In this fascinating World War II historical fiction novel, readers follow Maria and her life in a poor mountain village with her family in 1921, Elena as a sex worker in occupied Cephalonia in 1943, and Demitra, mourning her mother’s death in 1930s America when she was only three and growing up in Cephalonia with her father. As they all try to make the best of their lives and the restrictions placed upon them by their fathers and by their societies (wartorn or not), readers get a glimpse into the history, culture, and myths of Greece in this complex and fascinating novel. A powerful story of the journeys of three different women, the beautiful setting of this novel really complements their characters and adds to their struggles and choices over the course of the novel. Despite alternating between their three perspectives, no character dominates the story, and Yvette Corporon has done a brilliant job balancing the three historical settings and three protagonists in this fascinating historical fiction novel. Interesting, incredibly complex, and with a great cast of characters, readers will be invested in this story and how the lives of these three fascinating women unfold in twentieth-century Greece in a single immersive novel.

This should have been a book that I enjoyed. It has everything…war, family drama, secrets. But honestly, I just didn’t like it. I did finish it so I’m gonna give it three stars. I just could not connect with the characters on this one and for the life of me I don’t know why.

Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon is a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of interwoven lives, set against the backdrop of turbulent 20th-century history. The Greek island of Cephalonia, with its stunning beauty and tragic scars, serves as a poignant stage for stories of resilience, passion, and survival. Corporon’s lyrical prose captures both the harsh realities of war and the quiet, intimate moments that define human connection. However, while the book is rich in atmosphere and emotional depth, its sprawling narrative occasionally feels fragmented, preventing the characters' arcs from fully resonating.

Demitra’s story stands out as the emotional core of the novel. Orphaned at a young age, she endures a childhood marked by isolation and longing, finding solace in mythology and later in art. Her defiance against societal expectations—refusing an arranged marriage and pursuing forbidden love—makes her a compelling figure of independence and self-expression. The way she channels her pain and longing into painting goddesses is both symbolic and heart-wrenching, reinforcing the novel’s exploration of how art can be both a refuge and a form of rebellion.

Elena’s storyline is equally tragic, though in a different way. Raised in brothels and resigned to a life without choices, she initially finds a bittersweet freedom in entertaining Italian soldiers during the occupation. But when the Germans arrive, her fragile sense of peace is shattered. Elena’s story shines a harsh light on the realities faced by women who had little control over their destinies, yet Corporon writes her with compassion and complexity, making her more than just a tragic figure.

Maria’s narrative as a picture bride offers yet another lens through which to view displacement and sacrifice. Her fear and courage as she leaves her home for America are palpable, though her storyline—while emotionally powerful—sometimes feels disconnected from the larger themes on the island of Cephalonia. The transitions between these three women’s lives can feel abrupt, leaving some threads less developed than others.

One of the novel’s strengths is its rich portrayal of Cephalonia itself. Corporon’s love for the island shines through in her evocative descriptions of olive groves, moonlit shores, and mountain villages steeped in myth and memory. The island is as much a character as Demitra, Elena, or Maria, its history shaped by waves of invaders and its people shaped by their resilience.

However, the ambitious scope of the novel—spanning continents and decades—sometimes works against it. With three primary narratives to balance, some characters’ arcs feel rushed, particularly in the latter half. Elena’s life during the German occupation and Maria’s life in America could have benefited from more time and detail, especially given the emotional weight of their experiences. The result is a novel that feels rich but slightly uneven, as though it’s trying to cover too much ground at once.

At 3.5 stars, Daughter of Ruins is a moving exploration of love, loss, and survival across generations. Yvette Manessis Corporon’s prose is lush and evocative, bringing the island of Cephalonia and its people to vivid life. While the narrative’s structure can feel disjointed, the emotional resonance of the characters' journeys makes it worth the read. Fans of historical fiction that centers on strong, flawed women and complex family legacies will find much to admire in this tale of ruin and resilience, where survival itself is an act of defiance.

I absolutely loved this book. I think that Yvette Manessis Corporon did an excellent job with the story. The novel was based on the story of Demitra, and the way it was written made the story haunting and heartbreaking. I was hooked from the beginning, and I could not put it down. I will admit that this story was so beautifully written that it stayed with me long after I finished reading. I can't wait for more from this author. I highly recommend this book to the Greek Mythology readers out that as well as historical fiction.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Harper Muse, and Yvette Manessis Corporon.

I LOVED this book, it was a beautiful and tragic story of a girl growing up in post war Greece after the death of her mother. We also get a secondary timeline of her mother's experience being sold to a man in the US as a mail order bride during the 20s. The story is full of twists and turns and beautiful character relationships. The only negative critique I have is that the character dialogue often felt stilted and unrealistic and took me out of the story at times. Overall though, I can't recommend this book enough!

