This book may be an eye opener for those who know little about the country of Malta. The picture offered in these pages is not pretty, laden as it is with pervasive corruption and lurking menace, all the more startling because it involves a European Union member ... A journalist in Britain, Paul Caruana Galizia leans toward short sentences and a staccato style ... This is not, to be sure, a warts-and-all narrative. If Daphne had flaws as a journalist — some eyebrows might reasonably be raised by her polemical writing style — her son is not their chronicler. Then again, why should he be? The inescapable fact is that the murder struck a powerful chord that resonated across Malta, with thousands taking part in protests and vigils.
Paul Caruana Galizia is a superb storyteller. His book reads at times like a thriller, at times like a detective story, and at times like the work of an investigative journalist uncovering webs of corruption, with levels of detail that will be most interesting to those who understand Malta, its systems and flaws. His mother emerges as no saint either. She was clearly not the easiest of women to live with. Highly determined people rarely are ... This is Daphne Caruana Galizia’s legacy. Her son’s book is a moving testament to the life and work of an extraordinary woman and the country-changing power of journalism.
Paul has written a superbly honest and very painful account of all this. Like her, he didn’t start out as a journalist, but, also like her and his brother Matthew, he became a highly effective reporter. His fine, natural, relaxed style shows Daphne as a living woman – delightful, quirky, far from perfect, increasingly affected by the things she wrote about and the danger she faced, and utterly magnificent ... Paul Caruana Galizia has given his mother a new and even more lasting monument: a book that is unforgettable, beautifully written, and deeply honest.
Daphne’s work affected her family. It strained her relationship with her husband and seeped into the daily experiences of her three sons. Despite those struggles, their love for this amazing woman shines through ... This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what it takes to be an iconoclast and a trailblazer, but also how growing impunity in a state can mount a feeling of responsibility on an individual in ways that may be necessary for some preservation of democracy, but certainly aren’t fair. It is a compelling and essential book. It’s a history of Malta, from long before it became an EU member state. It’s also a klaxon for how deep corruption can run when not kept in check.
Paul’s story, told in a clear and vivid narrative, has all the elements of a political thriller. But in the real world the story is not over. A Death in Malta is an indictment of our global financial system – and of the institutions that supposedly exist to protect us from its worst effects.
...devastatingly compelling ... With proximity comes bias. Given the circumstances, that is entirely understandable. But the blanket picture of a venal elite feels just a little too convenient. Galizia’s argument in a nutshell: 'Malta’s post-independence constitution had effectively renamed colonial governors as prime ministers.' His mother would agree, however, which is perhaps the point. And it is in Daphne’s role as mother (as well as wife and friend) where this book really sings.
Galizia combines memoir, true crime, and history as he details Malta’s complicated past for a riveting and unnerving story that remains fully unresolved.
The descriptive narrative highlights not only a son’s love for his mother but also the positive and negative effects of determination and resistance of those in the story. Most notable is how he provides such a lovely image of Malta and his tenacious mother, who exposed political corruption in the course of her work, while giving a less than savory picture of the political atmosphere. Worthy of mention, the work pulls readers in slowly but picks up pace towards the horrific and tragic event of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder. The book concludes by illustrating that justice often comes too late for those who expose injustice. Overall, this sad story offers encouragement, peppered with caution, to those spotlighting corruption, with a rallying call to find the courage to speak out against wrongdoing.
