ONLY OUR DESTINY by A.G. Russo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fictional village in southern Italy is the main setting for this book about family, courage, perseverance, love, and redemption. Throughout the tumultuous years after world war I, the world is hardly safe, filled with strife and illnesses that can ruin a family’s livelihood. Raffaela Coriello is the mother of ten children and struggles with providing a future for her family. Her husband is not much help and they go their separate ways. In America, Raffaela’s Uncle strives for his own slice of the American dream but World War II and Italy’s decision to support Hitler has major ramifications for Italians around the world. Prejudices and hatred make his life harder. The backdrop of this book, the time after World War I and then World War II, make this an interesting but hazardous time to be alive. Food lines, Guerilla Warfare, vicious citizens, and soldiers alike contribute to a vicious world.
I liked the story, Raffaela was a stoic and strong character. I liked that we saw her break down periodically, she is a mother of 10 and even with the support of her oldest children, it was still extremely hard. Her perseverance and grit is inspirational.


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