Review: When We Were Strangers
Posted by Cathie on Friday, October 11, 2013. Filed under: fiction, historical fiction, published in 2011, review, reviewed in 2013
When We Were Strangers by Pamela Schoenewaldt
Published by: William Morrow
Our source: Our local library
What it’s about (from Goodreads):
Even after her beloved mother's passing, 20-year-old Irma longs to stay in her Abruzzo mountain village, plying her needle. But too poor and plain to marry and subject to growing danger in her own home, she risks rough passage to America and workhouse servitude to achieve her dream of making dresses for gentlewomen.
In the raw immigrant quarters and with the help of an entrepreneurial Irish serving girl, ribbon-decked Polish ragman and austere Alsatian dressmaker, Irma begins to stitch together a new life . . . until her peace and self are shattered in the charred remains of the Great Chicago Fire. Enduring a painful recovery, Irma reaches deep within to find that she has even more to offer the world than her remarkable ability with a needle and thread.
In the raw immigrant quarters and with the help of an entrepreneurial Irish serving girl, ribbon-decked Polish ragman and austere Alsatian dressmaker, Irma begins to stitch together a new life . . . until her peace and self are shattered in the charred remains of the Great Chicago Fire. Enduring a painful recovery, Irma reaches deep within to find that she has even more to offer the world than her remarkable ability with a needle and thread.
Our thoughts:
When Irma leaves Opi she is young, poor, and very naive. A stranger in a new land with few skills, this gripping tale tells of Irma's journey to find housing, work, an education, but also deals with much more complex issues such as abortion and death.
Many of us are the strangers at some point in our lives. Whether it is going off to college, moving to a different area, or simply changing jobs, we find ourselves in a situation were all of our past skills are irrelevant. Sometimes I wonder if these circumstances help us to become resilient enough to forge ahead and achieve our goals?
I have recently also read Schoenewaldt's other novel, Swimming in the Moon and I loved both books. She is a fantastic story teller and I look forward to more of her works.
We would recommend this to:
Fans of historical fiction, coming of age stories
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