The Family
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.
