Title: The Proxy Bride
Author: Zoë Boccabella
Published: September 7th 2022
Publisher: HQ Fiction – AU
Pages: 432
Genres: Fiction, Historical, World War II
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 4 stars
In 1939, Giacinta sets sail from Italy to Australia. Decades later, a granddaughter discovers the true story of her family... A stunningly crafted novel of family, secrets and facing adversity, perfect for readers of Victoria Purman.
Imagine marrying someone you've never met ...
When Sofie comes to stay with her grandmother in Stanthorpe, she knows little of Nonna Gia's past. In the heat of that 1984 summer, the two clash over Gia's strict Italian ways and superstitions, her chilli-laden spaghetti and the evasive silence surrounding Sofie's father, who died before she was born. Then Sofie learns Gia had an arranged marriage. From there, the past begins to reveal why no-one will talk of her father.
As Nonna Gia cooks, furtively adding a little more chilli each time, she also begins feeding Sofie her stories. How she came to Australia on a 'bride ship', among many proxy brides, knowing little about the husbands they had married from afar. Most arriving to find someone much different than described.
Then, as World War II takes over the nation, and in the face of the growing animosity towards Italians that sees their husbands interned, Gia and her friends are left alone. Impoverished. Desperate. To keep their farms going, their only hope is banding together, along with Edie, a reclusive artist on the neighbouring farm and two Women's Land Army workers. But the venture is made near-impossible by the hatred towards the women held by the local publican and an illicit love between Gia and an Australian, Keith.
The summer burns on and the truth that unfolds is nothing like what Sofie expected ...
The author of Mezza Italiana brings to life a unique point of migrant women's untold experience, in a resonant novel of family, food and love. Includes 12 traditional recipes.
Review:
Brisbane based writer Zoë Boccabella draws on her migrant ancestry in her latest release, The Proxy Bride. A tale that fuses together themes of duty, family, expectation, travel, settlement, community, resilience, relationships and food, The Proxy Wife is an enlightening story that I highly recommend.
Zoë Boccabella's new release brings together a grandmother and her granddaughter in a tale that explores the bonds of ancestry. Nonna Gia has not revealed much at all to her daughter or granddaughter about her past, as it was such a tough time. As Gia and her granddaughter butt heads over food, expectation and cultural practices, a secret from the past hangs over their heads. Cooking brings a grandmother and her grandchild together in harmony as slowly Gia reveals details about her personal history, helping both these women come to a sense of peace regarding the past. Gia explains the unique circumstances of her arrival in Australia, her marriage to Sofie's grandfather, the impact of the Second World War, the internment period of foreign men in Australia, the rise of the women's land army and the forbidden relationship that occured between Gia and a local. When a long-held truth is eventually released, it will have a deep impact on young Sofie in the present. What is this burning family secret?
It's nearly the end of the reading year, yet it makes my heart smile when I meet a brand-new author. Zoë Boccabella is a fresh addition to my reading load and I'm so glad that I made some time in my reading schedule to enjoy her latest novel. The Proxy Wife is the kind of fiction I love. This story is highly educative, emotional and deeply involving. I found much to appreciate in this new title from the acclaimed author of Mezza Italiana.
Opening in the year 1939 in Calabria, The Proxy Bride immerses the reader in a young woman named Gia's world, which is completely turned on its head when the story begins. We learn that Gia is just one of many young women who during the pre-WWII years who were sent to Australia as proxy brides. These women did not know their betrothed, with many simply viewing a snap of their husband before they were sent on a ship on route to Australia. I could not imagine committing to this kind of life, but it was commonplace during the period in which The Proxy Wife is set. Boccabella captures the anxiety, fear, emotions and the weight of expectation faced by brides such as Gia. Boccabella also vividly brings to life the lives of the men waiting on the other side to nervously greet their new brides. The fear of rejection, the weight of protection and hope these men also experienced was huge. I appreciated the focus on family, relationships, sacrifice, duty and morals in Boccabella's set piece.
The other half of this book is told from Gia's teenage granddaughter's perspective and I must admit that this section of the novel drew me in. As a child born in the early 1980s, I loved the trip back to 1984. The Proxy Bride features some the nostalgic and common references to various aspects of life during this time, which was outlined very well by Boccabella. What also struck me about this narrative was the heavy weight of family secrets, shame and locked truths placed on the characters. I loved how traditional Italian dishes that formed an integral part of Gia's identity and heritage played such an important role in the unveiling process. I could feel Sofie's frustration and urgency in her often futile attempts at getting to the bottom of the secrets haunting her family. I could also sympathise with Gia's need to protect her past life at all costs, to save her family's reputation.
Boccabella incorporates some very pertinent threads of history in The Proxy Bride, which is also housed in a highly engaging double narrative format. With a sharp focus on migration, arranged marriages, the impact of the war, fascism, internment, prejudice, women's land army efforts, abandonment, sacrifice, resilience, forbidden love, loss, single parenthood and family heritage, there is so much to learn from The Proxy Wife . Encircling this story is a rich fable highlighting the power of food in nourishing our lives, providing a sense of vitality, building relationships, guiding love, supporting our wellbeing, issuing comfort levels and uniting us during the tough times. With tradition, culture, superstition, identity and community paving the way in this novel's moving journey, Zoë Boccabella has composed a pensive read.
Saunter into the past in the company of a strong woman and her family, who offer a glimpse into an aspect of our past that has been largely overlooked. Salient, meaningful and edifying, The Proxy Wife is an illuminating title that I endorse to all readers. Don't forget to check out the set of mouth-watering authentic recipes from the author included in the back of the book - I just wish I had my very own Nonna to whip them up for me!
The Proxy Bride by Zoë Boccabella was published on 7th September 2022 by HQ Fiction – AU. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Proxy Bride, Zoë Boccabella, visit here.
*I wish to thank Harlequin Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
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