1863 saw the publication of the first novel in maltese, "elvira jew imħabba ta’ tirann" "(elvira, or the love of a tyrant)" by the neapolitan author, giuseppe folliero de luna. anton manwel caruana's novel "ineż farruġ" (1889), the first maltese novel, was modelled on traditional italian historical novels, such as manzoni's "i promessi sposi" and has been the subject of recent scholarly attention.