a free life. Then there is Antonia, a quiet and pensive girl, who likes to watch the world go by. The girls have been connected together since they were babies thanks to the business of their fathers, which is known as the family. Together, the girls have forged a bond over family gatherings and business meetings. But the shock disappearance of Antonia’s father creates a deep divide between the girls which seeps over into adulthood. Despite the challenges of their lives and relationships, the girls continue to be a part of each other’s lives. However, when both tragedy and fate intervene, this long-standing friendship will be challenged. What will happen and what choices have to be made?
Author, editor and bookseller Naomi Krupitsky proudly released her debut novel The Family in October of 2021. I have to confess that this one has been sitting in my folder of downloaded audio books since January 2022, after I read an enticing review of Krupitsky’s first novel by my favourite book reviewer. After a few stop starts with this particular audiobook narrated by Marin Ireland, I finally managed to clear The Family from my play list.
I did read in Theresa Smith’s wonderful and helpful review that The Family is not a book for everyone. I made sure that I went in with an open mind and I was aware that I might either adore this one, or not warm to The Family at all. I think I’m kind of on the fence with The Family. I’m not sure if it was my cup of tea. It’s very Elena Ferrante crossed with Sopranos-ish. Even Godfather like. But The Family concerns itself more with drawn out character studies and lots of protagonist introspection time, rather than full blown action. The Family is a slow burn and I did honestly struggle with the pace. It is well written though and the prose is carefully formed.
In terms of setting, time and place, Krupitsky nails this aspect. I did feel like I was walking the streets of Brooklyn and experiencing life as ‘the family’. We are made to feel part of the shenanigans, both good and bad of this community group. I don’t think I’ve read anything based around the Italian mafia before so it was quite an eye-opening experience. What reigns supreme in this novel is the friendship between Antonia and Sofia, along with their respective coming-of-age stories.
The audible narration was pitched nicely and the writing well placed, it just was a shame that I didn’t fully attach myself to The Family. If you are fond of heavy protagonist filled tales with a literary tinge and a strong historical angle, add this one to your booklist.
3.5 stars
Naomi Krupitsky’s debut novel is a literary historical fiction composition that deposits the reader into times gone by when the Italian mafia ruled the world. The Family closely follows the long standing friendship and lives of two women, in a strong character focussed meditation.
Situated in Brooklyn during the 1920s through to the 1940s, The Family is an evolution story that zones in on the lives of two daughters from two well-known Italian mafia families. The first key character we meet is Sofia, a fiery and independent girl who longs to live a free life. Then there is Antonia, a quiet and pensive girl, who likes to watch the world go by. The girls have been connected together since they were babies thanks to the business of their fathers, which is known as the family. Together, the girls have forged a bond over family gatherings and business meetings. But the shock disappearance of Antonia’s father creates a deep divide between the girls which seeps over into adulthood. Despite the challenges of their lives and relationships, the girls continue to be a part of each other’s lives. However, when both tragedy and fate intervene, this long-standing friendship will be challenged. What will happen and what choices have to be made?
Author, editor and bookseller Naomi Krupitsky proudly released her debut novel The Family in October of 2021. I have to confess that this one has been sitting in my folder of downloaded audio books since January 2022, after I read an enticing review of Krupitsky’s first novel by my favourite book reviewer. After a few stop starts with this particular audiobook narrated by Marin Ireland, I finally managed to clear The Family from my play list.
I did read in Theresa Smith’s wonderful and helpful review that The Family is not a book for everyone. I made sure that I went in with an open mind and I was aware that I might either adore this one, or not warm to The Family at all. I think I’m kind of on the fence with The Family. I’m not sure if it was my cup of tea. It’s very Elena Ferrante crossed with Sopranos-ish. Even Godfather like. But The Family concerns itself more with drawn out character studies and lots of protagonist introspection time, rather than full blown action. The Family is a slow burn and I did honestly struggle with the pace. It is well written though and the prose is carefully formed.
In terms of setting, time and place, Krupitsky nails this aspect. I did feel like I was walking the streets of Brooklyn and experiencing life as ‘the family’. We are made to feel part of the shenanigans, both good and bad of this community group. I don’t think I’ve read anything based around the Italian mafia before so it was quite an eye-opening experience. What reigns supreme in this novel is the friendship between Antonia and Sofia, along with their respective coming-of-age stories.
The audible narration was pitched nicely and the writing well placed, it just was a shame that I didn’t fully attach myself to The Family. If you are fond of heavy protagonist filled tales with a literary tinge and a strong historical angle, add this one to your booklist.
September 28, 2021
Sofia and Antonia and the Italian Mafia
This is not another mafia story. The angle focuses on two girls, Sofia and Antonia, the former the daughter of the head of The Family. Close, devoted friends form birth, these best friends are an example of a strong, almost unbreakable bond. They know each other well, their strengths and weaknesses. They are different, however, and have spent their short lifetimes not judging each other (most of the time).
Sofia Colicchio is more of a free spirit, but she is allowed her small transgressions because her father, Joey, is the head of the Family. Antonia thinks on a deeper level and is more observant of others’ travails. Antonia’s father, Carlo, is also part of the “mob,” but when he dared to carve out a different life for himself, he “disappeared.”
I’ve read many mafia family stories but Krupitsky’s positioning reminded me of Elena Ferrante and her saga of two best girlfriends. It is more than those that have and the have-nots. This story is complex because the Sofia and Antonia represent a more modern woman, who can fashion a life for herself or dare to marry a Jewish man or a young Italian whose goal is to climb to the Family’s power ladder.
