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)

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About the book

The Jukebox Queen of Malta is an exquisite and enchanting novel of love and war set on an island perilously balanced between what is real and what is not.

It’s 1942 and Rocco Raven, an intrepid auto mechanic turned corporal from Brooklyn, has arrived in Malta, a Mediterranean island of Neolithic caves, Copper Age temples, and fortresses. The island is under siege, full of smoke and rubble, caught in the magnesium glare of German and Italian bombs.

But nothing is as it seems on Malta. Rocco’s living quarters are a brothel; his commanding officer has a genius for turning the war’s misfortunes into personal profit; and the Maltese people, astonishingly, testify to the resiliency of the human spirit. When Rocco meets the beautiful and ethereal Melita, who delivers the jukeboxes her cousin builds out of shattered debris, they are drawn to each other by an immediate passion. And, it is their full-blown affair that at once liberates and imprisons Rocco on the island.

In this mesmerizing novel, music and bombs, war and romance, the jukebox and the gun exist in arresting counterpoint in a story that is a profound and deeply moving exploration of the redemptive powers of love.

My honest review

The story takes place during the war, when Malta was being bombed day and night. It follows Rocco, an American radio man who ends up stationed here, and Melita, a young woman who delivers jukeboxes to bars and cafés. The idea of jukeboxes playing music while bombs fall all around sounded strange at first, but it works in the story. It shows how life somehow goes on, even in terrible times.

I liked how Rinaldi described the island — the narrow streets, the dust, the sea always close by. You can tell he did his homework. I could picture it all quite clearly, though sometimes it felt like he lingered a bit too long on the scenery. I found myself wanting the story to move along faster.

Rocco and Melita’s relationship is touching in parts, but I didn’t always feel very connected to them. Maybe it’s because we don’t really get to know them deeply — they seem to fall in love more because the story needs them to than because we see it happen naturally. Some of the other characters are funny or strange, but not always believable.

The book reminded me a bit of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, which also mixes war and love on a Mediterranean island. But The Jukebox Queen of Malta doesn’t quite have the same warmth or emotion. It’s quieter, and sometimes a bit slow. The ending left me wondering what happened next, as if the story stopped before it was really finished.

Still, I enjoyed it enough. It’s not a bad book — just one that didn’t completely pull me in. I liked the mix of war and ordinary life, and the idea that music can survive even when everything else is falling apart. If you like gentle war stories with a bit of romance and don’t mind a slower pace, this one is worth a try.

So yes, three stars from me — good, but not unforgettable.

Book details

• ISBN: 978-1476766485
• Print length: 368 pages
• Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)

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About the book

Malta, 1943. The war in the air above Malta is over, but the battle for Europe is about to begin. Margarita, a young singer in a Valletta nightclub, has not seen her former lover Henry Dunn since breaking off their affair. His wife Vera, an enigmatic archaeologist, arrives at the club to tell her that Henry has disappeared, presumed dead. While investigating, Margarita stumbles upon the hunt for a notorious and dangerous Nero. As an unlikely bond develops between the two women, and strange secrets emerge, an urgent quest to unmask Nero starts – before he can enact a deadly plan that may threaten the course of the war.

My honest review

I’ve just finished Secrets of Malta by Cecily Blench, and I thought I’d share some honest thoughts here, in case anyone is curious about picking it up. As someone who has lived on this island all my life, I always approach books set in Malta with a bit of suspicion. Too often they make us look like nothing more than a giant fortress floating in the Mediterranean, forever stuck in the middle of a war. Now, of course, war is a big part of our history—you can’t walk through Valletta without feeling that—but it’s not the whole of us. We also have busy modern lives, Sunday lunches that last forever, and plenty of arguments about parking.

The good news is that Blench does get a lot right. Her descriptions of the streets and the atmosphere were familiar without being exaggerated, and I appreciated that she made the island feel alive rather than just a backdrop. The story itself has some strong moments. The pace picks up nicely when the plot leans into secrecy, betrayal, and survival. There were sections where I stayed up later than I meant to because I was genuinely hooked—always a sign the author is doing something right. The characters are also one of the book’s strengths. They feel fleshed out, they have real motives, and they’re not just there to decorate the scenery.

That said, I did find that parts of the book dragged. There were moments where the descriptions or the “set-up” went on too long, especially in the first half. I found myself waiting for the story to really get moving, and during those stretches, my attention wandered. Sometimes the dialogue felt a bit heavy, as though it was trying to explain too much instead of letting the story flow naturally. The pacing overall was uneven—very gripping in some chapters, then slower than needed in others. Still, in the end, it’s a worthwhile read. If someone wants a novel that combines a strong sense of history with believable human drama, this delivers.

I liked that it acknowledged Malta’s war-torn past but also let the characters exist outside of it, as people with their own struggles, secrets, and choices. I came away feeling that Blench gave us something a bit more layered than the standard “Malta equals war story,” and for that, I’m grateful. It’s not perfect, but it’s engaging, atmospheric, and definitely worth picking up if you’re interested in our little island and its stories.

