Wonderful mix of Italian mafia culture, mesmerizing magic, intense action, sweet romance, diverse, colorful characters, humor, and extreme sadness.In the midst of all the rich themes and stories happening in this novel, my favorite aspect is all the relationships and interactions between so many diverse, colorful characters. The gender-bending that allowed for role reversals and twists in the plot were a rare treat. The setting created a perfect backdrop to support the story. Also interesting was the view of magic and streghe by various characters--used for evil, healing, vengeance, in hopes of doing good. Awesome title that focuses on a key concept in the novel--very creative and unique for the title to have such an important connection to the plot.