Official Review: Sicilian Family Adventures

[Roy Nick]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Sicilian Family Adventures" by Celia A. Milano.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Sicilian Family Adventures by Celia A. Milano is a page-turner! The book transports you to the island of Sicily and other towns in Italy. Included to supplement the engrossing tale are pictures of Celia’s family members; by the conclusion of the book, you feel as if you've been friends with them all your life. Themes of hospitality, family, and togetherness have been widely promoted in this publication.

Celia’s fervent need to trace her ancestry is unchallenged. She learns from her mother that her grandparents were of Italian origin. She searches for documents that could lead to discoveries of her unknown family members. Based on the information in the birth certificates that her mother gave her, Celia travels to Sicily to search for her paternal and maternal sides of the family. Oddly enough, the new relatives she discovers are friendly and embracing. Each breakthrough leads to another, and soon she traces numerous family members.

I enjoyed almost everything in this book. To begin with, it is uncommon to encounter a memoir with pictures inserted in it. The images were so vivid that I felt as though I had met individually with Celia’s family members. For instance, a picture of Vito, Celia’s husband, while enjoying the sun was humorously snapped, it had me chuckling until the concluding page. Moreover, pictures of Cefalu streets, Norman Cathedral Piazza Duomo, and the Emerald Coast enhanced the publication as a reader can easily visualize the places without physically being there. Also, as the author traversed from the United States to Italy, she encountered distinct people with different cultures. As a result, I was able to learn about the various cultures, especially from the Italian people.

I encountered a few letters composed in Italian; nevertheless, they were not translated to English. That was the only aspect I disliked about the publication. However, given that the letters dated back to the 1990s, and were written by Celia’s Italian family, I felt as though the author tried to conserve her Italian culture. Consequently, the letters did not deter me from enjoying the installment.

I commend the author for her bravery to travel to Sicily to find her other family members unaware of how they’d react upon seeing her. There were no grammatical errors; therefore, the book is exceptionally well edited. Besides being an easy read, the characters were amiable. Having thoroughly enjoyed the book, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to readers who like reading memoirs and family-themed books.

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Sicilian Family Adventures
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[Kennedy NC]

It can be quite perpelexing when you do not have a knowledge of your root or family members so I certainly understand Celia's journey in this book. Great review.

[Kristy Khem]

I love books that offer a new look at travel and culture. This one seems really interesting! Thanks for your review.