Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Epilogue
Dear Reader,
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Perfectly Imperfect Reading Order & Tropes
Mafia Legacy Reading Order & Tropes
Author’s Note
Our world is a wondrous place, filled with a multitude of people, cultures, and traditions. No matter what our differences are, there is a common thread that binds us—we’re all a part of it. Being a writer allows me an opportunity to broaden my horizons, even if it means not venturing too far away from my desk and laptop.
For the benefit of my wide-spread readers who may not be aware, I’ve included a few cultural notes that come up through the course of this book and series.
Sicily: location and language
Sicily is one of five autonomous regions of Italy. The local government has administrative powers that allow for the protection of cultural differences and linguistic minorities. However, Sicily is a part of Italy and not an independent country.
The region is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea and is located just south of the Italian peninsula. Although Sicily has its own distinct dialect (i.e., Sicilian), and many people are bilingual, the official language is Italian, the same as in mainland Italy.
Thus, the characters in this book speak Italian.
Russian names: patronymic, family, and diminutive
Russian names consist of three parts: first name, middle (patronymic), and surname (family name). A patronymic is derived from a father’s name (or another paternal ancestor, in certain cases), with an addition of a suffix. Some readers may be more familiar with a similar cultural practice of using a “son of” reference for family names (e.g., Tomson = “son of Tom”).
In Russian patronymic, the ending of the name is changed to indicate the name bearer’s gender. For a man, the suffixes of “evich” or “ovich” are used. For a woman, these are “evna” or “ovna.” For example, Vasilisa Romanovna Petrova (Vasilisa “daughter of Roman” Petrova).
It should be noted, also, that Russians are prevalent in using short (“intimate”) forms of names (e.g., Vasilisa would be shortened to Vasya).
Glossary
Note: When it comes to non-English insults (both Italian and Russian), the literal phrasing is often extremely vulgar but it loses meaning in direct translation. Thus, an equivalent wording is used to depict context.
Italian words and phrases
Vespetta – little wasp (diminutive)
Cumpari – godfather
Signore/Signor – sir. The “e” at the end is always dropped when used in conjunction with a name (e.g., Signor De Santi; but, Yes, signore.)
Vuole provare del prosciutto? – Would you like to taste the ham?
Che cazzo! – What the fuck?
Stai zitto! – Shut up; be quiet!
Chi è quella? – Who is that (woman)?
Sbrigati, idiota. Ho bisogno di quella vernice. – Hurry up, idiot. I need that paint.
Sei la ragazza di Raffaello? – Are you Rafael’s girlfriend?
Pronto – Ready
Cosa è successo? – What happened?
Merda. Venti minuti. – Shit. Twenty minutes.
Buonasera, signorina. – Good evening, miss.
Non toccarla. Lei è mia. Capito? – Do not touch her. She is mine. Understand?
SÌ. Ho capito. Mi dispiace molto. – YES. I understand. I’m very sorry.
