The Triumph of the Lions (A Lions of Sicily Book, 2)
Vincenzo Florio began the Florio family’s rise from poverty in 1799 with his first venture as a spice merchant by opening an aromateria in Palermo. Throughout the 19th century, the family becomes Sicily’s wealthiest and most influential family as Casa Florio expands into exports of not only spices, but silk, bark, sulfur, lace, tuna, and their new Marsala wine. Stefania Auci’s fictionalized saga of the real-life Florio family became an Italian bestseller and is now translated into English. The novel closely adheres to true events and dates with detailed historical background at the end.
The Triumph of the Lions begins in 1868 when Ignazio Florio takes over his great-grandfather’s dynasty at the age of thirty. He has fulfilled the expectation that he marry into the aristocracy, therefore raising their social status. Ignazio walked away from the woman he loves, in the interest of the family and Casa Florio, for an arranged marriage. He mourns this loss for the rest of his life as he works tirelessly to grow their wealth to new heights. Ignazio dies prematurely in 1891. His son, also Ignazio, takes the reins at the age of 23. But his youth and his tendency for pleasure and luxury over hard work brings a change to the family.
Necessary to the Florios’ rise to wealth and power are the political maneuverings to facilitate that growth. These strategic politics and business manipulations are the least interesting parts in the novel. It is the interpersonal narratives and family drama that carry the plot. Because the names of Vincenzo and Ignazio are used repeatedly, across generations, it is a challenge to keep them straight, so the family tree is useful. For the best reading experience, read the first book covering the first three generations, The Florios of Sicily. I look forward to the final book, Fall of the Florios.
