Malta’s Own: The Godmother Tells Mafia Story from Women’s Perspective

Imagine, if you will, the bustling streets of Valletta, Malta’s capital city. The sun is dipping below the Grandmaster’s Palace, casting long shadows over the cobblestones. A woman, dressed in a smart suit, steps out of the law courts, her heels clicking a determined rhythm. She’s not a mafia boss, but she’s about to tell their story like never before.

Meet the Author: A Local with a Global Perspective

Meet Alexandra Vella, a Malta-based author who’s about to shake up the mafia narrative. You might have seen her around Strait Street, sipping a coffee and jotting down notes. She’s a local, but her stories are global. Her new novel, ‘The Godmother’, is set to flip the script on the classic mafia tale.

Vella, a former journalist, has always been fascinated by the untold stories. “I’ve covered crime beats, I’ve seen the other side of Malta’s sunny facade,” she says. “I wanted to explore the women behind the men, the power they wield, the lives they lead.”

From Malta to Sicily: A Tale of Two Islands

‘The Godmother’ is set in Malta and Sicily, two islands separated by the Mediterranean, but connected by history and culture. Vella draws parallels between the two, using Malta’s own criminal underworld as a starting point.

“Malta has its own mafia, small but significant,” Vella explains. “I’ve taken inspiration from local cases, from the women who’ve been left behind, who’ve taken control. I’ve given them a voice, a story.”

The novel follows Maria, a Maltese woman who marries into a Sicilian mafia family. It’s a tale of power, betrayal, and survival, told from a woman’s perspective. It’s not just a mafia story; it’s a story about women, about culture, about the ties that bind us.

Breaking the Mold: The Godmother’s Malta Launch

The Godmother launches in Malta this October, with a launch event at the newly reopened Mediterranean Conference Centre. Vella is excited to bring her story home.

“Malta’s ready for this story,” she says. “We’re ready to look beyond the sun and fun, to explore the shadows. I hope ‘The Godmother’ sparks conversations, challenges perceptions. I hope it makes people think, makes them feel.”

And what about the future? Vella’s already planning her next novel. “I want to keep telling Malta’s stories,” she says. “Our stories. They’re complex, they’re compelling. They deserve to be told.”