Malta’s Own Mafia Tale: ‘The Godmother’ Novel
Malta’s Own Mafia Tale: A New ‘Godfather’ Novel From A Woman’s Perspective
Imagine this: a bustling street in Rabat, Malta, circa 1980s. The scent of fresh bread wafts from the bakery, children play hopscotch, and in the corner, a woman, dressed in black, whispers secrets into the ear of a local shopkeeper. This is the world that Maltese-American author, Maria Azzopardi, is bringing to life in her upcoming novel, ‘The Godmother’.
Breaking The Mafia’s Glass Ceiling
For decades, the mafia narrative has been dominated by men. From ‘The Godfather’ to ‘Goodfellas’, the underworld has been portrayed through a male lens. Azzopardi, however, is set to shatter this glass ceiling. Her novel, ‘The Godmother’, tells the story of a powerful Maltese woman who rises to become the head of a criminal empire in the 1980s.
‘I wanted to challenge the traditional mafia narrative,’ Azzopardi says, sipping on a cup of Maltese coffee at her home in Msida. ‘Women have always been a part of the mafia, but their stories have been overlooked. I wanted to give a voice to these women, to show their strength, their resilience, and their complexity.’
Malta’s Mafia History: Fact And Fiction
Malta’s own mafia history provides a rich backdrop for Azzopardi’s novel. While the island has never been a hotbed of organized crime like Sicily or the United States, it has its own dark underbelly. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the Maltese mafia, known as ‘il-Kumpannija’, was involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and even political corruption.
‘I’ve taken some creative liberties with the story,’ Azzopardi admits. ‘But the core of it is rooted in Malta’s own history. I’ve interviewed people who lived through those times, read old newspaper articles, and even visited the old police stations where the mafia trials took place.’
One of the most striking aspects of Azzopardi’s novel is its focus on the personal lives of its characters. While many mafia stories focus on the violence and power struggles, ‘The Godmother’ delves into the emotional toll that the criminal life takes on its participants.
‘I wanted to show that these aren’t just monsters,’ Azzopardi says. ‘They’re people with families, with dreams, with fears. They make choices, and they live with the consequences.’
Bringing ‘The Godmother’ To Life
‘The Godmother’ is set to be published later this year, and Azzopardi is already planning a book tour that will take her across Malta and beyond. She’s also in talks with local film producers about turning her novel into a movie or a TV series.
‘I want to bring this story to as many people as possible,’ Azzopardi says. ‘I want them to see themselves in these characters, to understand their motivations, and to question their own perceptions of power and morality.’
In a world where women’s stories are still often overlooked, ‘The Godmother’ promises to be a breath of fresh air. It’s a story about power, about family, about the choices we make and the lives we lead. And it’s a story that’s long overdue.
As Azzopardi puts it, ‘It’s time we start telling these stories. It’s time we start listening.’
