A brilliant and intriguing look at the formation of the cosa nostra spanning a volatile period in Italy's history. I was thoroughly hooked. It is brutal and yet rich in detail of slavery and poverty and prisons. It also has passion and betrayals and the quest for power.

A very gripping read! I watched 'The Godfather' many year's ago and admit that i wasn't keen on the movie back then. I suppose my taste has changed over the year's, as i do enjoy reading fiction/non fiction involving the Mafia.

I can certainly recommend this powerful novel. It is the first time that I have read any novels by this author and basing on this book alone, I cannot wait to read more by Crozier Green.

I received this novel via Netgalley and this was my honest review.

Reviews can be seen on Goodreads and Amazon.

This an excellent story of the mafia in Sicily in the nineteenth century. Taking you from the sulfur mines, to prisons, and the life in the village and the men who control the jobs. There are celebrations, payoffs, back stabbing, knife fights, and prison breaks. There is also a love story but she does not want to marry the man her father picked for her so he sent him to prison. The daughter Gabriela is the cause for much turmoil, but the story really follows the life of young pick-man Tommaso. Through his life you follow his hardships, and defeats. Until a day that he is chosen to kill one of the hogs for the celebration in the village. Then after witnessing a knife fight he must not only defend his life but also Gabriela’s. Both of these happening on the same day you begin to see a change and that is also when his life turns, and the power of the Gabriela’s father has him sent to prison on a lie, not knowing this until after he is at the prison. A very good story and all of the questions you have at the beginning are answered at the end with a few surprises. The characters are well developed and overall this is a very good story with a lot of detail.