I’ll be honest with you. When I first saw Amazing Maltese Women, I thought, “Alright… another book trying to be inspirational.” You know how these things go. Sometimes they feel a bit too perfect, a bit too polished. But I sat down with it one afternoon – glasses on, tea in hand – and I ended up genuinely enjoying it.
About the book
Sometimes it feels like only men have shaped the history of Malta. Is it possible that over the centuries there were no women who were brave, talented and who left a mark on Malta?
Of course there were! Right from the very beginning till today!
All the women in this book have one thing in common: they followed their heart and let no one dampen their determination. It’s time to discover the Amazing Maltese Women and let them inspire you!
My honest review
This is a small book, yes. It’s meant for children, with lovely illustrations by Marisa Attard, and the stories are short and simple. But don’t let that fool you. I’m a Maltese woman in my fifties, and I still learned things. Which says a lot, considering how long we’ve been hearing the same old names in our history lessons.
Because let’s face it: Maltese history has always been full of men shouting orders, fighting battles, making speeches… and women quietly disappearing into the background. Usually cooking, praying, or being “the wife of”.
So what I appreciated here is that Kristina Chetcuti does the opposite. She puts women right in the centre where they belong. Some of these stories really made me stop and think. Clara La Spatara, a woman blacksmith during the Great Siege? Imagine that. While the men were busy being heroic, she was probably there forging swords like, “Move along, I have work to do.”
Then there’s Mary Ellul, helping the wounded during the war – strong, practical courage, the kind Maltese women have always had, even if nobody wrote songs about it. And yes, Daphne Caruana Galizia is included too. That’s not an easy subject, especially for a children’s book, but I respect that the book doesn’t pretend she didn’t exist. Malta can be very good at silence when it’s uncomfortable.
The tone of the book is light, sometimes funny, and it doesn’t lecture you. It just tells these women’s stories in a way that makes you think: Why didn’t we grow up hearing about them? My only complaint – and this is the typical Maltese auntie in me – is that it’s too short. I wanted more. Some women get only a page or two, and you feel like saying, “Wait, that’s it? Tell me properly!”
But maybe that’s the point. It’s an introduction. A door opening. Overall, I think Amazing Maltese Women is a lovely little book with a big message. It’s the kind of thing you give to your daughter or granddaughter and think, “Here. Know where you come from.”
Because Maltese women have never been small. We were just not always written down. And it’s about time someone did.
Book details
- ISBN:978-9990918458
- Print length: (<)40 pages
- Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)
