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.

What an absolutely beautiful tribute to family, second chances, and making your own magic. I feel like my heart has been thrown in a wood chipper but in the best way possible. The shifting perspectives and timelines painted the strokes of a gorgeous story that was as bright and beautiful as it was heartbreaking. I felt the pain and the joy along with each turn. This is a must read - I can’t wait for friends and family to be able to read it.

“Daughter of Ruins” by Yvette Manessis Corporon was an epic and enduring journey about three remarkable Greek women. It is impossible not to become fully immersed into their tragic and difficult lives. The author uses Greek mythology in a brilliant fashion to show their strength and their ability to navigate through tremendous adversity. This book is one that I will remember for a long time, I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Genre: historical fiction
Topics and themes: family secrets, grief, emotional turmoil, searching for answers, coming of age, strong and resilient women, Greek history
Release date: October 08, 2024

This was a beautiful told story about three different but intertwined female stories set in 20 century Greece and USA.
It will appeal to historical fiction readers.

This is a great story that touches on so many historical genres. A motherless daughter, prostitution, love over seas, WWII and more. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

My new favorite Yvette Manessis Corporon book! I didn’t think anything could top Where the Wandering Ends, but Daughter of Ruins has done it!

You’re taken on an epic journey through the life of Demitra, whose story is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. A story of love, loss, and the enduring strength of women who defy stereotypes and overcome the odds. A testament to the power of love— its ability to uplift and to devastate. Demitra is relatable and inspiring and her resilience and determination are powerful.

With a vivid description of Greece you’re transported to the ancient ruins, and the vibrant seascapes of the Mediterranean. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, see the bright blue of the Sea, and smell the salt air. The setting came to life, I felt like I was there.

I couldn’t stop turning the page- hooked from start to finish, I couldn’t put it down.

A must read for fans of Greek mythology, strong female characters , and beautiful settings.

The story lingers in your mind & heart long after you’ve turned the last page.

This one was a good historical novel that entertwines greek mythology with modern day drama . I loved the setting and felt overall it was a good book
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me

A brilliantly depicted historical novel that handles the indignities and triumphs in the lives of three Greek women, each grappling with the ruins of her innocence and dreams and how to establish her own identity. Over two timelines, their lives intertwine against the rich setting of Greece with its myths and social mores. Both tragic and uplifting, the author deftly paints a beautiful and poignant picture of family, love and the strength of the human spirit. This novel will be felt deeply by readers and should be savored.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with an ARC of this novel in return for an honest review.

In our introduction to Demitra, a young girl growing up on the island of Cephalonia, Greece, she is in the act of burning a letter she's written to her mother so the smoke will carry her words to heaven. The story follows her as she grows up, occasionally veering into chapters focused on two other women: Elena, an Italian prostitute in Greece; and Maria, a Greek "picture bride" shipped over to America to marry a man she doesn't know. The three women's stories are interconnected and together weave a tail of love, loss, growth, overcoming generational hindrances, and finding one's place in the world.

Despite moments of tragedy, despair, and loss, Daughter of Ruins manages to be a hopeful and comforting read. Demitra, as main character and the thread that connects everyone else, is wholly fleshed out and easily comes off the page. It's effortless to feel for her, to root for her, and in her relationship with her step-mother, Stella, there is a much needed balm for both Demitra and the reader. Of all the relationships in the story, this one is perhaps my favorite, followed closely by the (to avoid naming them and thus spoiling anything) the "bakery team" in the latter portions of the book.

Beyond a compelling story, there are deftly woven symbols and references to Greek mythology throughout the story. As a lover of Greek mythology, I really appreciated these and how they were used in the story. Some of the parallels between the mythological women and the characters were obvious, but they were no less powerful for it. They provide another layer of insight to the characters as well as the culture. Is it weird to say they also help to anchor the Greek-ness of this book, beyond the descriptions of Greek locales? Well, they do, and I loved it. Scenery jumps off the page in this, too.

