Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1245222
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 MAY 2020 10 CULTURE BOOKS Book Review L-Ewwel Prezenza: L-Imhabba tal-Hares ma Tmut Qatt! Michael Cini Horizons L-EWWEL Preżenza com- bines elements from history, the ghost story, and the so- cial novel to present a liter- ary inquiry that expands the dialogic horizons of the nar- rative. The novel brings us face to face with the social reality of Napoleon's polit- ical betrayal of the Maltese and the violent arrogance of his soldiers after the French occupation of Malta in 1798. In Cini's fantasy this histor- ical event leaves a casualty: the death of Gabriele Caru- so, a young Italian soldier in the service of Napoleon. When Gabriele was still alive, he loathed what the French soldiers were do- ing to the Maltese (stealing their treasures, denuding the churches, and raping the women); and he fell in love with a beautiful Maltese girl, Rożina. He tried to help Rożina and her poor mother (Tereża) as much as he could. But when the Maltese popular uprising erupted against the French in Mdina he was shot in the head and killed on the spot, leaving behind him the unfinished business of his genuine love for Rożina. As a result of this tragedy, his wistful spirit chose to carry on roaming the earth because it wanted to help Rożina and her mum fi- nancially. The secret of the ghost remained with Rożi- na till her death; but before she died she passed it on to her son. The secret passed on from generation to gen- eration, right up until mod- ern times. And Gabriele the ghost kept on helping the subsequent generations of Rożina's family who inherit- ed the secret. Cini weaves a fantastical tale which incorporates so- cial anxieties, fear, and un- certainties. For him reve- nants can contribute to the literary imagination as they enter into a dialogue with the living. He is successful because he knows how to bring history to life, even making it psychologically possible; he gives it a char- acter. The story of L-Ewwel Preżenza is full of adven- tures that keep readers in- terested in the action; and at the same time there is in the novel an emphasis on the traditional values of genuine family love. TVM THURSDAY 6:30PM THE premature closure of schools as part of the COVID-19 precautionary measures was leading to loneliness and a lack of structure, schoolchildren told Education Minister Owen Bon- nici. MaltaCAN, a network of or- ganisations that works with and for children, held a virtual meet- ing with Dr Bonnici where chil- dren highlighted the challenges they faced as a consequence of the pandemic, and made sugges- tions on how to address the con- cerns stressing them during this uncertain time. MaltaCAN chair Steph Dal- li said: "The main focus of our meeting was the education- al divide, the sudden lack of structure and organisation they faced and the uncertainty this situation brought about with it, which allowed certain feelings to emerge such as loneliness where children spoke about the way they were missing their friends." MaltaCAN, which is composed of 14 children's organisations advocating child-friendly poli- cies, works hand in hand with the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society, chaired by former President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. The children who took part in the meeting said teachers should have a time limit imposed when it came to sending work to stu- dents, since they felt that receiv- ing assignments late at night was not acceptable. They also proposed the crea- tion of an app for children allow- ing them to communicate with their school friends, since right now they felt lost and had no idea what their classmates were up to. Coleiro Preca, who was present for the meeting, also urged Dr Bonnici to continue strengthen- ing children's voices, particularly during this trying period. Bonnici responded to the con- cerns by highlighting the work undertaken by the government in this area and reassured Malt- aCAN it would be forwarding its recommendations to the body entrusted with monitoring and reviewing the education's online system during this crisis. 'We miss our friends,' schoolchildren tell minister