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Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing
In Sicily, 1935 a four-year child walks away from her loving family, her mother, her sister and an infant brother, with a great-aunt for a vacation.
She spends the next eight years of her life absent from their lives. It was not abduction nor was it an adoption. Tina lives in a one-room house in one of the poorest regions of Sicily. She sleeps between a loving aunt and a deranged uncle. She shares her breakfast with goats and chickens while living in the shadow of fascism. The child grows up while WW II ravages the town. Her school is taken over by the Germans and the things like bread and eggs that were once plentiful, no longer exist. Less than 25 kilometers away her family
leads a very different life. After eight years, she returns home to find her childhood interrupted again. This time sickness, warfare and destruction are her enemies. In wartime Europe, childhood does not exist. The child witnesses and experiences many disturbing things from her uncouth, unsanitary living conditions to the failed paratroopers dangling from trees during the allied invasion.
Tina is a survivor. She is able to forgive those who took so much away from her. Her spirit trumps over adversity during the war times within and around her. As she grows older,
she struggles to keep the harsh realities of World War II and abandonment at a distance through her sense of humor, imagination and determination.
By the age of 15, her fate is sealed, again, without her permission. To gain passage to America she must accept the role as a war bride. A tyrannical, overbearing, bootlegging aunt in America arranges the match. Tina must live under her roof and her rules until her citizenship is secure.
Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing, is a novel inspired by true events.
She spends the next eight years of her life absent from their lives. It was not abduction nor was it an adoption. Tina lives in a one-room house in one of the poorest regions of Sicily. She sleeps between a loving aunt and a deranged uncle. She shares her breakfast with goats and chickens while living in the shadow of fascism. The child grows up while WW II ravages the town. Her school is taken over by the Germans and the things like bread and eggs that were once plentiful, no longer exist. Less than 25 kilometers away her family
leads a very different life. After eight years, she returns home to find her childhood interrupted again. This time sickness, warfare and destruction are her enemies. In wartime Europe, childhood does not exist. The child witnesses and experiences many disturbing things from her uncouth, unsanitary living conditions to the failed paratroopers dangling from trees during the allied invasion.
Tina is a survivor. She is able to forgive those who took so much away from her. Her spirit trumps over adversity during the war times within and around her. As she grows older,
she struggles to keep the harsh realities of World War II and abandonment at a distance through her sense of humor, imagination and determination.
By the age of 15, her fate is sealed, again, without her permission. To gain passage to America she must accept the role as a war bride. A tyrannical, overbearing, bootlegging aunt in America arranges the match. Tina must live under her roof and her rules until her citizenship is secure.
Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing, is a novel inspired by true events.
- GenresWorld War II
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2013
15 people are currently reading
739 people want to read
About the author
Marianna Randazzo
10 books32 followersMarianna Biazzo Randazzo is an Italian-American author, educator, and storyteller raised in Brooklyn, New York. Her works celebrate resilience, culture, and community, drawing inspiration from her Sicilian heritage. She is the author of Given Away: A Sicilian Upbringing, Italians of Brooklyn, Father Vincent Capodanno: Navy Chaplain, and Haunted Staten Island.
A former educator and Director of Education at the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, Randazzo has been recognized for her contributions to Italian-American literature and culture. She continues to blend history and storytelling, with her upcoming children's book Spooky Staten Island set to bring local ghost stories to young readers in 2025.
Learn more at www.marianna-randazzo.com.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 22, 2013
This novel took me on a roller coaster of emotions.
Conflicted: I confess to feeling conflicted about Tina’s mother, Sarina. Although towards the end of the book, she strives to be a better mother for her youngest two children, it doesn’t quite forgive the way she was at the beginning with her other children. Sarina does have moments when she feels some levels of guilt for giving Tina away, but it’s not powerful enough for her to insist on getting her back from Vittoria. It’s only when she’s needed for assistance with other family members that the deal with Vittoria was broken, and Francesco (the father) decides to get Tina. I don’t really think it was because they missed her and that’s the thing that bothers me: the fact that children can be bartered like property as if they aren’t human.
Empathy and Sympathy: I feel these things for Tina and her situation, particularly the dynamic between her and Lena. Lena felt like that Tina had an advantage, since she got to leave and go to the country. However, Tina got the bad end of the stick. Because of Lena’s interpretation of Tina’s “vacation” it caused a dissention between them, and they never got back to the closeness they once shared before the separation. When Tina would see her family for the holidays, they did “things” for her but I never heard any expressions of “love” expressed towards Tina. There was mainly focus on how useful Tina could be to someone else as far as her abilities. Lena ended up being used in the same way—she served as a second mom (in some cases, the primary mom) to her siblings.