This book was so beautifully and intricately written I am happy I had the ability to even read this. I have no idea how to explain but this book should be read period.

History has always fascinated me and Historical fiction has always been one of my favourite genres and this was no exception. I really enjoyed this book it was much better than I expected, it was a stunning read

If I had the time I could have(wanted to)settle in to read this in one. It was deeply moving and emotional for me. Not in a depressing way. But nor doesn't skip the very real tragedies and traumas these characters face.
I love, love, loved the fact these woman were all " fallen" in some way or would be seen as so in society's norms. They weren't the usual book standard heroines. But actually, what it showed I show these very woman were incredible,brave and powerful woman. Having to fave a system we all still fave today...one constricted by and for men
And if woman don't conform or fight back THEY are seen as the problem! And if they do conform they are used, battered and even seen as ruined. This book proves to us once again how hard life can be. But how these struggles can be overcome. Or at least like our characters shows us how much strength these woman have shown us all.

Told a story about Demitra, a young artist, living post-WWII in Greece who struggled with her widowed father’s emotional unavailability, Daughter of Ruins delivered such an intriguing storyline. It's not simply a historical fiction. It has the stories of the Greek gods intertwined beautifully. Demitra's story and those of two other women are both inspiring.

This book has a lot to say about feminism, as the three women's struggles in this story were mainly due to being women. What an unfair world, but it reminds us that such cruel things happen.

While the writing style is easy to follow and has a medium pace, I did not find the third-person perspective in this one to be enjoyable. The story often switches between Demitra's and Maria's years. There are scenes where many characters are involved, which makes me confused about which one of these 'his' and 'her' belongs to.

Demitra and Elena's character growth was my favorite. The cruel things they endured also break my heart. I want to hug them and cry with them. While reading, I found myself constantly offering words of support for them. Really, this book woke up all the emotions inside me.

In general, I was fond of the story and the characters. Demitra's drawings and the stories of Greek gods seem magnificent to me in my imagination.

Thanks to Yvette Manessis Corporon and Harper Muse, I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley, and I appreciate it. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was a deep and emotional tale! The story is focused on three different women! A daughter who does not have a mother, a prostitute in italy, and a mail order bride! Historical fiction has always been one of my top favorite genres! It takes real skill and talent and a heart full of love for history to write a tale involving three women from three different backgrounds! 💗

The women's lives or choreographed like a dance in each chapter in and out throughout the years. We get to see the decisions made by these women or for them. 🫢

Fate threw the three of these women together at the highest and lowest moments. Demetria, Maria, and Elena are dancers for the universe! They play to the tune of other people's drums and then find a different harmony within each other and on their own! ☕

I don't want to spoil anything you definitely have to read this and take each move made by the characters and each thread of fate woven into their lives! 🍾

Bravo! 🎙️

Daughter of Ruins is a beautiful story about the intertwined lives of different women who belong to different generations and lifestyles. Each character had a rich and emotionally complex story to tell - even though the book was mostly focused on Demitra, the characters of Elena and Maria added more depth and complexity to the story.
Even though the characters were very different, the voice used for each one was not. There were no distinguishing characteristics to the narration for each character.
The writing makes the reader feel as if they have been transported to the coastline of Greece or the streets of New York City - the narration style was vibrant and brought the settings to life.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the eARC!

This is a heartwarming story of women standing up for women. An emotionall journey that personally resonated with me. this book dives into the intricacies of female relationships in the society, self-discovery, and resilience. The characters are beautifully crafted, bringing warmth and authenticity to a story that starts with you long after reading. I enjoyed the plot, however I felt that the pace was quite slow. However, if you make it to the end of the story it is truly rewarding.

Daughter of Ruins

° Dual Timelines
° Multiple POV
° Greek History & Mythology

This historical fiction novel follows the lives of three resilient women—a motherless daughter, an Italian prostitute, and a mail-order bride—over several decades in Greece and America.

The story beautifully captures their courage, struggles and determination to rise above pain, blending inspiration with heartbreak. It explores powerful themes of parental love, friendship, loss and advocacy for others’ rights.  While listening to the audiobook on my way to work, I found myself wanting to pull over as I felt deeply connected to the main character's emotions.

The narrative is rich with Greek history, culture and mythology, vividly describing the beauty of Cephalonia and Corfu, making me long to visit Greece one day. The intertwining of the goddesses in Greek mythology, with the women’s stories is skillfully done.