With a satisfying ending, this was a perfect sort of comfort read about found and chosen family and I look forward to its official publication.

This is a dual-time novel of 3 strong Greek women A motherless daughter. An Italian prostitute. A mail-order bride. Woven within this tapestry is Greek mythology, which no story set in Greece would be left out. Demitra's mother died in America in the 1930s when Demitra was three years old. She was brought back to Greece by her father and is now living with her “Baba.” In 1943 we are introduced to Elena a beautiful Italian woman who is a prostitute and until the Germans arrived she was entertaining Italian soldiers. Maria lives in a poor mountain village in 1921 and is sent to America as ‘picture bride’ for Greek emigrants in search of a wife. With a cast of supporting characters this book is an emotional read that takes into account love, loss as well as the rich history of Greece and its myths. Three women who find it difficult and have to fight to find what their lives were really about Told in a most sensitive and compassionate way, I am giving this story 5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC...highly recommended.

If you are looking for a really well written Greek book. This one is for you. It was unique and the main characters were very love able and I would highly recommend this book!

I could easily read this again and it is not often I say that about a book! I cannot wait to own a physical copy of this book when it is published. It is such a beautiful novel saturated perfectly in Greek culture and my senses were alight based on the descriptions.

The women in this novel are all 'ruined' in different ways, whether physically or because society deems them to be, yet they have so much beauty and power. They have an enduring strength against so much adversity and I loved seeing them take back control of their destiny.

Greek mythology is weaved through the story and any fans of female figures in Greek mythology will love this.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book - it will stay with me for a very long time.

Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon is a poignant dual-time narrative set in Greece and the United States. The author artfully weaves together Greek mythology and art with the post-war travails of everyday Greeks, brave women, arranged marriages, and the heartbreaking cost of human trafficking. This page-turning historical novel entertains us, even as it moves, and educates us.

The novel’s engaging protagonists are Maria (‘past’ - 1920s) and her daughter, Demitra (‘present’ – 1940s onwards). Raised by her ‘Baba’, Pericles, Demitra mourns the loss of the mother she barely remembers, after her father returned with her from Milwaukee to his home island of Cephalonia. There, left to struggle with her Baba’s unaccountable hostility, Demitra writes letters to her mother, whom she’s recast as a goddess from Greek myth. Compelled to create, Demitra loves nothing better than to sketch the beauty around her. Baba has no tolerance for his daughter’s gift, instead determining to marry her off to the hapless Niko as soon as possible.

Niko is but one of several beautifully constructed supporting characters who provide a convincing picture of Greek community life in this challenging period. Stella was another one of my favourite characters, together with Demitra’s cousin Sophia, her husband, Tino, and family, who offer Demitra an escape route from Baba’s single-minded plans. I appreciated the author’s skill in balancing conflict and injustice with the warmth and generosity of people of goodwill.

Eleni is another trafficking victim, condemned by the bigotry of the era to follow her mother into the sex industry. Her story intersects with Demitra’s when Eleni accompanies Italian soldiers to Cephalonia during their occupation of the island during World War II.

Twenty years prior, Maria’s story is interwoven strategically with Demitra’s. Unknowingly tricked into posing for a photograph by her father, Maria finds herself shipped off to the United States with other hapless Greek girls — some as young as fourteen — as ‘picture brides’ for Greek emigrants in search of a wife. The girls’ fear and bewilderment are masterfully depicted, even more so as we follow Maria’s journey into her marriage with Pericles. Pericles is a difficult character to like, but it must be said that the author does a superb job in calibrating his story arc as well.

Love and loss, creation, and devastation, run through this riveting story. The unifying device of Greek myth is a clever one, sensitively portrayed, and doesn’t overpower the narrative or require any prior knowledge by the reader. But it’s the central triad of women — Maria, Demitra, and Eleni — who are the driving force of this warm and compassionate novel, which I recommend whole heartedly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.