Author: Michelle Saftich
Pages: 303
Published: 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
Edition: E-Book
Source: I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Description: The war may be over, but the fight to belong is just beginning.
Left homeless, starving, and almost killed by the Second World War, the Saforo family are refugees fleeing Italy for a better life. The shores of Australia are calling to them and they head off, packing dreams of jobs, a home and … soccer.
But from the moment they get off the boat, adapting to the Australian way of life is harder than it seems. Their family doesn’t speak right, eat right or even look right. As they struggle to build a simple life against the backdrop of 1950s racism, they start to wonder if they will be outsiders forever.
A true family affair, Wanderers No More will make you laugh, remind you of your family, and warm your heart.
Thoughts: When I saw that there was a book for the sequel to Port of No Return, I knew I had to return to the loving Saforo family, who we last saw leaving for Australia at the end of World War II.
This book spans about a 30 year time span and shows the children of the Saforo family grow up and make their own way in the world. It also shows the struggles of the family as they slowly rebuild their lives after the ravages of World War II and migrating to a new country, which has a different culture and language.
I liked that it was a heartwarming story of struggle and
sacrifice of a family landing in a country in which the language and culture
was different from their own. It
reminded me of my own family coming from Soviet Russia to Canada in 1926, as
they struggled and sacrificed to make a new life in a new country.
While the family struggles to adjust to a new life in
Australia, there are also tender and touching moments that make the story that
much more human, especially when Nonna takes over the kitchen at one of the migrant camps.
Bottom line: I really liked how the author brought the story full circle in concluding the story of the Saforo family. Highly recommended.
Rating: 3.75/5
Meet the Author:
Michelle Saftich resides in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Business/Communications Degree, majoring in journalism, from the Queensland University of Technology.
For the past 20 years, she has worked in communications, including print journalism, sub-editing, communications management and media relations.
Born and raised in Brisbane, she spent 10 years living in Sydney; and two years in Osaka, Japan, where she taught English.
Her historical fiction novel, Port of No Return, was inspired by a true family story. It was published by Australian independent publishing house, Odyssey Books in 2015. Its sequel, Wanderers No More was released in August 2017. Michelle is married with two children.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
Michelle Saftich resides in Brisbane, Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Business/Communications Degree, majoring in journalism, from the Queensland University of Technology.
For the past 20 years, she has worked in communications, including print journalism, sub-editing, communications management and media relations.
Born and raised in Brisbane, she spent 10 years living in Sydney; and two years in Osaka, Japan, where she taught English.
Her historical fiction novel, Port of No Return, was inspired by a true family story. It was published by Australian independent publishing house, Odyssey Books in 2015. Its sequel, Wanderers No More was released in August 2017. Michelle is married with two children.
Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook
1 comment:
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