Naomi Krupitsky

Dass die Familie im Mafia-Milieu über allem steht, wissen wir schon aus vielen anderen Büchern und Filmen. Doch in diesem Buch geht es weniger um die Männer das Clans, als um die Frauen, die loyal sein sollen, nicht alles wissen müssen, aber zu schweigen haben.
Antonia und Sofia wachsen auf wie Schwestern und sind beste Freundinnen. Antonias Vater möchte irgendwann ein Leben außerhalb der „Familie“ führen. Doch das ist unmöglich, er verschwindet spurlos. Das hat Auswirkungen auf die Freundschaft der Frauen
Die Geschichte liest sich gut, aber ich hätte in diesem Umfeld mehr Spannung erwartet.
Die Charaktere sind gut gezeichnet. Man erlebt die Mädchen von Kindesbeinen an und wie sie sich entwickeln. Die beiden sind sehr unterschiedlich. Sie freunden sich an, auch weil sie gar keine Möglichkeit haben außerhalb der Familien Kontakte zu knüpfen. Sie wachsen behütet auf, spüren aber auch, dass es vieles gibt, was sie nicht begreifen und das ihnen niemand erklären wird. Es gibt Regeln, die man nicht in Frage stellt und an die man sich zu halten hat. Als junge Frauen träumen sie davon, dieses Leben hinter sich zu lassen, doch mit ihrer Heirat verfestigen sie die Situation.
Ich war gespannt darauf, wie diese Geschichte sich entwickelt und wie sie ausgeht. Das Ende ist recht abrupt und hat mich etwas enttäuscht.
So ganz wurden meine Erwartungen nicht erfüllt, aber dennoch ein interessanter Roman.… (mere)

This is a hard one for me to rate. I'm still deciding how I feel about it.
The story was interesting, but very slow. This last chapter was pretty intense, but until that point, I felt like I was reading because I knew SOMETHING was going to happen, but I didn't know what. I didn't particularly like the writing style, but I can't put my finger on anything specific about it that I didn't like. It just wasn't holding my interest well.

I did bond with characters, and cared what happened to them. I just wish it would have happened a little soon. The final chapters had me on edge, but the ending was a little lacking. I was happy with what happened, but it felt incomplete. I don't want to give spoilers, so I can only ask; what happens next?

This wasn't a page turner, but it was a pretty good story—especially for those who enjoyed The Godfather and The Sopranos.… (mere)

This book seemed to take it's jolly old time to get anywhere, and I almost put it down a number of times. I didn't like the characters much either. Sofia, in particular, grated on my nerves. But I persevered and about 2/3 of the way through the book started to get interesting and held my attention. That is what brings it up from 2 stars to 3 stars in this review. There is an underlying tone of menace running throughout the entire book. And, taking the subject matter into account, it makes the book even more chilling. It certainly gives an insider look at the machinations of a mob Family, which is inextricably tied to the families of each individual affiliated with The Family. It is also a good portrayal of what life was like on the insalubrious side of Brooklyn during the time of the Second World War and just after the war has ended. There is a lot of insight into motherhood and friendship as well in the book. It made me uneasy, and perhaps that was why it was so difficult to maintain a steady pace reading it. There is no overt violence anywhere in the book, but it is inferred throughout-- so much so that it almost becomes a character in the story. Krupitsky does a good job of showing the strength and resilience of women, especially those who live under the strict rules and morals of The Family. This is not an easy read. It's very unsettling, and nerve-wracking,-just like the families within The Family and how these families lived, loved, and survived (or did not survive).depending on the situation. No one is safe, and no one rests easy in the world of mobs, gangs, contract killings and crime.… (mere)