The conflict(s) are prevalent throughout the novel (abandonment, sickness, warfare) and the setting and mood definitely made me feel as if I was part of the action.
I would have loved to have seen more character development—a deeper glimpse into what the characters looked like (outer appearance) as well more detail into the inner torment of some of the characters.
One example is Lena. Did her feelings really start changing towards Tina once she got older or did she hold on to the resentment she originally expressed at the beginning of the novel? Did she really take pride in acting as a second mother to her siblings?
Overall, this is a great story for those who cheer for the endurance of spirit and courage.
My more detailed review is on The Review Board: http://wp.me/p30Uww-4s
Conflicted: I confess to feeling conflicted about Tina’s mother, Sarina. Although towards the end of the book, she strives to be a better mother for her youngest two children, it doesn’t quite forgive the way she was at the beginning with her other children. Sarina does have moments when she feels some levels of guilt for giving Tina away, but it’s not powerful enough for her to insist on getting her back from Vittoria. It’s only when she’s needed for assistance with other family members that the deal with Vittoria was broken, and Francesco (the father) decides to get Tina. I don’t really think it was because they missed her and that’s the thing that bothers me: the fact that children can be bartered like property as if they aren’t human.
Empathy and Sympathy: I feel these things for Tina and her situation, particularly the dynamic between her and Lena. Lena felt like that Tina had an advantage, since she got to leave and go to the country. However, Tina got the bad end of the stick. Because of Lena’s interpretation of Tina’s “vacation” it caused a dissention between them, and they never got back to the closeness they once shared before the separation. When Tina would see her family for the holidays, they did “things” for her but I never heard any expressions of “love” expressed towards Tina. There was mainly focus on how useful Tina could be to someone else as far as her abilities. Lena ended up being used in the same way—she served as a second mom (in some cases, the primary mom) to her siblings.
The conflict(s) are prevalent throughout the novel (abandonment, sickness, warfare) and the setting and mood definitely made me feel as if I was part of the action.
I would have loved to have seen more character development—a deeper glimpse into what the characters looked like (outer appearance) as well more detail into the inner torment of some of the characters.
One example is Lena. Did her feelings really start changing towards Tina once she got older or did she hold on to the resentment she originally expressed at the beginning of the novel? Did she really take pride in acting as a second mother to her siblings?
Overall, this is a great story for those who cheer for the endurance of spirit and courage.
My more detailed review is on The Review Board: http://wp.me/p30Uww-4s
Read
July 2, 2013I found this to be an astonishing novel about a generation that had to endure horrific hardship, poverty and war as it was a part of their everyday life. Tina shows us a glimpse of reality in another time not so far removed from the present. It is an inspiration story of human courage and spirit. I recommend it.
July 30, 2013
THIS REVIEW IS BY CHICKLIT PAD blog.
"...not Chick-lit. BUT it's a book for chicks and a great lit."
That's How Marianna pitched to the blog. And by those words I thought to myself, "Hmm... why not give this not-chick-lit a try."
Great, great book. So I am going to write the shortest review.
Set in the era of 'Il Duce' regime when Italy was a bloc of fascists and illiterates, Marianna drops in tidbits of info during the period and keeps us informed about the political events as years pass by. Such background gives relevance to the story-line and gives the reader a clear and accurate imagination of the physical, mental and social states as well as the political institutions of the Italian citizenry in the early nineties right to the 1950s.
Written in third-person with easy-to-grasp language, the story is mostly told in the point-of-view of Tina. So being the main character, more is expected from Tinnuzza-and she gives you more than expected!
The novel opens with her being little, as the blurb states. It highlights all the events of this little girl's rough childhood and portrays her as a character we all sympathize to-yet adore!
At a young age, Tina is given out to her grand Aunt, Zia Vittoria, forcing her to evacuate the home she has known all her life and her family. Her stay with her great aunt Vittoria and his husband is not all blissful as her sister Lena thinks (since She's envious her little sister is taking a 'vacation' to the countryside they've only heard good things about). Her Uncle Gianni's house is a one- room house with about eighty percent occupied by the animals they rear (Yes, inside!), her new school teacher hates her and her uncle Gianni beats Zia Vittoria... every other night. The guy's a moron (not an uncommon trait in men during that age), but you will find him adorable because even if it's Tina who gets on his testy nerves he vents out all that anger on Vittoria and never lays a hand on Tina (... at least I found that adorable ). Vittoria is barren and can't give birth so it's not surprising she loves Tina with all her heart. Also, she has a poor fashion sense (shockingly Marrianna makes us aware that is uncommon in poverty-stricken Italy. Milan was the same as it is now) and holds on to her only pair of boots which have become somewhat of a signature look. Tina hates it at Vittoria's, telling her siblings whenever she comes back for Christmas, "The place has no trees!" (I would have broken a rib or two out of laughter if I was in that era). But no matter how much she wants to return for good, her mother wouldn't let her, and her father keeps being indifferent about the matter.
