The Strong Bond Of A Mother And Daughter

A mother and daughter's love is tested to the moon and back in this beautifully poignant tale. 

This novel begins in a magnificent villa in lovely Bay of Naples, Italy. The year is 1905, and little Lucia, along with her mother, go about their days as servants to the gentle Countess. With the irate count, some days are hard to get through, but the Countess never fails to help them out of any situation they get trapped into. Unfortunately, one day no one not even the Countess, were able to avoid this most horrible even. There only lies one simple solution: sneak out of Italy and start a new life in America. 

With the help of an old friend, they are able to leave and begin a new leaf, as well as a new life. With her mother working, Lucia finds a passion in school, and all of the amazing places and things to learn. Soon, her mother finds her calling as a singer in a vaudeville circuit as the Naples Nightingale, and Lucia finds herself with a accomplishing something only eight out of one hundred children do before the age of eighteen. With the occasional visits to see her mother perform, and the promise of college in sight, Lucia couldn't see how her life could not go in any direction than this. Sadly, Lucia's mother, Theresa, becomes ill, and this calls for Lucia to drop everything and come home. With the caring for her mother, and the ongoing strikes, Lucia patience, and the love for Theresa is strongly tested. 

Swimming In The Moon, written by Pamela Schoenewaldt, covered many different themes. Themes such as, immigration, mental-illness, the worker's rights and their strikes, self-discovery, and most important of all, the endless love between a mother and her daughter. When I read this, I was instantly reminded of the relationship I had with my mother. Before she passed away, we were all we had for each other. When the other was sick we would take care of each other. We didn't have much, but there was one thing we did have that couldn't be bought with money or any riches in the world: our love for each other. And when I lost her at the age of seven, a huge piece of my heart left with her. So knowing the relationship in this story, I was able to relate quite well with the mother and daughter in this novel. I understand the pain and agony Lucia felt knowing that she was losing a part of her mother when the illness overcame Teresa. This novel as taught me that love should never be taken for granted EVER, but instead be used to it's most fullest potential and worth.