A coming-of-age book set in Brooklyn about two best friends growing up in the mafia, meant to read slowly and savor. Perfect for fans of Elena Ferrante.

I really wanted to love this book but it just dragged so much. The character development could have been so much more than what it was.

Naomi Krupitsky’s novel The Family follows two friends—Sofia and Antonia— living in Brooklyn from childhood to adulthood. And while their friendship and family dynamics are certainly pivotal to the book, “the family” actually refers to a different sort of family—the mafia that their fathers work for.

The mafia has captured the imaginations of numerous writers over the years, but the lesser known role that women played within it piqued Krupitsky’s interest.

I recently spoke with Naomi Krupitsky about her research on the mafia and her writing process. Here’s our conversation.

“The Family” is a debut novel from Naomi Krupitsky (published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons). Daughters from two families, both in the Italian mafia, Sofia Colicchio and Antonia Russo become the best of friends. Set in Brooklyn during the 1940s, their families gather on Sundays for dinner. The men discuss “business” and their wives and children build connections.
When Antonia’s father disappears, the relationship between the girls becomes strained, but they struggle through their teenage years and become wives and mothers. Antonia married Paolo; Sofia marries Saul. Both want something more from life.
Krupitsky offers a powerful coming-of-age story.

This one was slow. I don't know if my expectations were not set correctly or if the book just fell flat.

A story about two families and the ties that bind. Two best friends raised in "the family" have to decide where their loyalty lies.

There is family, and then there is Family. Krupitsky takes a familiar American narrative—growing up in the Mafia in the middle of the 20th century—and with lyrical, dreamlike prose, transforms it into a story of finding one’s place in the wider world. Antonia and Sofia are dazzling creations, intelligent, passionate women who begin their lives knowing what is expected of them as daughters of the Family, but find, through their deep bond of friendship, a way to redefine themselves.

Impulsive, passionate Sofia is the cherished daughter of Brooklyn underboss Joey Colicchio, and shy, practical Antonia the less-privileged daughter of Joey’s friend and henchman Carlo Russo. Growing up in adjoining apartments, the two are not only friends but the centerpoints of each other’s chaotic lives. “If I can see you, I must be here,” is the poignant repeated phrase that describes the way their connection offers an identity denied them in a culture where most women are invisible. Both girls live a “normal” life in 1930s Italian American New York, but the bond between them is strained when Antonia’s father attempts to leave the Family and disappears. The ripples from this tragedy affect their lives for the next twenty years, as both women find themselves wanting more than the narrowly defined roles they have inherited as their fathers’ daughters.

The heroines are the center of the novel but not the only voices—their parents and husbands get to tell their stories as well, creating a rich portrait of a culture suspended between Old World traditions and modern pressures. Krupitsky’s confident style adds a satisfying literary dimension to the often-told tale of how the Mafia tested family loyalties. It’s hard to believe the author is a California native and that this is her first published work; her love of New York and its 20th-century history have created an authentic, moving novel.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

This was one of the worst books I have ever attempted to read. So boring and slow. All of the characters were the same.

The Family follows Antonia and Sofia, two best friends from birth connected by the Family (aka the mafia). When Antonia’s father tries to get out, he mysteriously disappears. The book follows them throughout their lives - first as children, then teenagers and even wives and mothers. It is reminiscent of The Godfather, only with female protagonists.

This one is character driven and can move slow at times, but has so much emotion and drama woven throughout. It was interesting to see how their friendship morphed throughout their lives and the role The Family played in different stages of their lives as well. This one had so much potential but it was so slow moving that it distracted from the story.

All of my family is Italian -- my parents grew up in the Bronx, so I connected with this book immediately. I'm also a huge fan of family dramas.

Sofia Colicchio and Antonia Russo have been best friends since they could remember. The girls' parents are close and the two families are either at one of their Brooklyn apartments. Both of their fathers are part of the mafia -- so they know that some things need not be spoken about. One summer the two family's go for a beach vacation and Antonia's father "disappears." It has to do with the Family. Things are not the same after that -- Antonia's mother rarely leaves the apartment, although she is cared for financially. Antonia still goes to Sofia's every Sunday for large extended "family" dinners, but the girls drift apart.

The book follows Sofia and Antonia as they come of age, get married and become mothers. Both of them expect to forge a life outside of the Family, but things don't always turn out the way we think

I really enjoyed this one although the ending..... First, the character-driven story was great and I loved Sofia and Antonia as different as they were. I've seen people say it was slow, but not for me. If you like We Are The Brennans, you will probably like this book as it has the same deep character study aspect to it.

A book of contrasts: quiet and explosive at the same time, restrained and expansive The writing feels remote but paints an intimate picture of two women, as their friendship ebbs and flows over time, as they struggle with lack of agency and dependence upon the dangerous men in their lives.

It made me sad. I loved it.

I absolutely loved this novel. Being able to watch the two friends grow up and become adults was very interesting and engaging. I just wanted to read more and more.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A brilliantly crafted evolution of friendship, love, and growing up in the mafia.

THE FAMILY is a stunningly written debut novel by Naomi Krupitsky. The author weaves together a coming-of-age tale of two young girls with the ever-changing community and culture of Brooklyn spanning from 1928 to 1948.

What was so gripping about this novel is the characters and how Krupitsky breathes life into Sofia and Antonia. Their lives, their experiences, and the progression of their friendship all seem to come from a real and honest place. Both Sofia and Antonia have their happy moments as well as deep struggles. Yet, they are able to ground each other and work through it all.