The question that plagued me most, was why Tina was Given Away (Err, no pun intended). I really didn't find a specific answer (ha! You think I'd share!), but I know who gave her away, and I can rant about her. Tina's mum, Sarina, takes the attribute of a 'baby factory'. This woman looooves to produce and she's prolific as a doe. Yet she doesn't bother taking care of the babies. Raised from a family of artists in some kind of craft, she has a keen eye for what's in fashion and what's not. Having a very generous heart and providing for the poor, questions like the above got me confused. If you can care for people who are not your own, why can't you care for your daughter? Francesco, Tina's father, is the fascist. He aligns himself with Mussolini knowing he is going to be raised above ranks... until Mussolini gets trampled by Adolph Hitler and the Nazi forces.
Tina's family is one big extended Italian family (shocker she didn't have Her Big Fat Italian Wedding). There are all her artistic aunts and uncles on her mother's side, great aunts, great uncles, grand parents. On Sarina's side the women take procreation too seriously. And in those days there was no mention of rubber, IUDs and foam tablets. But hadn't they heard of coitus? It's intriguing how Marianna makes the novel so crowded yet it's not difficult to remember each of those relatives since they've all got memorable traits. Zia Nancy with a tendency to spit (on Tina). Vincenzo, an OCD uncle. Nino, another uncle with a good eye for Haute Couture. Giannuzza, an aunt who depises her sister Sarina for being one of those women who produce more than they will take care of.
Soon there's war in Italy. War brings poverty, starvation and... a fall in Fashion trends. Sarina's reduced to selling her clothes for bread. And the whole family lives on an Orange-a-day diet. Marrianna describes this scene of abject poverty and violence so vividly readers experience a flashback to that era of Nazi domination in Europe, monochrome pictures with children, women and the old shivering in their thin clothes along the streets amidst an ongoing parade of Nazi forces to instill fear in the vulnerable.
During the war, Tina's life is still alternating between her family home at Christmas and her great aunt's. It's important to note that in Sicily where her family resides there are no severe bombings, but in Vittoria the bombings even occur in schools, wounding and killing children. It's rather unfortunate that when Tina goes back home, there's no food even if the risk of having a grenade dropping on your lap is lower, but that isn't the same story in Vittoria where she's feasting on lots of porcupine (sweet!) from Gianni's hunting expeditions.
As the novel goes on there's lots of tragedy and growth on the part of Tina. She's no longer the little girl we used to know, but is developing into a grown woman who has taken to writing journals Marianna keeps giving us a peek into by introducing a chapter with 'Tina's Journal' and taking a swift turn from thirdperson to first-person narrative. I always looked forward to reading Tina's journals since they offer a fresh perspective from Marianna's (No offense taken, Marianna? I hope. You look ageless in your photos. ). And Tina also begins to develop an interest in singing. Her popular songs are Let's Go and Mamma (she wrote them herself). But does she have a beautiful voice? Hmm.... let's note that Italians are better of doing Opera.
Soon Tina has to live for America where she works diligently, indulges in an entanglement with Tony (romance we'd been waiting for, for ages), and whenever she gets the chance she records a track and sends it to her parents who are not faring well after Mussolini's fall.
Throughout the book, themes such as love, family, responsibilities are touched on. These themes are portrayed beautifully by Marianna. I was dazzled by the structure of this novel since the continuous flow of events were rhythmic. There's no suspense in this tale, even towards the end. There's no feeling of oh-I-want-to-see-how-this-ends. Everything was soothing and relaxing. With everything falling into place. It was like reading a memoir. In the end, Marianna explains how each and every one of the characters' lives turned out: some were successful, others were not and for others the reproduction rate kept increasing.
Villain role in this novel could be taken up by Zia Nancy who brought Tina to America and wanted to dictate every aspect of her life including rebuking her for indulging in a little binging. But I do understand her, she plays matchmaker of the family and it's hard to get a groom for a plump bride-in those times. And Uncle Gianni stops being Villain once you forget all the maltreatment inflicted on his wife. Arch-villain would go to Hitler, though he doesn't make a physical appearance, his actions contribute to a majority of Tina's suffering.
