Deliver us from Honor

"A robust tale of violence and vendettas." -Kirkus Reviews "Page turning, suspenseful, educational . . . a vivid portrait of Sicilian family life and the birth of La Cosa Nostra. If you liked The Godfather, you will love Deliver Us from Honor!" -Robin Welford "Sicilianophile is probably the best way to describe Sharon Valenti, author of the engrossing and exciting novel, "Deliver Us from Honor." Married to a Sicilian, Valenti immersed herself into the language, culture and history of Sicily. It was only a matter of time when she put her passion to work in an entertaining page-turner, in the tradition of Mario Puzo's "The Godfather." Hers is tale of romance, intrigue and mystery that delves into the rise of La Cosa Nostra and how it was first established in the United States. Organized crime is often portrayed as an urban phenomenon in literature and cinema. Yet, as we see in "Deliver Us from Honor," the mafia was rooted in the Sicilian countryside. It was more akin to America's Wild West than the streets of New York. Sicilian outlaws rode horses and attacked shipping routes through mountain passes. They stole, fought and killed and then made their way to an isolated village to take refuge and hide from the law. Much of "Deliver Us from Honor" is set in the farms and forests of Sicily. Valenti captures the richness of the region's agriculture where the best lemons and citrus fruits are grown. The people have a deep connection to the land; a knowledge of the workings of nature that transcends the novel. In "Deliver Us from Honor," the story begins in 1911 when Giuseppe Vazano's farm is destroyed by fire. Brothers Sevario and Santo come to his rescue only to find Giuseppe and his wife Maria missing and their middle brother Gaspano murdered. The only survivors are Giuseppe's daughters Adriana and Francesca and Gaspano's wife Nella and their two children Alfredo and Cinzia. Hiding in the backcountry temporarily, the family comes to the realization that the fire was set by arsonists. They seek to solve the mystery as to who set the blaze and why. Thus, starts a journey of characters and subplots that take us to a host of cities and villages throughout Sicily such as BALESTRATE, Corleone, Catania and Palermo. We see the inner play of priests, peasants and padrones and how they effect the tragedy and redemption of the Vazano family. Valenti's well-written novel highlights the transition of Sicilian society from feudal to modern. Most striking is how Sicily opens itself to the outside world by way of immigration and trade. "Deliver Us from Honor" is a compelling novel about the bonds of family and the nature of vendetta and omerta - two aspects of Sicily and Southern Italy. For Italian Americans with deep roots in Sicily, this book will be immediately understood as it brings to light the customs and traditions of the region. "Deliver Us from Honor" is an exemplary novel where characters come alive on every page to make it a resonating and engrossing work." -- PRIMO Magazine" "A robust tale of violence and vendettas." --Kirkus Reviews "Page turning, suspenseful, educational-- . . . a vivid portrait of Sicilian family life and the birth of La Cosa Nostra. If you liked The Godfather, you will love Deliver Us from Honor!" -Robin Welford "Sicilianophile is probably the best way to describe Sharon Valenti, author of the engrossing and exciting novel, "Deliver Us from Honor." Married to a Sicilian, Valenti immersed herself into the language, culture and history of Sicily. It was only a matter of time when she put her passion to work in an entertaining page-turner, in the tradition of Mario Puzo's "The Godfather." Hers is tale of romance, intrigue and mystery that delves into the rise of La Cosa Nostra and how it was first established in the United States. Organized crime is often portrayed as an urban phenomenon in literature and cinema. Yet, as we see in "Deliver Us from Honor," the mafia was rooted in the Sicilian countryside. It was more akin to America's Wild West than the streets of New York. Sicilian outlaws rode horses and attacked shipping routes through mountain passes. They stole, fought and killed and then made their way to an isolated village to take refuge and hide from the law. Much of "Deliver Us from Honor" is set in the farms and forests of Sicily. Valenti captures the richness of the region's agriculture where the best lemons and citrus fruits are grown. The people have a deep connection to the land; a knowledge of the workings of nature that transcends the novel. In "Deliver Us from Honor," the story begins in 1911 when Giuseppe Vazano's farm is destroyed by fire. Brothers Sevario and Santo come to his rescue only to find Giuseppe and his wife Maria missing and their middle brother Gaspano murdered. The only survivors are Giuseppe's daughters Adriana and Francesca and Gaspano's wife Nella and their two children Alfredo and Cinzia. Hiding in the backcountry temporarily, the family comes to the realization that the fire was set by arsonists. They seek to solve the mystery as to who set the blaze and why. Thus, starts a journey of characters and subplots that take us to a host of cities and villages throughout Sicily such as BALESTRATE, Corleone, Catania and Palermo. We see the inner play of priests, peasants and padrones and how they effect the tragedy and redemption of the Vazano family. Valenti's well-written novel highlights the transition of Sicilian society from feudal to modern. Most striking is how Sicily opens itself to the outside world by way of immigration and trade. "Deliver Us from Honor" is a compelling novel about the bonds of family and the nature of vendetta and omerta - two aspects of Sicily and Southern Italy. For Italian Americans with deep roots in Sicily, this book will be immediately understood as it brings to light the customs and traditions of the region. "Deliver Us from Honor" is an exemplary novel where characters come alive on every page to make it a resonating and engrossing work." -- PRIMO Magazine