The Sicilian
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| Author | Mario Puzo |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Godfather |
| Genre(s) | Thriller, Crime |
| Publisher | Random House |
| Released | November 1984 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) also Audio book |
| Pages | 416 p. (Hardback edition) & 410 p. (Paperback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-671-43564-7 (Hardback edition) & ISBN 0-345-44170-2 (Paperback edition) |
| Preceded by | The Godfather |
The Sicilian is a novel written by American author Mario Puzo and published in 1984 by Random House Publishing Group (ISBN 0-671-43564-7). It is based on Puzo's most famous work, The Godfather, and is regarded as its literary sequel.
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[edit] Plot summary
Set in 1950, at the end of Michael Corleone's two-year exile in Sicily, it is focused on the story of a legendary Sicilian bandit named Salvatore Guiliano and his run-ins with the local Capo di Capi, Don Croce Malo. Michael has been told by his father Vito that he must escort Guiliano safely back to America with him.
The novel's plot is based on the supposedly real-life exploits of a Sicilian bandit named Salvatore Giuliano (the change in spelling appears to be deliberate on Puzo's part).
[edit] Characters in The Sicilian
These are the principal characters that drive the plot of the story, many of whom are based on real-life figures.
- Salvatore Guiliano – A legendary bandit. Conceived in America and born in the small Sicilian village of Montelepre, Turi Guiliano is a tall and handsome young man living a relatively normal life for the firsty twenty years of his life, loved dearly by his friends and family and the inhabitants of his tiny village, who know him affectionately as their "Turi". A day after the end of the local annual festival, however, while smuggling food and drink to prepare for the wedding of his sister, Guiliano and his childhood friend, Aspanu Pisciotta, are accosted by the corrupt Italian police, the caribinieri, and after being shot by a sergeant, Guiliano kills the sergeant with a single shot from his pistol. Helped by Piscotta, the severely injured Guiliano is taken to the nearby cathedral, where the primary priest, Abbot Manfriedi, shields him from the caribinieri, and is soon healed back to full health by a doctor and the priests of the cathedral. After leaving the cathedral, Guiliano dedicates his life to being a bandit, and creates a band, living the next few years forming a legendary reputation all over Italy for his daring exploits in stealing from the rich and wealthy and in giving almost all of his earnings to the poor and underprivileged peasants of Sicily, who honour him as their hero. As his reputation and exploits increases, he is hunted both by the Italian government, who form a special taskforce to capture him, and the Mafia, headed by the Capo Di Capi, Don Croce Malo, whose interests and influence have been severely damaged by Guiliano and his band. At the end of the story, Guiliano is betrayed by his right-hand man and childhood friend, Piscotta, who murders him amongst the famed ancient Grecian ruins of Acropolis of Selinus.
- Michael Corleone – The son of the famed Vito Corleone and heir to the Corleone family. Spending a two-year exile in Sicily, Michael is eager to return home to his family in New York, but is told by his father, Vito, to escourt Turi Guiliano safely back to America with him. As he learns more about the reputation and exploits of the legendary Guiliano, Michael becomes extremely intrigued to meet him, but due to Guiliano's later death, is unable to do so, much to his distress.
- Don Croce Malo – The extremely powerful Capo Di Capi who yields power not only in the entire island of Sicily but also in Rome and with the Italian government. A legendary negotiator, Don Croce quickly rises to the head of the Mafia and early into Turi Guiliano's career, is eager to make Guiliano the heir to his Mafia empire, but is unable to do so, due to Guiliano's deep hatred of the Mafia. As Guiliano's daring exploits increase and after Guiliano assassinates six prominent Mafia leaders and severely damages his interests, Don Croce takes the decision to kill Guiliano. Such is his cunningness that he turns Aspanu Pisciotta into betraying his best friend, Guiliano, whom Pisciotta assassinates, amongst the famed ancient Grecian ruins of Acropolis of Selinus. After the successful assassination of Guiliano, Don Croce's power greatly increases and soon controls all of Sicily.
- Gaspare "Aspanu" Pisciotta – The childhood friend of Salvatore Guiliano. A sly, thin and handsome young man, suffering from tuberculosis, Aspanu Pisciotta was the closest and most trusted friend of Turi Guiliano, who trusted him with his life. As Guiliano's fame and reputation increases, Pisciotta gradually feels less and less significant and after much of his advice is ignored by Guiliano, Pisciotta is approached by Don Croce, who convinces him to betray his childhood friend Turi Guiliano, whom he later murders, amongst the ancient Grecian ruins of Acropolis of Selinus. Imprisoned to life for his banditry, Pisciotta is poisoned to death by Hector Adonis, who leaves a note alongside his dead body, which read "so die all who betray guiliano".
- Hector Adonis – Professor of Literature in the University of Palermo and godfather to Turi Guiliano. A diminutive man, Adonis is an elegantly-dressed and extremely intelligent academic, who commands influence amongst the Mafia. He loved and cared for his godson Guiliano, whom he taught literature in his childhood and for whom he often brought many books to read while visiting him. Extremely bereaved at the tragic death of Guiliano, Adonis later takes his revenge on Guiliano's assassin, Pisciotta, whom he later, with the influence of Don Croce, poisons to death, leaving a note alongside his dead body, which read "so die all who betray guiliano".
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
In 1987, The Sicilian was adapted into a film, directed by Michael Cimino and starring Christopher Lambert as Salvatore Guiliano, however, due to copyright issues, the characters of Michael Corleone and Clemenza were not included in this movie adaptation.
[edit] External links
- Amazon.com's entry for The Sicilian
- Barnes & Noble.com's entry for The Sicilian
- The Sicilian at the Internet Movie Database