There isn't supposed to be humor in this book, but sometimes the plight of the characters sends me into gales of laughter. Take for example this excerpt, taken during the time the people of Vittoria had to evacuate their places of residence due to the appearance of American forces to rescue them from the Germans. American paratroopers were mistakenly caught in trees. And this happens when the people were evacuating in a bunch:
'Throughout the fields hundreds of children were busy cutting up and stealing the yards of silk parachute materials from their ropes. The material would prove to be a sturdy cloth for the desperately needed clothes. A torn beige parachute created knickers, blouses, brassieres, and within days, strips from parachute portions were sported by children as new short pants."
Too much sorrow, too much domestic violence, too much hunger and too much excitement. I didn't mind the throughly informative Sicilian education. One history lesson I didn't want to doze off to (shocker!).
Somewhere in this novel, I wasn't blind to the fact that this fiction, uh, has lots of facts in it. And Marianna, I would do a little snooping-for my own benefit, if you don't come out. It would be good to know all these happened in real life.
Well, I said I will do a short review didn't I?
Chicklit Pad.
Reviewing all Chicklit, Romance and Women's Fiction.
"...not Chick-lit. BUT it's a book for chicks and a great lit."
That's How Marianna pitched to the blog. And by those words I thought to myself, "Hmm... why not give this not-chick-lit a try."
Great, great book. So I am going to write the shortest review.
Set in the era of 'Il Duce' regime when Italy was a bloc of fascists and illiterates, Marianna drops in tidbits of info during the period and keeps us informed about the political events as years pass by. Such background gives relevance to the story-line and gives the reader a clear and accurate imagination of the physical, mental and social states as well as the political institutions of the Italian citizenry in the early nineties right to the 1950s.
Written in third-person with easy-to-grasp language, the story is mostly told in the point-of-view of Tina. So being the main character, more is expected from Tinnuzza-and she gives you more than expected!
The novel opens with her being little, as the blurb states. It highlights all the events of this little girl's rough childhood and portrays her as a character we all sympathize to-yet adore!
At a young age, Tina is given out to her grand Aunt, Zia Vittoria, forcing her to evacuate the home she has known all her life and her family. Her stay with her great aunt Vittoria and his husband is not all blissful as her sister Lena thinks (since She's envious her little sister is taking a 'vacation' to the countryside they've only heard good things about). Her Uncle Gianni's house is a one- room house with about eighty percent occupied by the animals they rear (Yes, inside!), her new school teacher hates her and her uncle Gianni beats Zia Vittoria... every other night. The guy's a moron (not an uncommon trait in men during that age), but you will find him adorable because even if it's Tina who gets on his testy nerves he vents out all that anger on Vittoria and never lays a hand on Tina (... at least I found that adorable ). Vittoria is barren and can't give birth so it's not surprising she loves Tina with all her heart. Also, she has a poor fashion sense (shockingly Marrianna makes us aware that is uncommon in poverty-stricken Italy. Milan was the same as it is now) and holds on to her only pair of boots which have become somewhat of a signature look. Tina hates it at Vittoria's, telling her siblings whenever she comes back for Christmas, "The place has no trees!" (I would have broken a rib or two out of laughter if I was in that era). But no matter how much she wants to return for good, her mother wouldn't let her, and her father keeps being indifferent about the matter.
The question that plagued me most, was why Tina was Given Away (Err, no pun intended). I really didn't find a specific answer (ha! You think I'd share!), but I know who gave her away, and I can rant about her. Tina's mum, Sarina, takes the attribute of a 'baby factory'. This woman looooves to produce and she's prolific as a doe. Yet she doesn't bother taking care of the babies. Raised from a family of artists in some kind of craft, she has a keen eye for what's in fashion and what's not. Having a very generous heart and providing for the poor, questions like the above got me confused. If you can care for people who are not your own, why can't you care for your daughter? Francesco, Tina's father, is the fascist. He aligns himself with Mussolini knowing he is going to be raised above ranks... until Mussolini gets trampled by Adolph Hitler and the Nazi forces.
Tina's family is one big extended Italian family (shocker she didn't have Her Big Fat Italian Wedding). There are all her artistic aunts and uncles on her mother's side, great aunts, great uncles, grand parents. On Sarina's side the women take procreation too seriously. And in those days there was no mention of rubber, IUDs and foam tablets. But hadn't they heard of coitus? It's intriguing how Marianna makes the novel so crowded yet it's not difficult to remember each of those relatives since they've all got memorable traits. Zia Nancy with a tendency to spit (on Tina). Vincenzo, an OCD uncle. Nino, another uncle with a good eye for Haute Couture. Giannuzza, an aunt who depises her sister Sarina for being one of those women who produce more than they will take care of.
