Paradiso A Novel by Steve Capelin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A gripping tale of hope and despair on the high seas. Set in 1879-80, a group of migrants from the struggling north of Italy chases the promise of Paradise in the South Pacific.

Alas, the dream is far from reality. Instead of the thriving settlement they’d expected, there is nothing but jungle. They must battle the harsh climate, dysentery, the threat of starvation, fear, regret. Eventually the survivors make it to Australia. Later they become the founders of a township called New Italy, situated midway between Ballina and Grafton in NSW.

The ill-fated adventure is based on a true story of triumph despite the odds. A well-written migrant story by Brisbane author, Steve Caplin, that had me on the edge of my seat.