Book details

• ISBN:978-1804181782
• Print length: 400 pages
• Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)

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About the book

Ward Gibson knew what was expected of him by the village folk, and especially by the Mason family, whose daughter Daisy he had known all his life.  But then, in a single week, his whole world had been turned upside down by a dancer, Stephanie McQueen, who seemed to float across the stage of the Empire Music Hall where she was appearing as The Maltese Angel.  To his amazement, the attraction was mutual, and after a whirlwind courtship she agreed to marry him.

But a scorpion had already begun to emerge from beneath the stone of the local community, who considered that Ward had betrayed their expectations, and had led on and cruelly deserted Daisy.  There followed a series of reprisals on his family, one of them serious enough to cause him to exact a terrible revenge; and these events would twist and turn the course of many lives through Ward’s own and succeeding generations.

My review

I picked up The Maltese Angel because, well, how could I resist the title? Anything with “Maltese” in it immediately makes me curious, and knowing it was written by Catherine Cookson made it even more tempting. She’s such a remarkable writer—one of the most published and beloved British novelists ever—and I’ve always admired the sheer number of books she managed to produce in her lifetime.

The story itself, though, surprised me. I expected a little more light and hope, but instead I found it much darker and heavier than I thought it would be. The characters live through hardship after hardship, and the mood of the book is often depressing. It’s not badly written—on the contrary, Cookson’s talent shines through in every page—but as a reader I sometimes struggled to keep going because it felt like the weight of the story pressed down on me.

What I did enjoy were the little connections to Malta. Even if small, just seeing my island referenced gave me a thrill. It reminded me of how often Malta appears in literature in ways you don’t expect, and how it sparks a sense of recognition that always feels personal.

So, while I admire Cookson deeply and respect her legacy, The Maltese Angel wasn’t really my cup of tea. For readers who like darker, more tragic family sagas, it will be worth it, because the writing is strong and the emotions are real. But for me, it was too heavy, and I closed the book feeling more drained than uplifted.

I’m still glad I read it, though—partly because of the Maltese link, and partly because even when her stories aren’t for me, Catherine Cookson remains a writer I can’t help but admire.

Book details

• ISBN:978-0593021323
• Print length: 480 pages
• Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)

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The Kapellen of Malta – Nicholas Monsarrat

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About the book

Another chapter in the life of the infamous Phantom of the Opera continues, as he leaves Paris and moves to Malta in search of a new beginning. Clothed in secrecy, he purchases The Royal Opera House in Valletta, which has been destroyed by a devastating fire. In an attempt to bury the pain of his past, the burned out shell becomes his new obsession. He is determined to resurrect the structure from ashes and return it to glory.

To raise funds for his task, he holds a masquerade and encounters a strange woman who prophesies his destiny of undoing and death. Her words haunt the Opera Ghost, but he continues on his path of restoration. After years of hard work, the gala reopening occurs. The Phantom is convinced he has reached the pinnacle of success in his life. He rests in peace over his accomplishments.

For sheer amusement, he takes on a new student, which leads him down a path of romance, mystery, and danger. His fortune unfolds before him, and he discovers he cannot hide from those who seek retribution for his former sins. He is forced to reap the consequences and comes face-to-face with his darkest demons and fears. In the end, his insatiable hunger for beauty is challenged to the core. Will he survive the obstacles he encounters or will this finally be his undoing and death?

My opinion (my honest review)

I’ve always been a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera. I’ve even been lucky enough to see the musical twice in London, and both times it left me completely swept away—the music, the drama, the tragic beauty of it all. So when I discovered The Phantom of Valletta by Vicki Hopkins, I couldn’t resist. The idea of Erik, the Phantom himself, finding his way to Malta? Well, that felt too close to home to pass up.

Reading it was a mixed experience for me. On the one hand, I loved how the author used Valletta as the setting. The ruined Royal Opera House, the atmosphere of 19th-century streets, the shadows against our limestone—it all made me proud and a little emotional to see Malta play such a role in a story connected to the Phantom. As a Maltese reader, those touches made me smile.

But I can’t say I was as enchanted by the book as I hoped to be. Some parts dragged for me, and while I did enjoy Erik’s struggle to rebuild his life and his new connection with Desiree, other moments felt a little rushed or even forced. I suppose when you carry the weight of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom in your heart, any continuation or retelling is bound to fall short. There were times when I felt the writing was uneven, and the ending especially left me wanting more depth, more care.

Still, I don’t regret reading it. The Phantom has always been a character I’m drawn to—haunted, flawed, but unforgettable. And to see him walk the streets of Valletta, even on the page, felt strangely special. It’s just that I wished the story itself lived up more to the promise of its setting.

Book details

• ISBN: 978-0983295921
• Print length: 309 pages
• Other info: see tags below (author, location language & year of publication)

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