My time in Melbourne is coming to an end (leaving on Thursday) so my enormous reading binge has also come almost to an end. Read so many new authors (this is the interesting part) as then I have a further list of authors to keep track of! Jennifer Haigh's book Faith was the one I was looking for and then this came up. What a good book to read as a second choice.
As usual immigrant families this time Polish/Italian mix - the stories and histories, the culture and the food they bring to mainstream life is so imaginative, so different and then they all assimilate at sometime or the other. Rose left widowed with a number of children, all of them different, no means of survival and the backdrop of a coal town with its just one main source of income.
Small town life broken up into groups like Polish town, or the posh areas are vividly descriptive in the book. How difficult it is to break out of the mould and make something of your life means in this case that you have to spread your wings. How the family goes about doing this and at the same time being drawn back to home and hearth is the story of this book. How each member of the family find love, stability and peace of mind is part of the story.
A lovely read.
I have this one on my shelf. I've never read her before but all of her books sound amazing. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen this book before but from your review I like the sound of it. I'll be checking it out.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you have enjoyed your stay..and your reading binge ;)
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of this one, I'll have a look for it in my library. Nice review :)
ReplyDeleteI bought this from a clearance bin a year or so ago and it's been in a pile ever since. Completely forgot I had it (just like A Golden Age!). Think I really need to get into those piles--I'm missing some good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI've seen this around a lot, I'm glad to hear its good!
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