THE WINTER SEA tells the story of the Aquino family
beginning in the early twentieth century on a very small
and
poor island off the coast of Italy. Giuseppe Aquino
realizes that, although generations of his family have
made
a living as fishermen, he will not prosper if he stays in
Italy. So his family decides to save up money to send him
to America, the land of prosperity and hope.
But Giuseppe misses the steamship that is to take him to
his new life, so he hops on the next available ship which
is bound for Australia instead. A large part of the story
deals with Giuseppe's immigration to Australia and his
success as a fisherman there. The best part of the story,
and most well-developed, is that in which Giuseppe gets
married, twice, raises a family, and runs a very
successful
business in Whitby Point.
The narrative alternates to modern day Australia and tells
the story of Cassie, who has fled to the coastal town of
Whitby Point, Australia to get over her failed marriage.
I
did not enjoy the modern part of this story as much as
those that dealt with Giuseppe's life. Cassie's story was
a bit boring and predictable. It was no surprise that
she "gets over" her husband, falls in love again, and
finds
a new profession.
The most clever part of the story was how Morrissey
intertwined the two stories of past and present. There is
a bit of a mystery involved that is not unraveled until
the
very end.
THE WINTER SEA is a quick and delightful read that spans
the history of an immigrant family during the twentieth
century. If you enjoy historical fiction with an
Australian setting then the WINTER SEA is a great choice.
Escaping an unhappy marriage and an unsatisfactory job,
Cassie Holloway moves to the little Australian coastal town
of Whitby Point. There she meets the Aquino family, whose
fishing business was founded by their ancestor, Giuseppe, an
Italian immigrant, some ninety years before.
Life for Cassie on the south west coast is sweet as she sets
up a successful restaurant and falls in love with Giuseppe's
great grandson Michael. But when the family patriarch dies,
a devastating family secret is revealed which threatens to
destroy her dreams. Cassie's future happiness now rests with
her quest for the truth.
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy