Oct 31, 2024

Book Tour: Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon

   Book Review for TLC Book Tours

Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon

• Publisher: Harper Muse (October 8, 2024)

• Paperback: 400 pages

A motherless daughter. An Italian prostitute. A mail-order bride.

 Are these (three) women brave enough to change their fates?

Description: Demitra’s mother died in America in the 1930s when Demitra was three years old. Her father took her home to the Greek island of Cephalonia, where she endures a lonely childhood and dreams her dead mother watches over her, like the goddesses she reads about in her mythology books. When Demitra comes of age, she refuses to marry the man chosen for her. Instead, she defiantly begins an affair with a forbidden man who ignites her passion for painting the goddesses she once imagined protected her.

Elena is a beautiful Italian woman who dreamed of a life away from the brothels where she was raised. But opportunities are not meant for daughters of prostitutes and Elena has no choice but to become one herself. When Italy occupies Cephalonia, Elena finds work entertaining the soldiers. Her life on the island is happy and carefree–until the Germans arrive in 1943.

Maria lives in a poor mountain village in 1921 with a loving mother and sister. When her father grows desperate to feed his family, he sends her to America as a picture bride to marry a stranger. Only eighteen years old, Maria is terrified of the journey ahead.

Daughter of Ruins is an all-encompassing tale steeped in the rich history, culture, and myths of Greece. It is a deeply moving story that follows three women as they struggle to control their destinies, fighting to become the women they were meant to be.

About the author

Yvette Manessis Corporon is a bestselling author and Emmy Award–winning producer. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. A first generation Greek-American with  family roots on Corfu, she studied classical civilization and journalism at New York University. She lives in Brooklyn with her family 

My review:

Demitra, Elena, and Maria are the three women in this novel whose stories include a history of Greece from the 1920s to 1980. The novel includes events such as the migration of so many young Greek men to America in search of a better life, the young Greek women who were sent after them as brides, the Italian occupation of Greece during the war, followed by the Nazi invasion that was much more cruel, subsequent moves by Greeks to America, and much more.

The 20th century history of Greece, its small towns, and some of its people who left the country are laid out in this book, through the lives of the three women, in particular Demitra, whose mother had died in the USA when Demitra was only three. Her father had subsequently returned with Demitra to Greece.

This was a fascinating novel that was also the telling of the history of the island. Particularly moving was Demitra story as a child in Greece writing letters to her dead mother and then burning them before her disapproving papa could see. 

Somehow the author's skipping around in the telling of her story works. For instance, the novel starts in 1940 and 1943, moves to 1948, back to 1921, forward to 1952, then back to 1921. The latter part of the book takes place in 1970 and 1975 and then ends in 1980 in the U.S. Demitra's entire life is covered, as well as the major events in Greece during most of  this time.

I would recommend this book especially to Greek Americans and Southern Europe Americans such as the Italians, whose stories of small isolated home towns during a similar period of time, and immigration to the U.S., especially to the Bronx, might be similar.  

A very worthwhile historical novel. 

Other Reviews:

Monday, October 7th@wendysbookclub

Tuesday, October 8th@parismaereads

Tuesday, October 8th@bethreneereadsbooks (feature)

Wednesday, October 9th@libraryatcarleighs

Thursday, October 10thThe Bookish Dilettante

Monday, October 14thEliot’s Eats

Tuesday, October 15th@addictedtobooks86

Wednesday, October 16th@nobookmark_noproblem

Thursday, October 17th@audreyoaksreadseverything

Friday, October 18thNovels Alive

Monday, October 21st: @amys_book_addiction

Wednesday, October 23rd: @marbooks88

Thursday, October 24th: Vegan Book Blogger

Friday, October 25th@books_old_and_new

Monday, October 28th: Sarah Can’t Stop Reading

Wednesday, October 30th: Book Bird Dog

Friday, November 1st@page_appropriate 

Friday, November 1stGirl Who Reads

Monday, November 4th:  @bethreneereadsbooks 

Tuesday, November 5thThe Calico Books

Wednesday, November 6th@dana.loves.books


Disclosure:

I was sent a copy of Daughter of Ruins by the publisher for this TLC Book Tour, to provide a fair and honest review.

1 comment:

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