I initially listened to the audiobook, but later switched to the ebook and Alex Sarrigeorgiou’s narration truly brought each character to life.

TW: Physical Abuse, Infidelity, Racism, Illegal Adoption, Human Trafficking

Favorite Quotes:
ᥫ᭡ "Let men think they hold all the power because we know the truth.  We are the ones who give life and bring life.  There is nothing more powerful or important."
"Men think they hold the power, but we are the power, Demitra.  And we bring the magic and the love."

ᥫ᭡  "I know what it is to have a passion in your heart but to be told repeatedly to tamp it down.  I know what it is to want to soar when others are holding you down.  I see this in you."

ᥫ᭡ ".. Show me someone who isn't damaged or haunted in some way.  The only difference is what we do with that pain.  Do we drown in it, allowing it to pull us down further until we disappear into it?  Or do we use that pain, that brokenness to inspire us?" 

ᥫ᭡ "Don't shy away from what haunts you.   Embrace it. Just look around you, look at the magnificence of this place, look at what can happen when you face your pain, the very thing that broke your heart, instead of pretending it never existed."

ᥫ᭡  "..You spent your childhood searching for the magic in the myths, Demitra, when you were the magic all along.  Be the magic.  Create magic and live the life of an artist.."

ᥫ᭡ "She had, for a few brief moments, experienced a pure and perfect love.   And she was forever changed by it, understanding that it would never come again, because she was not who she was before."

ᥫ᭡ "..she knew that despite the pain she felt, it had been worth it.  It had all been worth it.  Because however brief it was, their love was true.  And she knew that together, they had created magic, and the world was a more beautiful place because of their love."

ᥫ᭡  "The tangle of tiny blue flowers woven into Aphrodite's hair would always be a testament of their bond and proof that sometimes only after experiencing pain, longing, and sorrow, can love exist in its truest and most beautiful form."

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Harper Muse and Harper Muse Audiobooks and the author Yvette Manessis Corporon for the complimentary copy of this book.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me! I ended up no finishing this one! I wanted to really like it though.

3.5 stars rounded up

The Daughter of Ruins is historical fiction spanning several decades of the 20th century set primarily in Greece and to a lesser extent in America. The novel is the story of Demitra who was born in America but returned to Greece with her father after the death of her mother when she was three years old. Demitra lives alone with her distant and unemotional father on the island of Cephalonia but dreams of her mother who she can't remember but who she believes watches over her like a goddess of Greek mythology.

The story follows Demitra, a would-be artist inspired by the mythological goddesses, as she's coming of age in the post-World War II era after her island had been occupied by the Italians and then the Germans. To avoid the unwanted marriage her father is arranging, Demitra leaves her home to stay with family on Corfu where she falls in love but she returns to Cephalonia a year later prior to a devastating earthquake that alters her life.

Demitra's story intertwines with the stories of two other women - Elena, a prostitute raised in a brothel in Italy who kept company with soldiers stationed on Cephalonia and stayed on the island after the war and Maria, a young Greek woman sent to the U.S. as a picture bride in the 1920s to marry a man she doesn't know.

Daughter of Ruins is an emotional story of love, loss and women finding their way in the world. I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of the islands of Cephalonia and Corfu and how Greek history and mythology are woven into the courageous journey of this resilient young woman facing obstacles and opression in order to live the life she wants. I wasn't very familiar with 20th century Greek history prior to reading Daughter of Ruins and I appreciated learning about the hardship of life in Greece in the 1920s, during WWII and during the years that followed and about the devastating earthquake that struck Cephalonia in 1953 destroying homes and killing hundreds of people. This is the second book that I have read by this author and both were enjoyable reads!


Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Demitra, Elena, and Maria are the three women in this novel whose stories include a history of Greece from the 1920s to 1980. The novel includes events such as the migration of so many young Greek men to America in search of a better life, the young Greek women who were sent after them as brides, the Italian occupation of Greece during the war, followed by the Nazi invasion that was much more cruel, subsequent moves by Greeks to America, and much more.

The 20th century history of Greece, its small towns, and some of its people who left the country are laid out in this book, through the lives of the three women, in particular Demitra, whose mother had died in the USA when Demitra was only three. Her father had subsequently returned with Demitra to Greece.

This was a fascinating novel that was also the telling of the history of the island. Particularly moving was Demitra story as a child in Greece writing letters to her dead mother and then burning them before her disapproving papa could see.

Somehow the author's skipping around in the telling of her story works. For instance, the novel starts in 1940 and 1943, moves to 1948, back to 1921, forward to 1952, then back to 1921. The latter part of the book takes place in 1970 and 1975 and then ends in 1980 in the U.S. Demitra's entire life is covered, as well as the major events in Greece during most of this time.

