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.

“Daughter of Ruins” is the epic story of Demitra that is coming of age post WW2 in Greece. She is being raised by her emotionally unavailable father who will not talk about her mother who died when she was young. As an artist she faces her past and forges a new path across decades and continents.

This is a long book that crosses many decades. I tend to struggle with these types of books unless the main plot line is really pulling me through the book, so keep that in mind. Unfortunately, I struggled finding the underlying theme as the books meandered quite a bit. The two points of view and times lines were not woven together well and the past timeline was inconsistently interspersed throughout making the book feel somewhat jumpy with inconsistent pacing. I did enjoy the atmospheric feel of being on a Greek island and the historical facts that were sprinkled throughout. The writing itself was good, but the story did not work for me.

Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon is a book I will not soon forget. This dual timeline novel was a fast read for me, as Corporon immersed my mind in a story of loss, heartache, hope, and strength. Set amid the lush beauty of mid 1900’s Greece, Daughter of Ruins centers on three women, each of whom have endured their own form of betrayal, yet came away from that pain with a strength to be admired. This is a book of harsh reality, but also of love. And this love shines through in the most unexpected of ways.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

This was a DNF because I honestly just couldn’t care enough about the characters or story to finish. It’s supposed to be about 3 different women but we really only get Demitra’s POV for most of what I’ve read. The other two aren’t fleshed out/ one dimensional, and I wished we had gotten to know them better/see them more! By part 2 I still wasn’t engaged and kept putting it down to read other books so I ended up DNFing after not feeling excited to get back to it. I’m sure many others will enjoy it more than me!

Daughter of Ruins is a dual timeline novel that follows three women whose fates mirror those of the women in ancient Greek myth—out of their control.

Demetria is coming of age in a post WWII Greece after Italian and German occupation, struggling to connect with her father who gets more and more closed off from her emotionally with each passing day. When a forbidden love changes her perspective, and she refuses an arranged marriage, Demetria returns home to make peace with her father and instead faces an earthquake that changes not only her future, but that of her beloved Cephalonia.

Maria is a mail order bride who is essentially sold by her father to a new life in America after WWI when his funds to support his family run low. Alone in a country where she has no family, no friends, and does not know the language life is cruel. It is only her daughter who keeps her sane, until her husband threatens her fragile balance, and her life is never the same again.

Elena’s mother is an Italian prostitute, and she has hopes of a better future for herself but finds no one wants to hire anyone with her family history to do anything other than follow in “the business”. Alone in Greece, she reluctantly befriends a young Demetria and her stepmother Stella, who try to help Elena find a better path forward, despite a cruel man who robs her of her most prized possession.

Though the majority of the book follows Demetria, all three women work to find out who they are in a world where men rule their lives, leaving them with little personal freedom. Each woman faces unimaginable heartbreak and comes out stronger despite their suffering. Like most historical fiction, this novel takes a bit of time to “get into” but knowledge gained is worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and author Yvette Manessis Corporon for the advanced copy of the book. Daughter of Ruins is out on October 8th! All opinions are my own.

Corporon skillfully weaves mythology into this tale of three Greek women. It's the rare dual time line novel where both threads work with rather than against one another. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Good characters and storytelling make this a good read.

This was a sweeping story primarily following Demitra, who was left motherless when her mother died when Demitra was 3. It started out a bit slow, but once things picked up, it was unputdownable. The beauty, traditions and customs of Greece were beautifully written and I loved reading about Demitra's life, which had it's ups and downs. This was a beautiful book! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautiful novel that went back and forth between three different women’s stories from Greece to the United States in the mid twentieth century. It was emotional and captivating and I was invested in each one of their stories. Their strength through the challenges they faced was incredible.

I learned so much about history in Greece and Greek mythology. Every part of this story was important and the author weaved it all together in the most moving way. I was partial to the influence art had on the story! The descriptions of the settings were rich and beautiful and this would be a lovely bookclub pick.

+ family secrets
+ Greek history & mythology
+ grief
+ coming-of-age

This author is my go-to when learning about Greece’s history, and her latest is a wonderful example of an emotional and heartfelt tale of secrets, love, and friendship. I learned so much about unknown to me history like the Greek picture brides and the Great Kefalonia earthquake of 1953. I love how Corporon weaves together the timelines and characters to uncover a thread that ties them all through history. And I especially love learning about the Greek culture, traditions, and food through her descriptive writing. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

4 ☆
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This story is tragically beautiful. I don't even know what to say about this story except READ! That's the review!
The audiobook is chef's kiss; the narrator did a great job telling the story. She was extremely easy to listen to.
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Thank you, Netgalley, Harper Muse, and Harper Collins for the eBook and audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Daughter of Ruins, by Yvette Manessis Corporon, is the story of three generations of Greek women, living in the first half of the 20th century, from a small coastal town. The women had little to no say in their lives. Fathers arranged to sell their daughters to Greek immigrants in the USA to be able to feed their families. Babies were snatched away from mothers and sold to Greek American families. Demetria did not fit the mold. She loved drawing more than cooking and cleaning. Her father brought her back to Greece and told her that her mother was dead. Using the Greek goddesses, Corpoton tells Demetria’s story. Based on true events, this story of independence and resolve has a happy ending. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book and found it educational as well. I loved the way Greek mythology was blended into the story. The surprises and heartaches with so much history. Great characters. I would recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy, all opinions are mine and mine alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC of Daughter of Ruins!

I have to admit, it’s been a while since I picked up a historical fiction novel, and I wasn’t sure if it would capture my interest—but I was pleasantly surprised!

A bit of background: I’m Greek-Canadian, born in Canada but raised in Athens. My father immigrated from Greece to Canada in the mid-60s for a better life. Although Daughter of Ruins is set post-WWII, I felt chills reading about the hardships portrayed, as they reminded me of the challenges my father faced as a young adult.

This story was incredibly moving, and it transported me to the islands of Corfu and Cephalonia—both of which I highly recommend visiting! I devoured the book in one sitting, eager to see how Demitra's life would evolve, especially after the devastating earthquake of 1953.

Thank you again, NetGalley and Harper Muse, for this advanced copy of #DaughterOfTheRuins!

Phenomenal! Greek historical fiction is new to me, and despite being unsure when I first started reading, this book pulled me right into its web. You meet three women, all born in different decades/generations, who share commonality in their experiences. The characters are easy to love (or despise), the pace builds nicely, the author does a great job of describing the scenery so that it feels like you’re there. I also really enjoyed the mythology that is mixed into the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.

This will be out on October 8 and I highly recommend you grab a copy!

Sad and yet triumphant! Demetria, Maria, and Elena’s stories are a hard look at how little Greece changed during and after WWII.

I was excited to read this book and immerse myself in a new persepctive on Greek history and mythology. The novel's strength lies in its vivid depiction of Greece and the intertwining stories of three stong, complex woman, each facing their own unique challenges.

The stories were all fascinating. I especially felt for Elena, who faced an impossible
situation that has been all too common throughout history.

The characters didn't feel nuanced enough for my taste, and at times the dialogue felt stilted, but the themes and settings were highly engaging. A great perspective on overlooked women in Greek history.