The author emphasizes the other main characters, also. Rosa, the wife of Joey, and Lina, the widow of Carlo. They, too were the best of friends, until Carlo was gone. Lina’s suffering jarred me and her pain seeped into her daughter’s life, with little remorse. There are many facets to the Family but there is a common theme, similar to the dialogue I’ve seen in the movies. Those in power play a conversational game, they are polite, asking about their families, expecting total respect and one never knows what they did or what killing they are planning. These men play the politeness game; the women are more forthright, some accepting and loyal, some are not.
The story takes place in New York with their territories always vying for power. It is complex but does not compare to the intricacy of Sofia and Antonia’s friendship. There is more than mafia entanglements in this book. Krupitsky did a deft job of postpartum depression and the depths of character of a Jewish boy caught up in this clique. It is a strong story with profound characterizations. The title The Family lacks originality and does not set it apart from other mafia books. She needed a better book title, I was surprised that she chose a common one. The title could deter readers. However, I recommend the book.
My gratitude to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is not another mafia story. The angle focuses on two girls, Sofia and Antonia, the former the daughter of the head of The Family. Close, devoted friends form birth, these best friends are an example of a strong, almost unbreakable bond. They know each other well, their strengths and weaknesses. They are different, however, and have spent their short lifetimes not judging each other (most of the time).
Sofia Colicchio is more of a free spirit, but she is allowed her small transgressions because her father, Joey, is the head of the Family. Antonia thinks on a deeper level and is more observant of others’ travails. Antonia’s father, Carlo, is also part of the “mob,” but when he dared to carve out a different life for himself, he “disappeared.”
I’ve read many mafia family stories but Krupitsky’s positioning reminded me of Elena Ferrante and her saga of two best girlfriends. It is more than those that have and the have-nots. This story is complex because the Sofia and Antonia represent a more modern woman, who can fashion a life for herself or dare to marry a Jewish man or a young Italian whose goal is to climb to the Family’s power ladder.
The author emphasizes the other main characters, also. Rosa, the wife of Joey, and Lina, the widow of Carlo. They, too were the best of friends, until Carlo was gone. Lina’s suffering jarred me and her pain seeped into her daughter’s life, with little remorse. There are many facets to the Family but there is a common theme, similar to the dialogue I’ve seen in the movies. Those in power play a conversational game, they are polite, asking about their families, expecting total respect and one never knows what they did or what killing they are planning. These men play the politeness game; the women are more forthright, some accepting and loyal, some are not.
The story takes place in New York with their territories always vying for power. It is complex but does not compare to the intricacy of Sofia and Antonia’s friendship. There is more than mafia entanglements in this book. Krupitsky did a deft job of postpartum depression and the depths of character of a Jewish boy caught up in this clique. It is a strong story with profound characterizations. The title The Family lacks originality and does not set it apart from other mafia books. She needed a better book title, I was surprised that she chose a common one. The title could deter readers. However, I recommend the book.
My gratitude to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 2, 2022
Elena Ferrante! Doesn't she wish.
Oh could I say a lot about this one. But I am going to refrain myself. It's not easy.
This Book 1 had some potential. Each successive Book number after that proceeded downhill. It's told in a present tense third person narrator style that absolutely does not work. Telling, telling, telling. Repeating, repeating, repeating. Fuming emotive, effusive volcanos or collapses. Hiding bitterness of memory- and STILL you do not know these women. Men are mere physical or smirk or haughty description.
And the ending?
This is a perfect example too of writing only about what you "know about". The absence of cultural core subjectives in their speech patterns and in their practical applications here in reactions are nearly make believe. Sicilian women are quite often tougher, more manipulative than the men are. Pawns and dependents? Ha-ha-ha!
Enough said. My exact modes of time periods and ethnic identity composites too on top of it! Well it's uphill from here for 2022.
Oh could I say a lot about this one. But I am going to refrain myself. It's not easy.
This Book 1 had some potential. Each successive Book number after that proceeded downhill. It's told in a present tense third person narrator style that absolutely does not work. Telling, telling, telling. Repeating, repeating, repeating. Fuming emotive, effusive volcanos or collapses. Hiding bitterness of memory- and STILL you do not know these women. Men are mere physical or smirk or haughty description.
And the ending?
This is a perfect example too of writing only about what you "know about". The absence of cultural core subjectives in their speech patterns and in their practical applications here in reactions are nearly make believe. Sicilian women are quite often tougher, more manipulative than the men are. Pawns and dependents? Ha-ha-ha!
Enough said. My exact modes of time periods and ethnic identity composites too on top of it! Well it's uphill from here for 2022.
January 11, 2022
I had such high hopes for this book.....
But what can you do?!?
It was just so slow 🐌.......and honestly it felt like nothing happened....I was expecting all this crazy mafia family drama and let me tell you, I was severely disappointed 😞! There was two " big" things that happened throughout the book. The first quarter of the book led up to the first thing and then the rest of the book was filler til you got to the end, and then the second big thing happened!
So that was a disappointing first read of 2022.....onto the next!!! Hopefully it will be better!
But what can you do?!?
It was just so slow 🐌.......and honestly it felt like nothing happened....I was expecting all this crazy mafia family drama and let me tell you, I was severely disappointed 😞! There was two " big" things that happened throughout the book. The first quarter of the book led up to the first thing and then the rest of the book was filler til you got to the end, and then the second big thing happened!
So that was a disappointing first read of 2022.....onto the next!!! Hopefully it will be better!
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