I would recommend this book especially to Greek Americans and Southern Europe Americans such as the Italians, whose stories of small isolated home towns during a similar period of time, and immigration to the U.S., especially to the Bronx, might be similar.

A very worthwhile historical novel.

Absolutely beautifully written. This is my first read by the author and I was very impressed by her writing style. I felt as if I was peeking into the character's lives as it is so realistic. As you read you will be completely absorbed by the Greek flavor. culturally, historically from the myths and legends and the amazing foods it's all there waiting for you.
This is about women, yes, we have our lovely main character but there are many important women who when faced with hardships and tragedies they forge on and show such resilience. Though their world is falling apart around them they are there for each other. and will go to great lengths to show it. I love that the author has lived in the area she writes about which makes this historical book all the more realistic.
This book has taken me on an emotional roller coaster, and I loved every bit of the ride. Full of family and discoveries, a journey worth taking with the light shining at the end of the tunnel.
Highly recommended!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to @tlcbooktours and @harpermusebooks for the chance to read Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon @yvettecorporon

I had eight billion loads of laundry to fold and put away so I grabbed an audio copy of Daughter of Ruins and I listened from morning to night, not wanting to stop. This is a story that follows three Greek women: A motherless daughter. An Italian prostitute. A mail-order bride. And shows how each woman in her own way overcame serious hardships.

This 400 page work of historical fiction, traveling throughout history truly is a sweeping tale that is steeped in the rich history, culture, and myths of Greece. I found myself going through all the emotions the three women experienced – my heart both soaring and breaking – and admiring them for who they were and who they became.

I also found the various settings throughout history, especially settings and scenes in Greece, were fascinating as that is not an area or history I know a lot about.

Fans of historical fiction focused on generations of families should rush to get a copy in their hands. This is the kind of book you can settle into.

This compelling dual-time novel intricately weaves the stories of three strong Greek women: Demitra, an orphaned daughter raised by her Baba; Elena, a beautiful Italian prostitute navigating wartime challenges; and Maria, a poor mountain girl sent to America as a mail-order bride in search of a better life.

Set against the backdrop of Greek mythology, the narrative unfolds in both the 1930s and 1943, exploring themes of love, loss, and resilience. Demitra grapples with her mother’s death and her father’s absence, while Elena faces the harsh realities of war, and Maria seeks her place in a foreign land.

The author sensitively portrays each woman’s struggles, highlighting their courage and determination to discover their true selves amidst societal expectations. With a rich cast of supporting characters and a deep appreciation for Greece's history and myths, this emotional read resonates deeply. A beautifully crafted story that deserves a five-star rating!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinions!

"In all those years of yearning and praying, Demitra had been so focused on mourning the mother she had lost that she had not taken the time to recognize the beauty and magnitude of the mothers who had been found"

Where to even start on this epic of a life story? Daughter of Ruins tells the life story of Demitra. Originally born in America, we get to know Demitra as a young girl living on Cephalonia with her father as the island faces occupation first from the Italians and then the Germans. We learn how Demitra wants to make a life for herself as an artist and break from the traditional expectations of becoming a wife and mother. We see her blossom as she moves away to Corfu to be with family and has the hope of finding love. We follow along as Demitra moves back to Cephalonia, only to have everything taken away by a devastating earthquake. Finally, we once again she Demitra pick up the pieces and truly blossom, as she moves to the United States and finds her stride. Alongside Demitra's story, Daughter of Ruins includes the stories of two more powerful women: Maria, who is sent to the US as one of the Greek picture brides, and has to battle loneliness and a completely new culture to adjust too, and Elena, whose reputation is blemished at the hand of a domineering man and has to learn to live with all the many consequences of their encounter.

As I was reading Daughter of Ruins, I was mostly taken in by the lush descriptions of various Greek islands, making me want to jump on a plane immediately, as well as the abundance of wonderful Greek cuisine, occasionally making my mouth water. Initially, I wasn't so taken in with the story, not Demitra's, and not any of the others. Yet, as I neared the conclusion of the book, I was so, so glad I had persisted reading, as the story comes together so beautifully. and I am just sitting here in awe. What arises is a novel that not only manages to weave together an interesting and real story with the magic of Greek mythology, not only taught me a lot about the history of Cephalonia, the reality of Greek picture brides and the difficulties faced by first-generation Greek-Americans, but shows the burden of family and cultural expectations and the grit required to break away, highlights the pure strength of female power in a variety of ways, and underlines the importance of found family.