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Title details for The Next Ship Home by Heather Webb - Available

The Next Ship Home

A Novel of Ellis Island

by Heather Webb
Kathryn Markey
Audiobook
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1 of 1 copy available
A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn't a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country
and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance.
As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship and share a terrible secret—altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them.
Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America's history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens' singular
determination. This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to "the land of the free" promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    February 8, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781705060667
      • File size: 400431 KB
      • Duration: 13:54:13

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from September 1, 2022

      Webb's (Three Words for Goodbye) novel, which takes place on Ellis Island in 1902, tells the stories of Francesca and Alma. Alma's German family has not been in the country for long, but Alma is fluent in English as well as German and has easily picked up bits of Russian and Italian. Sent to work by her stepfather, Alma is initially afraid to serve as a translator at the immigration center but she soon adjusts, despite dealing with corruption and the sad stories she witnesses. Francesca's sister arrives in New York already ill and dies at Ellis Island. Terrified that she will be returned to Italy, Francesca befriends Alma to convince her to help find a way for Francesca to stay in the country. The two young women help each other through difficult times and try to ward off abuse. Both women are treated unfairly, primarily by men but also by other women. Narrator Kathryn Markey does a remarkable job voicing the variety of accents and languages spoken by those who come through Ellis Island. VERDICT Webb's historical novel sheds light on an interesting period in American history.--Cheryl Youse

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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