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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy
Minor: Antisemitism
All tell, no show. There was very little action until the final scene of the book -- literally. The slow build did add a lot of power to the main characters' conclusion, but it was definitely a long and winding path to get there.
This is my favorite book i’ve read this year (so far) and now one of my all time favorite books. I would say it has the prose and story style of a Donna Tartt book and, fittingly, The Family now ranks up with Secret History as one of my top-most lyrical, beautifully written, re-readable books. Also like TSH, it is filled with characters you both love and hate equally and don’t ever feel like you fully understand. In a good way.
After reading a really disappointing and, frankly, offensive mafia romance book I craved a story that dealt with Italian American crime families with more (any) nuance and this book satisfied that craving and more. Don’t read it if you are looking for an intense, plot-driven gangster movie and don’t read it if you are looking for some sort of steamy forbidden romance (though that does still play a role, interestingly).
DO read it if you are looking for a really, really well-done historical fiction about Italian American families (and Families) in WWII era New York, a nuanced depiction of organized crime and the benefits and the toll it took on particularly Italian women, a deeply evocative coming of age story about female friendship, and/or a prose so rich it borders on poetry at times.
After reading a really disappointing and, frankly, offensive mafia romance book I craved a story that dealt with Italian American crime families with more (any) nuance and this book satisfied that craving and more. Don’t read it if you are looking for an intense, plot-driven gangster movie and don’t read it if you are looking for some sort of steamy forbidden romance (though that does still play a role, interestingly).
DO read it if you are looking for a really, really well-done historical fiction about Italian American families (and Families) in WWII era New York, a nuanced depiction of organized crime and the benefits and the toll it took on particularly Italian women, a deeply evocative coming of age story about female friendship, and/or a prose so rich it borders on poetry at times.
Loved the family saga, the beautiful writing and the way it made me feel Sopranos and Godfather all over again. I can’t believe that this was her first book!
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
More of a 3.75. This focuses on two main characters, Antonia and Sofia, as they grow up together in a mob family. With this being a literary fiction book, it is character-driven rather than plot-driven. There isn’t a lot of action that happens here until the end. With that being said, this kept my interest, and I enjoyed reading about the characters. I don’t know that I’ll think about this book for months on end or anything, but I liked it for what it was. It tackled some topics such as postpartum depression, grief after losing a loved one, and generational trauma.
If I was feeling generous, I might say this book is an author’s attempt at a character study, bringing humanity to a collection of individuals who might otherwise be difficult to sympathize with. But when that author thanks The Godfather and The Sopranos in their book-end acknowledgments, it’s hard not to believe that this attempt was just plain lazy. This book failed to integrate historical context in a way that would feel stimulating, and in general it lacked plot - so you are just reading about people for hundreds of pages, and in a way that is consumed with appearing profound more than actually being profound. And as someone with turn of the 20th century southern Italian/Sicilian roots, it was immediately clear that the author has zero authentic understanding of this identity, and that, quite frankly, just pissed me off. This book is really not worth the time.
The Family had an incredibly slow start… I was waiting for over 200 pages for the good to get going! It had an interesting written perspective switching between different characters point of view throughout the chapters. I did enjoy the final chunk of the book, I just wish there was more action sooner.
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