Soon there's war in Italy. War brings poverty, starvation and... a fall in Fashion trends. Sarina's reduced to selling her clothes for bread. And the whole family lives on an Orange-a-day diet. Marrianna describes this scene of abject poverty and violence so vividly readers experience a flashback to that era of Nazi domination in Europe, monochrome pictures with children, women and the old shivering in their thin clothes along the streets amidst an ongoing parade of Nazi forces to instill fear in the vulnerable.
During the war, Tina's life is still alternating between her family home at Christmas and her great aunt's. It's important to note that in Sicily where her family resides there are no severe bombings, but in Vittoria the bombings even occur in schools, wounding and killing children. It's rather unfortunate that when Tina goes back home, there's no food even if the risk of having a grenade dropping on your lap is lower, but that isn't the same story in Vittoria where she's feasting on lots of porcupine (sweet!) from Gianni's hunting expeditions.
As the novel goes on there's lots of tragedy and growth on the part of Tina. She's no longer the little girl we used to know, but is developing into a grown woman who has taken to writing journals Marianna keeps giving us a peek into by introducing a chapter with 'Tina's Journal' and taking a swift turn from thirdperson to first-person narrative. I always looked forward to reading Tina's journals since they offer a fresh perspective from Marianna's (No offense taken, Marianna? I hope. You look ageless in your photos. ). And Tina also begins to develop an interest in singing. Her popular songs are Let's Go and Mamma (she wrote them herself). But does she have a beautiful voice? Hmm.... let's note that Italians are better of doing Opera.
Soon Tina has to live for America where she works diligently, indulges in an entanglement with Tony (romance we'd been waiting for, for ages), and whenever she gets the chance she records a track and sends it to her parents who are not faring well after Mussolini's fall.
Throughout the book, themes such as love, family, responsibilities are touched on. These themes are portrayed beautifully by Marianna. I was dazzled by the structure of this novel since the continuous flow of events were rhythmic. There's no suspense in this tale, even towards the end. There's no feeling of oh-I-want-to-see-how-this-ends. Everything was soothing and relaxing. With everything falling into place. It was like reading a memoir. In the end, Marianna explains how each and every one of the characters' lives turned out: some were successful, others were not and for others the reproduction rate kept increasing.
Villain role in this novel could be taken up by Zia Nancy who brought Tina to America and wanted to dictate every aspect of her life including rebuking her for indulging in a little binging. But I do understand her, she plays matchmaker of the family and it's hard to get a groom for a plump bride-in those times. And Uncle Gianni stops being Villain once you forget all the maltreatment inflicted on his wife. Arch-villain would go to Hitler, though he doesn't make a physical appearance, his actions contribute to a majority of Tina's suffering.
There isn't supposed to be humor in this book, but sometimes the plight of the characters sends me into gales of laughter. Take for example this excerpt, taken during the time the people of Vittoria had to evacuate their places of residence due to the appearance of American forces to rescue them from the Germans. American paratroopers were mistakenly caught in trees. And this happens when the people were evacuating in a bunch:
'Throughout the fields hundreds of children were busy cutting up and stealing the yards of silk parachute materials from their ropes. The material would prove to be a sturdy cloth for the desperately needed clothes. A torn beige parachute created knickers, blouses, brassieres, and within days, strips from parachute portions were sported by children as new short pants."
Too much sorrow, too much domestic violence, too much hunger and too much excitement. I didn't mind the throughly informative Sicilian education. One history lesson I didn't want to doze off to (shocker!).
Somewhere in this novel, I wasn't blind to the fact that this fiction, uh, has lots of facts in it. And Marianna, I would do a little snooping-for my own benefit, if you don't come out. It would be good to know all these happened in real life.
Well, I said I will do a short review didn't I?
Chicklit Pad.
Reviewing all Chicklit, Romance and Women's Fiction.
July 19, 2013
I found this story to be a very endearing and powerful one.
Although at one moment or another the story spoke of other family members, it revolved more around Tina—who was the main character.
It's a story of hardships, love, and loss, but mostly of survival of a Sicilian family during the 2nd World War. Tina was the one that was ultimately given away. Though in her younger years she didn't understand it, in her teen years she came to understand the concept of 'going on vacation'. One from which she wouldn't return.
This was a young girl of a feebly body but a strong mind, and through even the hardest of times, she survived.
I enjoyed this story. I felt the concept was much like “The Diaries of Ann Frank” I was able to relate to the characters and plot very well, and the image of the time and scheme easily formed in my mind.
If you love inspiring stories—ones in which calamity and misery are prevailed over, you'll love this story.
Although at one moment or another the story spoke of other family members, it revolved more around Tina—who was the main character.
