Blood Washes Blood: A True Story of Love, Murder, and Redemption Under the Sicilian Sun - Softcover

Viviano, Frank

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0671041592 ISBN 13: 9780671041595

Publisher: Washington Square Press, 2002

Synopsis

Against the sweeping backdrop of western Sicily, in a riveting seven-year quest, Frank Viviano pieces together his own harrowing ancestral history of betrayal and redemption. His take is haunted, from its violent opening to its stunning climax, by an ancient Sicilian proverb, Lu sangu lava lu sangu, "Blood washes blood": the torrent of unforgiving vengeance that flows from an unforgivable offense. Viviano's great-great grandfather was a legendary bandit who traveled the countryside of Sicily by night in the robes of a friar and was known as "the Monk." His brutal murder has remained shrouded in mystery for four generations. Until now. Populated by an extraordinary cast of nineteenth-century Robin Hood brigands and twentieth-century underworld bosses, here is a true-life Godfather, in which past and present finally merge into a single story with a shattering climax that ultimately changes the way the author views his immigrant family's complex legacy -- and himself.

About this title

Review

Blood Washes Blood opens promisingly. Francesco "Frank" Viviano is a third-generation Sicilian-American. On his final visit to his 95-year old grandfather in Detroit, he is let into the family secret. Frank's namesake, also known as The Monk, had been murdered in Sicily over a century ago. "How did he die?" Frank asks. "God help me. The boss tell his men to kill him," his grandfather whispers. "The boss, Domenico Valenti." A few months later, his grandfather dies. Sadly, this turns out to be the bookıs high point. Rather than turning into a gripping Mafia read, such as Mario Puzo's The Godfather, Viviano launches into a rather mundane travelogue as he travels back to Sicily to try to piece together the details of The Monk's death. Part of the problem here is that, despite Vivianoıs best efforts, the Monk himself never emerges as anything more than a one-dimensional low-ranking 19th-century Mafioso, which makes the story of only passing interest. The other hurdle is that Viviano's attempts to build suspense are only barely believable. Yes, Palermo is home to the Mafia and, yes, the Mafia are not known for their chattiness. But you can't help feeling that the reason no one is telling Viviano very much about his great-great uncle's death owes less to the omerta and more to the fact that The Monk was a very minor player and it was all such a long time ago that no one really remembers or cares. For Viviano, though, there is a catharsis of sorts in the denouement; for the reader it is more likely to be relief. --John Crace

Review

Nicholas Pileggi New York Times bestselling author of Wiseguy and Casino A brilliant personal narrative that captures the history and customs of the Sicilian society which spawned The Godfather. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Time International A beguiling, honest tale...A nuanced story full of the guts of human frailty -- betrayal, revenge, frustration, poverty, pain, despair.

Variety An Italian Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

About this edition

• Publisher: Washington Square Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0671041592
• ISBN 13: 9780671041595
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 292