Josephine Alibrandi is a seventeen-year-old student navigating her final high school year at a prestigious Catholic college in Sydney. As a third-generation Italian-Australian born to a single mother, she struggles against the rigid cultural expectations of her grandmother and the social stigma of her illegitimacy. Her life shifts when her father, Michael Andretti, arrives in town and realizes her identity. Concurrently, she forms a complicated bond with conservative student leader John Barton and the rebellious Jacob Coote, while uncovering long-held family secrets regarding her grandmother’s past.
Readers interested in the immigrant experience and adolescent identity find a realistic portrayal of cultural displacement and class tension here. It appeals to those seeking a story about reconciling heritage with individual ambition. The narrative provides a clear look at how historical family trauma influences modern choices. Readers walk away with an understanding of how to establish independence while maintaining ties to a traditional community. The book offers a specific perspective on the transition into adulthood within a minority social group.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1992
- Language
- EN
