Kiki Przewlocki

NOTE: I received a free eBook copy of this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers (December 2021).

My Dad's side of the family is Greek, and while I often hear stories about the men on his side of the family, I rarely hear the family histories of my female relatives and ancestors. "La Mia Sorella" allowed me to imagine what life might have been like for these women as they went about their early and later lives in the Mediterranean and, later, the United States. Arabella's narrative offers a multifaceted look at the history and social changes of the early twentieth century and the impacts they had on Italian-American families. I fell in love with her Italian village of Paola and savored the descriptions of the classic cuisine that she and her family members made. Yet I relished in the rich storytelling of the protagonist as she related how the men in her and her sister Filomena's lives, as well as world events beyond their control, tested their resolve and strengthened their sisterly bond. Przewlocki's rich prose is emotional, reflective, and kept me engrossed in Arabella's life story.… (meer)

A sweet and moving story of an Italian woman coming of age during WWI, who learns to balance the value of family connections and the pressure of societal demands against her own intellectual strengths. It’s set in southern Italy, Brazil, and Boston as members of the family navigate their expanding family business, two world wars, and a sequence of births and deaths, including a couple major health scares. Throughout, there is lots of background on healing herbs and the key role that cooking together plays in strengthening the bonds of family life.… (meer)