It's a story of hardships, love, and loss, but mostly of survival of a Sicilian family during the 2nd World War. Tina was the one that was ultimately given away. Though in her younger years she didn't understand it, in her teen years she came to understand the concept of 'going on vacation'. One from which she wouldn't return.
This was a young girl of a feebly body but a strong mind, and through even the hardest of times, she survived.
I enjoyed this story. I felt the concept was much like “The Diaries of Ann Frank” I was able to relate to the characters and plot very well, and the image of the time and scheme easily formed in my mind.
If you love inspiring stories—ones in which calamity and misery are prevailed over, you'll love this story.
August 28, 2013
Given Away by Marianna Randazzo
Given Away is a wonderful novel about the strength of the human spirit. Marianna writes a compelling novel based on actual events that took place in her own family, and the descriptive details pull you into pages. What an ingenious form of writing, using family stories to instruct the reader about World War 2 history as well as give details about Sicilian culture. As I followed Little Tina's struggle to survive not only in a war torn country but in the confinements of cultural oppression, I started to understand that the human spirit is resilient and can conquer all. Brava Marianna I can't wait to read the sequels, You have much to teach us.
Filomena Abys-Smith
author of A Bit of Myself
Given Away is a wonderful novel about the strength of the human spirit. Marianna writes a compelling novel based on actual events that took place in her own family, and the descriptive details pull you into pages. What an ingenious form of writing, using family stories to instruct the reader about World War 2 history as well as give details about Sicilian culture. As I followed Little Tina's struggle to survive not only in a war torn country but in the confinements of cultural oppression, I started to understand that the human spirit is resilient and can conquer all. Brava Marianna I can't wait to read the sequels, You have much to teach us.
Filomena Abys-Smith
author of A Bit of Myself
November 14, 2013
Not quite the novel I was expecting - it turned out more of a biographical memoir in it's style and development. The scattering of errors here and there that a copy-editor worth their salt should have picked up , occasionally distract the attention from what is a good read. It's something that does leave a mark on you , as you follow the growth of this young girl's life of confusion , pain and poverty who ,despite all the odds against her , wins not only your heart but keeps her own going too.
It's a testament to what the human body and mind can endure , and eventually overcome.
It's a testament to what the human body and mind can endure , and eventually overcome.
March 6, 2014
This is an intense history of a family in Sicily during the time immediately before Hitler began his mad reign of terror. It is fiction based on facts that are shocking and depressing at time without any graphic descriptions. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a well written fiction based on history. sometimes that is the best way to get history. We are made acquainted with more than facts and it is made more real to us.
July 18, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Warm touching story of life growing up in Sicily., July 9, 2013
By Gale D'Onofrio - See all my reviews
This review is from: Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing (Kindle Edition)
As I was reading it brought me back to the days my grandmother would talk about. It's a beautiful story.
By Gale D'Onofrio - See all my reviews
This review is from: Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing (Kindle Edition)
As I was reading it brought me back to the days my grandmother would talk about. It's a beautiful story.
August 23, 2013
This is the first novel by this author and it took me by storm. I could not put it down! It tells the story of a little girl in the middle of a war. But not just WWII, her own war with herself after she is taken away from her parents to live with her loving, yet battered aunt and abusive uncle. This book is an excellent read for anyone, of all ages! I highly recommend this book.
October 16, 2013
Thank you! Thank You! THANK YOU, Goodreads First reads and Marianna Randazzo for this beautiful memoir. OMG. It was the most beautiful inspiring book I have ever read. It had me in tears. A wonderful story of family, perseverance, and letting go. I am definitely never ever letting this book go! Thanks again from the bottom of my heart. You are beautiful!
July 18, 2013
This was an amazing book that shows the hard life of a girl growing up during difficult times. It really provides details of what life was like during war time and how it could change a family. It is inspiring, heart warming, and great for anyone who is enduring challenging times in their lives.
July 7, 2013
Loved it! We tend to forget experiences that our ancestors had to endure.
Book may have been fiction, but it brought back many rooted facts...
Book may have been fiction, but it brought back many rooted facts...
August 23, 2013
I could not put this book down! Every chapter ends leaving you wanting more. A must read.
December 11, 2013
Wonderful true story of Italian heritage a must read
December 11, 2013
Wonderful story of Italian heritage of the life through the eyes and heart of a young girl wonderfully written amazing a must read
August 20, 2017
What could have been a good book was ruined by lack of editing and/or proof reading.
