Sitting somewhere between fiction and memoir, Moreno Giovannoni’s second novel is a tenderly written portrait of life for one Italian family living and working in Australia.
Arriving in Melbourne in 1957, Ugo – the author’s father – is determined to make the most of the plentiful work opportunities in “the colony” (Giovannoni refers to Australia as “the colony” throughout the book). His young wife Morena is left behind in Italy, along with their infant son Moreno. A year after Ugo leaves, Morena and her son also set sail, despite the plan being for Ugo to go alone and to return with the profits of his labour. It’s a move Morena will always regret.