Another aspect of the book is the background of the mafia in Brooklyn throughout the years which is brilliantly threaded into the lives of all the characters within these pages. In the beginning, it is the way the young girls are treated in school. Then, when they fall in love and the simple fact that their husbands are in the life and how it changes the personalities of the men. Even at the very end of the book, the traditions, culture, and violence of the mob are present in their world.

All in all, this is a vividly constructed narrative that brings together all the best and worst of who we are as humans. The development of the plot, as well as the characters, will keep you reading until the very end. I cannot wait to see what Krupitsky comes up with next.

☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ + 1/2

I love a good Mafia story but so few are from the perspective of women. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗬 by Naomi Krupitsky, with its title in the 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 title font and WWII-era NYC setting, changes that. Centering on two best friends, Sofia and Antonia, whose fates are tied to their fathers' roles in "The Family," it's a unique take on what life is like for the daughters, mothers and wives of made men.

What I loved about this book is how character-driven it is. That being said, it also makes for a very slow burn. The first half of the book is glacially paced but it feels intentional as it builds a feeling of dread in the reader like the characters must have felt. The last half is more action-packed and really pays off the relationships and tension that was previously established. I found the ending both satisfying and intriguingly open-ended as it leaves the door open for more to Sofia and Antonia's stories which I, for one, would love to read.

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Review will be posted on 12/9/2021

It's 1920s in Brooklyn and Sofia Colicchio and Antonia Russo are best friends. They are growing up together as their fathers are involved in the mob. Sofia and Antonia are opposites though. Sofia is impulsive, popular, and always testing the boundaries, whereas Antonia is bookish and thinks about things a bit more. Their parents' weekly Sunday dinners also bind the two families together until tragedy strikes. Antonia's father "disappears" and this forever changes her life. Her mother never really gets over it and folds into herself leaving Antonia to figure things out for herself. Antonia's mother blames the "Family," but knows she needs the the Family's help to survive. As the years go by and the girls age, they question their futures. Will they just get married and have kids? Is that all there is? Can they ever leave the Family? Naomi Krupitsky's The Family is a promising debut that examines friendship, family, and loyalty.

I really liked Antonia in The Family and my heart went out to her. She lost her dad unexpectedly and her mother is severely lacking. She can't seem to pick herself up and start her life over and instead lives in the shadows. Because of this, Antonia finds herself relying on Sofia and her family more and more. She knows she can count on her friendship with Sofia as well as their reliable Sunday dinners. As they get older, Antonia has plans for herself, but is drawn to a young man who works for the Family. Will she ever be able to break free? Sophia starts asking herself the same question as the years go on, but then starts wondering if she really wants to? What's her role in the Family? Both women have their gender in common in an Italian American world where women are second class citizens. Maybe they can change that? But as the years go on, they find themselves falling into the traditional gender roles and expectations.

The first half of The Family is pretty slow. I had a tough time getting into it, but once things started to pick up, I was hooked. I especially appreciated the thematic similarities to Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend. If you like that series, you will appreciate this debut despite the fact that it doesn't dig as deep as Ferrante.

I also appreciated Krupitsky's ability to examine gender and its role in the Italian American world as well as the time period. There's so many limitations for the women and Krupitsky examines how women are treated by society, by their spouses, how difficult it is to gain independence, and the trials and tribulations of motherhood.

While the ending was a bit over the top, I still appreciated The Family overall and how it showcases the cost of the American dream.

This novel is not at all what I expected. What I thought would be a gritty Godfather or Sopranos type story ended up being one of the best stories about female friendship I have ever read. This novel was so beautifully written and I loved the full cast of characters. One particular part of the book will stick with me forever but I don't want to give anything away to anyone wanting to read it. A stellar debut that puts Naomi Krupitsky on my list of "authors to watch."

The Family by Noami Krupitsky, follows the life of two female characters growing up in the Red Hook neighborhood of New York. Sofia and Antonia are best friends who live next to each other and both have fathers who are "in the family". Their father's occupations separate them from the rest of the children at school, but bond them together in ways that will shape their whole lives. The story progresses from the 1930s to the 1940s, having the girls evolve from school aged girls, to high school students, to young adults falling in love, to young women figuring out what it means to be a woman with individual wants and desires, but the responsibilities of womanhood as defined by the time, the geographical area, the Italian identities and their frienships.

I enjoyed reading about the evolution of their friendship throughout the different periods of life. I thought the author did a great job of capturing both the complexities of a childhood friendship evolving into adulthood, and the complexities of being a young woman struggling to define oneself. I would recommend for readers who like historical fiction about women that extends over more than a decade, people interested with mafia related stories, and people interested in immigration to New York stories.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Naomi Krupitsky, and G.P. Putnam's Sons publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had so much potential and it just fell completely flat for me. Two lifelong friends. Mafia. Blurbs that state “exquisite tension” and “you won’t be able to put it down”. My expectations were high - apparently too high. The story dragged and didn’t pick up until the very end and even then it wasn’t much better. I usually love coming of age stories but neither of the main characters showed much development. Overall, I was just really bored.

I’m Italian American and I live in NYC so I love all books and movies about the mob and gangsters. I love the Sopranos and all things like this. I thought the Family was going to be the perfect fit! Except it was slow and dragged a lot. I did end up liking it, but this book has so much potential! It needed more about the Family business, and less about the actual family. I did love the time period and all the commentary about the gentrification of the Brooklyn neighborhoods.

It was still a fun read, and I would read another by this author. It was good timing to read over the Thanksgiving break with my own family.

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