The Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri: book review

The Revolution of the Moon (2017) is about the brief political life of Eleanora de Moura in Sicily in 1677.

It is 16 April 1677 in the city of Palermo, Sicily, and the viceroy to Charles III is morbidly obese and suddenly drops dead. Anielo de Guzman y Carafa, the viceroy and marquis of Castle Rodrigo, has already written the name of his successor: his wife.

The announcement was met with ‘’general agitation’’ and displeasure by the members of the Holy Royal Council. Was this a joke? ‘’It was inconceivable that a woman could be in a position to govern Sicily.’’ If a man had not improved the poverty, filth, and crime in the city, how could a woman?

Eleanora de Moura was more beautiful than words could describe, with her black-as-ink Spanish eyes and her tall, elegant appearance. But she was also intelligent. And some naysayers – 75% – changed their mind about her when she introduced two new laws (to lower the price of bread and to create a magistrate of commerce) and ‘’succeeded in obtaining the resignation of all the rogues and greedyguts on the Royal Council.’’

This is the true story of the Marquis Donna Eleanora’s rapid rise to power, her revolutionary rule, one that lasted only 27 days. Twenty-seven days: one cycle, one revolution of the moon.

This is Camerilleri in all his intellectual humour as he recreates history from the sublime to the ridiculousness of the Royal Council. It has delightfully funny incidences as well as government farce, power struggles, diabolical deceit, and rogue royalty. Donna Eleanora’s political vision shines through the panic and outmaneuvering of the Councillors in a brilliantly written, fast-paced, entertaining, and cheeky novel.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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