April 7, 2025
finished 11/6/24
March 12, 2017
I received this book from the author in a Goodreads giveaway and I promised an honest review. This story, inspired by true events, is compelling, sometimes shocking and and a testament to the indomitable spirit of a young girl in war ravaged Sicily. We meet Tina as a four year old, given away by her parents to her very poor aunt and uncle in another town. After it becomes clear to her that she is not "on vacation" and will not be going home to her parents and siblings, Tina tries her best to adjust to her new life. As war comes to Sicily, German soldiers occupy her small town and life becomes even more difficult for everyone. Food and fuel shortages, regular bombings, and the very real fear of the German soldiers become the thread of their daily lives. This book is sorely in need of a good copy editor. There are numerous spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors which should have been corrected prior to publishing. Nevertheless, the author is a talented storyteller and I would hope she will continue writing and sharing her stories. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 21, 2016
Sicily, 1935: Sarina, a young woman with three children, gives up her young daughter Tina to her aunt Vittoria, who lives in a different town, with no apparent explanation. The child, just four, at first is intrigued by the move, which she believes to be a summer vacation, but slowly reality settles in and her journey into abandonment begins.
“Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing” is the chronicle of a lost childhood, written with a tight, journalistic style, reminiscent of a diary; and of the diary it also has the structure, having 97 chapters that are but glimpses into particular events of Tina’s life from kindergarten to adolescence to her final trip to America at sixteen, as a promised bride. This division into small chapters, which normally would irritate the reader, is actually successful in portraying the developments of her life seen almost as snapshots or frames from a movie. I laud the author, Marianna Randazzo, for such an unusual choice.
The constant throughout the book is the feeling of being rejected and the deprivations that living with the aunt are every day’s norm. The arrival of the war certainly does not bring any more comforts and Tina realizes that her stay with Vittoria is a stable one. The aunt loves her deeply, just as she loved her mom Sarina, and uses every occasion to show her, so she is not shortchanged in that aspect, but the awareness of being left behind by her own family and the resentment of not knowing why, always double guessing the reasons behind such a dramatic move, permeate the book. The brutish attitude of Tina’s uncle, who constantly physically abuses his wife, adds ever more to the internal struggle that Tina undergoes.
The war is also a protagonist and Ms. Randazzo does justice to the atmosphere that surrounds such events, introducing various episodes with charm and a perfect rhythm, allowing the reader to be aware of it without being distracted by the real tragedy of this story: the unexplained desertion of the child by her loving family.
The tragedy unfolds in a well-paced narration and it is both heart wrenching and interesting, bringing images from a time gone by but not forgotten, a time when children had no rights and the world was upside down, a time that many did not survive and that left a mark on those who did.
Marianna Randazzo was able to capture the feelings that this little girl experienced in such a masterful way that at times one forgets that this is not an autobiography but a novel based on true events. The reader will live Tina’s struggles, experience her shattered expectations, her fears, her deep melancholy, her want for her family and her disappointment at her American aunt in first person thanks to the ability of the author to portray Tina’s emotions so vividly.
“Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing” deserves the attention of the public for its accurate and sensitive description of the life of a child “given away” and seemingly forgotten for a long time. Obviously, the story is seen through the eyes of the victim and it is seen subjectively, but the author does not pretend to have all the answers to the reasons of the triggering of this tragedy; she does, however, offer all the information necessary for the readers to make their mind up on their own.
“Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing” is the chronicle of a lost childhood, written with a tight, journalistic style, reminiscent of a diary; and of the diary it also has the structure, having 97 chapters that are but glimpses into particular events of Tina’s life from kindergarten to adolescence to her final trip to America at sixteen, as a promised bride. This division into small chapters, which normally would irritate the reader, is actually successful in portraying the developments of her life seen almost as snapshots or frames from a movie. I laud the author, Marianna Randazzo, for such an unusual choice.
The constant throughout the book is the feeling of being rejected and the deprivations that living with the aunt are every day’s norm. The arrival of the war certainly does not bring any more comforts and Tina realizes that her stay with Vittoria is a stable one. The aunt loves her deeply, just as she loved her mom Sarina, and uses every occasion to show her, so she is not shortchanged in that aspect, but the awareness of being left behind by her own family and the resentment of not knowing why, always double guessing the reasons behind such a dramatic move, permeate the book. The brutish attitude of Tina’s uncle, who constantly physically abuses his wife, adds ever more to the internal struggle that Tina undergoes.
The war is also a protagonist and Ms. Randazzo does justice to the atmosphere that surrounds such events, introducing various episodes with charm and a perfect rhythm, allowing the reader to be aware of it without being distracted by the real tragedy of this story: the unexplained desertion of the child by her loving family.
The tragedy unfolds in a well-paced narration and it is both heart wrenching and interesting, bringing images from a time gone by but not forgotten, a time when children had no rights and the world was upside down, a time that many did not survive and that left a mark on those who did.
