Where the Wandering Ends: A Novel of Corfu

(Hardback)

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Description

They wondered if they would ever find their way backback to the village, back to a life of meaning, back to each other.

Corfu, 1946In a poor Greek community, ten-year-old Marco is perhaps the poorest of them all. But it wasnt always that way. His grandmother once worked for the royal family where Marcos mother played alongside young Prince Phillip himself. Now Greece is on the brink of civil war, and Marcos mother still clings to the desperate hope that somehow the royal family will save her own.

As the war turns deadlier, Greeces Queen Frederica takes a defiant stand against the communists, announcing that she will save her countrys most innocent by opening childrens villages. When the communist partisans erect camps of their own, children are ripped from their mothers arms; entire villages are emptied.

Young Katerina has been best friends with Marco for as long as she can remember, cementing their bond by stealing scraps from her familys table to sneak to him. But when the communists reach their village, loyalties are tested as devastating secrets threaten to emerge. Katerina and Marco are separated just before her family flees on foot. At their final goodbye, Katerina and Marco promise to find their way back to the village, and to each other. This haunting childhood vow launches events that will take decades to unravel.

Set among Corfus picturesque lanes, hamlets, and villas where kings, villagers, and saints all walk the same cobblestone paths, Where the Wandering Ends reminds us of the tenacity of those who have lost everything and the enduring power of home.

[A] magically crafted story combining history and mythology. Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author

• A heart-wrenching yet hopeful story that spans decades: from post-World War II to early 2000s
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: approximately 112,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Reviews

Corfu's beauty, which Corporon describes in sumptuous detail, is juxtaposed against the turbulence and devastation caused by war. Fascinating historical facts and references to mythological Greek tales intertwine with moving scenes, tension-building plot points and surprising revelations to create a powerful, soaring story. This is a spectacular novel about the enduring devotion of family and the steadfast loyalty between friends. * BookPage, starred review *
Corporon, the daughter of Greek immigrants, tells a compelling story spanning six decades in the lives of Greeks living on the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea . . . Corporon brings to light a little-known part of European history with her fluid prose, attention to detail, and character-driven narrative. * Historical Novel Society *
Love, hope, courage, and survival thread their way through this magically crafted story combining history and mythology. * Heather Morris, New York Times bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Three Sisters *
A sweeping, multigenerational story of love, loss and sacrifice, Where the Wandering Ends is a beautiful journey through time in a war-ravaged, picturesque land of royalty, ruin, and hope. * Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars *
Set on the romantic island of Corfu, Where the Wandering Ends is a powerful, emotional tale of recent history, showing the disruption of lives during the Greek civil war. * Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author *
A tale of homecoming, woven with beautiful threads from history, mythology, and the indelible truths and wisdom of the human heart. * Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post *

Author Bio

Yvette Manessis Corporon is a senior producer with the syndicated entertainment news show Extra. In addition to her two Emmy Awards, Yvette has received a Silurian Award for Excellence in Journalism, and the New York City Comptroller and City Council's Award for Greek Heritage and Culture.