Publication Date: November 28, 2012 iUniverse Formats: eBook,
Paperback, Hard Cover
Pages: 280
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
DOWNLOAD CHAPTER ONE EXCERPT.
The Inheritance tells the story of a family disintegrating from conflicting loyalties in Calabria, southern Italy. Set during the period 1897 to 1913, the region was subject to earthquakes and tsunamis; the land was harsh and poverty the norm. Superstition clashed with religion and a class system ruled the people. Calabria is the perfect backdrop for the tragedy that unfolds in The Inheritance. Caterina is an atypical woman, and The Inheritance chronicles her life from birth to young womanhood. Born with an inheritance of loss into a society that has predetermined what she can and cannot do, she vows to live a life of her choosing. Caterina refuses to allow the limits of her gender, the constraints of her class and the demands imposed by those in power to stand in her way. Caterina remains steadfast in her commitment to become the woman she imagines. Her decisions ignite conflicts and fuel a chain of events that result in dire consequences for all whose path she crosses.
Praise for The Inheritance
"Like a classic star-crossed love story, the novel is written with lush detail enriched with both likable and loathsome characters. In particular, Perry builds strong and decisive female characters. Although the key action doesn’t occur until the final chapters, Perry’s exquisite descriptions will transport readers back to the time and place of Lorenzo and Caterina’s romance-the brilliant colors in villa gardens, the smells and tastes of decadent food, and the menacing sounds of the ocean during an earthquake. After the engrossing storylines come to an abrupt end, a cliff-hanger will leave readers anxious for a sequel to continue Lorenzo and Caterina’s tragic story. Solid characters and vivid imagery capture the mood, traditions and uncertainty of the time." - Kirkus Reviews, December 7, 2012 "The premise for The Inheritance was inspired by the author’s genealogical research in Calabria, Italy. Marianne Perry’s research trip to Cosenza province is obvious in her vivid descriptions of the setting of “The Inheritance”. The landscape, colours, culture, native food, plants and flowers, and even the weather are all vibrantly described……Perry deftly weaves secrets and betrayals throughout the entire book, not only among the two families but the supporting characters, as well….Marianne Perry weaves a very vivid tale that might well have happened hundreds of times over the centuries. “The Inheritance” will definitely make you think about how our ancestors came to be aboard a transatlantic vessel for a perilous three week voyage to being a new life." - Amanda Morehouse, The Ontario-Canada Genealogical Society, August 2014Buy the Book
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About the Author
Family dynamics, genealogical research to solve ancestral mysteries and international travel are Marianne Perry’s priorities. A second-generation Canadian-Italian, she is the author of The Inheritance, a historical fiction/romance set in Calabria, southern Italy from 1897 to 1913 that was inspired by her grandmother’s early life. With a thirty-year career in education and communications, Marianne holds a Master of Education Degree from The University of Western Ontario (Canada). A past member of the Board of Trustees, the Canadian National Arts Centre Corporation, she has also published non-fiction genealogical articles throughout North America. As a girl, Marianne fell in love with The National Geographic Magazine and dreamt of exploring the world. With her January 2014 visit to Antarctica, she achieved her goal of stepping foot on every continent. The mother of two grown children, Marianne and her husband live on the shores of the St. Mary’s River, which drains Lake Superior on the outskirts of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. She continues to research her family’s history and write non-fiction genealogical articles. In addition, she is working on her second novel and planning further adventures.
Marianne blogs about genealogy, travel, family and writing on her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Goodreads.
My Review
The Inheritance tells the story of not only one but two women, Anna and Caterina. Anna is at the birth of Caterina, assisting in the birth and does all she can to keep Caterina's mother alive but she dies in childbirth. Even though Caterina's mother was a servant, Anna keeps Caterina in her life and she grows up with Anna's influence.
There is a tragedy when Caterina and Lorenzo, Anna's youngest son, are children, a terrible storm engulfs the area and Caterina's father is lost. Another servant disappears and her body is found in the ocean. It is claimed by Anna's husband Santo that she drowned and Anna's oldest sons tried to save her but failed. This story seems kind of sketchy and the reader does find out that it was no accident, but Anna never really finds out what happened but she has her suspicions.
Santo, in my opinion is a real jerk, but I guess a lot of men were like that in the early 1900's. He treated his wife and youngest son with distain, all Anna wants is her husband to be the man she married. But her job was to have and raise children, keep the house and keep quiet.
Caterina is very close to Lorenzo, they do everything together and and eventually there is an infatuation. Of course Santo would never allow Lorenzo to marry a servant and he lets it known that Lorenzo is to continue his studies to become a lawyer, as he states "they need one in the family". Santo gets involved with what I think of as the "mob", is never home and his coldness to his wife and son continue to get worse.
Lorenzo does go away to school and does not see his mother for 4 years, his father would not allow him to see Anna. Anna had suffered a series of strokes and her health has declined considerably during Lorenzo's absence. Caterina has assisted in Anna's care and when Lorenzo does come home he vows to stay and help take care of her.
Time goes on and Lorenzo andCaterina fall in love, against Santo's wishes the local priest secretly marries them. The ending kind of surprised me but I think that it set the story up for the next book, as I am sure there will be, or at least I hope so because it was kind of a cliffhanger. The Inheritance refers to the tragedy that has befallen Caterina, never knowing her mother and losing her father in the storm. I think living in this time was very difficult, especially when the women had no say in their own lives, even the rich. Husbands are rarely faithful, children grow up and move away or die at a young age. This is definitely a story of tragedy, loss and secrets that ruin many lives.
I felt the author was very knowledgeable about Italy and her ancestors. I enjoyed the story and I do look forward to the next one, I want to know what happens with Lorenzo and Caterina!
I received a copy of the book for review and was not monetarily compensated for my review.
The Inheritance Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 13
Spotlight at Unshelfish
Spotlight at What Is That Book About
Wednesday, April 15
Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, April 16
Interview at Book Babe
Friday, April 17
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection
Sunday, April 19
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, April 23
Review, Interview, & Giveaway at Virtual Hobby & Coffee Haus
Guest Post at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, April 28
Spotlight at Broken Teepee
Thursday, April 30
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Interview at Books and Benches
Friday, May 1
Review at Library Educated
Review at With Her Nose Stuck in a Book
Interview at Dianne Ascroft Blog
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