Marianna Randazzo was able to capture the feelings that this little girl experienced in such a masterful way that at times one forgets that this is not an autobiography but a novel based on true events. The reader will live Tina’s struggles, experience her shattered expectations, her fears, her deep melancholy, her want for her family and her disappointment at her American aunt in first person thanks to the ability of the author to portray Tina’s emotions so vividly.
“Given Away, A Sicilian Upbringing” deserves the attention of the public for its accurate and sensitive description of the life of a child “given away” and seemingly forgotten for a long time. Obviously, the story is seen through the eyes of the victim and it is seen subjectively, but the author does not pretend to have all the answers to the reasons of the triggering of this tragedy; she does, however, offer all the information necessary for the readers to make their mind up on their own.
July 9, 2013
This is a debut novel from this Author, and one that I had particular interest in reading, as my Husband’s family are from this part of the world.
As I started into the book,, I was expecting a novel of great proportions, given the subject matter, but in this area I felt the book did not deliver. Instead of being the story I expected, it read more like a social history/personal account of the period covered, and how conditions were living under Mussolini. This in itself, led to a very interesting book, as there are not many out there that let us glimpse life in WWII from an Italian perspective.
Because of it’s not being a novel, in the true sense of the word, I felt that the lack of any character development did not deter from the book at all. In fact, it made it easier to read from an objective point of view and, as a historical scholar, I found it would have been a great resource when doing my thesis on WWII.
The dialogue can be a little jumbled at times, with the Author writing both Italian and English in the same sentence, with no punctuation to separate the two. This brings me onto my next observation; the over use of full stops (periods). They are used so abundantly throughout this book that, at times, I felt the Author was barking random phrases at me, rather than telling me about the poverty and conditions these people lived through. I feel that with the use of commas and semi-colons the novel would have flowed much more smoothly and added coherence to some, otherwise, jumbled areas.
The description of Sicily itself is fantastic and, having been there many times, the Author fully captured the vivid scenery to be found on the tiny island. This played a huge part of making this read a lot more enjoyable than it otherwise might have been.
I understand this is the Authors first novel, and I feel with a little more attention to punctuation and character development, her next one if she writes in this genre again, would be a great improvement.
Regardless of my feelings on this novel, I would recommend it to YA and adults alike that are interested in this period of history from the common man point of view.
Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.wordpress.com/...
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
As I started into the book,, I was expecting a novel of great proportions, given the subject matter, but in this area I felt the book did not deliver. Instead of being the story I expected, it read more like a social history/personal account of the period covered, and how conditions were living under Mussolini. This in itself, led to a very interesting book, as there are not many out there that let us glimpse life in WWII from an Italian perspective.
Because of it’s not being a novel, in the true sense of the word, I felt that the lack of any character development did not deter from the book at all. In fact, it made it easier to read from an objective point of view and, as a historical scholar, I found it would have been a great resource when doing my thesis on WWII.
The dialogue can be a little jumbled at times, with the Author writing both Italian and English in the same sentence, with no punctuation to separate the two. This brings me onto my next observation; the over use of full stops (periods). They are used so abundantly throughout this book that, at times, I felt the Author was barking random phrases at me, rather than telling me about the poverty and conditions these people lived through. I feel that with the use of commas and semi-colons the novel would have flowed much more smoothly and added coherence to some, otherwise, jumbled areas.
The description of Sicily itself is fantastic and, having been there many times, the Author fully captured the vivid scenery to be found on the tiny island. This played a huge part of making this read a lot more enjoyable than it otherwise might have been.
I understand this is the Authors first novel, and I feel with a little more attention to punctuation and character development, her next one if she writes in this genre again, would be a great improvement.
Regardless of my feelings on this novel, I would recommend it to YA and adults alike that are interested in this period of history from the common man point of view.
Originally reviewed on: http://catesbooknuthut.wordpress.com/...
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
June 24, 2018
I won this book through Goodreads. Loved it. So heartbreaking but inspiring. A great story but not easy to read.
September 28, 2014
So poorly written I couldn't get past the first few pages.
October 14, 2015
Left me yawning in a few places. It was interesting in certain places like the parts about the war and such but that's about it. Nothing truly special about this book.
March 22, 2017
Reminds me of family
This was a difficult read. Many grammatical issues. A number of scenes and situations were repeated making difficult to follow the narrative.
There were many names and experiences which sounded like my family, though we're Southern Italian
This was a difficult read. Many grammatical issues. A number of scenes and situations were repeated making difficult to follow the narrative.
There were many names and experiences which sounded like my family, though we're Southern Italian
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews