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What Once Was Promised Review
The novel “What Once Was Promised” by Louis Trubiano explores the complexity of Italian immigrants’ lives in America against the backdrop of the tumultuous early 20th century. The story of Domenic Bassini, a young man who leaves his hometown of Torre de’Passeri, Italy, to start a new life in America, is one of determination, courage, and sacrifice.
The book opens with a tense moment, where Domenic, now an older man, recalls his last moments spent with his father and the simplicity of life back home. From Domenic’s mixed emotions on the day of his departure from Italy to the hardships faced on the ship and the challenges of immigrant life in America, the author skillfully weaves historical aspects with personal experiences. Domenic, through his strict upbringing and family values, remains a character deeply devoted to his loved ones, a fact evident in his father’s words: „Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family”.
The secondary characters, such as Francesca Bernardelli, add depth to the narrative. Francesca, a young woman from a Sicilian village, becomes a symbol of female ambition and resilience, dreaming of a better life in America. Trubiano captures her desire to escape the restrictive norms of Sicilian society, presenting an authentic portrait of a strong yet vulnerable woman. The interactions between Domenic and the other immigrants on the ship, as well as his relationship with Francesca, add a layer of emotional and moral complexity. Domenic, though a moral and responsible young man, faces ethical and personal dilemmas, highlighting the internal struggle between duty and desire.
Upon arriving in Boston, Domenic feels that he has found a new family and a new father in Giuseppe, and his close relationship with Joseph and Ermino becomes immediately evident. Despite the initial difficulties and the skeptical eye of Maria Rossario, Domenic finds his place in this community. After starting his work at the Ropewalk in the shipyard, Domenic feels immense satisfaction in sending money home to his family in Torre de’Passeri for the first time. The hard work and opportunities offered by the modernization of the Boston Naval Yard open new perspectives and dreams for the future. Although dominated by the Irish, the shipyard provides chances for those willing to work hard, and Domenic is no exception. Immigrant societies are places where members celebrate special moments and offer mutual support. After Sunday Mass, the men gather to socialize, play cards, and bocce, while the women handle the traditional meal. Domenic loves the camaraderie and stories told in the club, and life in America becomes more bearable because of these community ties.
A critical moment in Domenic’s life is the work accident in which he loses an eye. Though panicked at the thought of losing his job, he maintains his faith and determination to continue working to fulfill his promises to his family. The tensions between different ethnic groups, particularly between the Irish and Italians, are well captured in the novel. The control exercised by the Irish over the city and the efforts of Italian immigrants to integrate and thrive despite discrimination are recurring themes. The Italian community in North End becomes an enclave of resistance and solidarity.
Dragatto, another central character, exemplifies the struggle for success in the face of economic and social obstacles. His fish business prospers, but not without costs and threats from other groups. His determination to succeed despite difficulties is another narrative thread that illustrates the immigrant spirit. In a scene from 1951, Domenic and Ernie Lentini confront the ghosts of their past. The tense silence and brief dialogue between the two reflect the weight of personal history and the difficult decisions they must make. The Madonna del Soccorso festival becomes an occasion to celebrate Italian identity in North End, and Domenic’s meeting with Francesca rekindles complex emotions and painful memories. Their past relationship and reunion bring to the forefront themes of longing and sacrifice.
One of the novel’s strengths is the author’s ability to transport the reader to specific places and moments: „Kevin O’Riley Sat on the old couch in the small room off the parlor that had long served as his father’s sanctuary. It could not be called an office or a study, as it had no desk, no bookshelves, or nothing much of anything for that matter. There was a large overstuffed chair with an ottoman squeezed into one corner with a small table next to it that always seemed to have a newspaper, a full ashtray and an empty glass or two on it whenever Kevin had ventured into the room as a child. In the corner opposite his father’s chair was another small table with some photographs and a telephone. His father not being a sentimental man, Kevin was sure it was his mother who put the photographs there to add some touch of warmth to the room.” This vivid description of the setting reflects not only the physical atmosphere but also the emotional tensions
and familial dynamics. Trubiano uses seemingly mundane details to outline the characters’ personalities and their relationships, adding depth and authenticity to the narrative.
The characters in “What Once Was Promised” are deeply human and easily relatable, each with their own struggles and aspirations. Domenic Bassini, for instance, is a central character whose life experiences and sacrifices are detailed, offering a clear picture of the challenges faced by immigrants. Martha comes from a wealthy family with an impressive history, rooted in early investments in Chicago railways and the city’s first national bank. Raised in an environment that valued superficiality and conformity, Martha felt early on the frustration of being overlooked by her father in favor of her older brother, considered the only one worthy of taking over the family
business. Despite her excellent school results, she was groomed for the traditional role of a highsociety woman, taught the etiquette and manners necessary to navigate social circles but without being allowed to explore her passions and business acumen.
The meeting and love story between Martha and Dommy, an Italian policeman from Boston, is another part of the novel. Despite significant cultural and social differences, the two fall deeply in love. Their relationship is filled with obstacles, including strong opposition from Martha’s father, Walter Gifford Anderson III, who despises the idea of his daughter being involved with an Italian, seen as socially inferior.
One of the most emotional moments in the book is when Dommy, riding his horse Fitzy, looks back at Martha for the last time before parting from their group: „Dommy ignored her comment and started to lead Fitzy away from the retreating group. But he couldn’t help from turning his head for a final look at Martha Anderson. At that same moment, she turned to look back and caught him watching. The smile she flashed remained etched in Dommy’s head.”This moment perfectly captures the tension and potential of a relationship that defies societal expectations and norms. Their love story goes through many trials, from the initial challenges of acceptance by their families
to internal struggles with their own doubts and fears. While Dommy finds peace and purpose in his relationship with Martha, she battles her own demons, feeling torn between social obligations and her true desires. Their marriage, achieved with difficulty and despite the opposition of the church, is a moment of personal triumph for Martha, who sees in Dommy not only a life partner but also a chance to live her life according to her own desires.
Trubiano successfully brings to life an emotional story about the struggle between societal expectations and personal desires. His writing is filled with details that provide depth to the characters and their relationships, reflecting the complexity and emotional nuances of their lives.
Louis Trubiano’s novel “What Once Was Promised” is a chronicle of the struggle, sacrifices, and triumph of Italian immigrants in Boston. Through the story of Domenic and those around him, Trubiano offers a deeply human perspective on the American dream and the price that must be paid by those who pursue it. The novel is a celebration of resilience and the power of community in the face of challenges and adversities.
*****
“What Once Was Promised” by Louis Trubiano receives 4.5 stars from The Historical Fiction Company
Sixteen-year-old Domenic Bassini, an immigrant headed to America from Italy in 1914, knows the value of community. He comes from a small, tight-knit village, where, in his father’s wise words, “other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.” That wisdom nourishes Domenic as he makes a life for himself in America, surrounded by colorful characters and political rivalries in a country that runs on the backs of its immigrants but too often cares little for their welfare. As he sets down new roots—and treads the dangerous ground of Boston’s North End in the early 20th century—Domenic learns just how far that sense of belonging will take him.
Trubiano fills this riveting debut with a wealth of history and deeply appealing characters, all set against the backdrop of the American dream—an elusive notion that taunts Domenic and his fellow Italian immigrants, while they try to survive in the face of treacherous beginnings. Domenic is a solid, admirable character, who devotes himself to work and family—both biological and found. The connections he makes on the passage to America stick with him in unexpected ways, notably young stowaway Ermino Lentini and the beautiful, but married, Francesca Dragatto—one a future mafioso and the other Domenic’s first love. Those relationships come full circle for Domenic in ways he could never have guessed as a young, hopeful immigrant.
Rich with cultural insight, Trubiano’s novel takes on the deadly rivalry between different immigrant groups in early America, particularly the Irish and the Italians, and spins an unforgettable tapestry of community, survival, and political intrigue—in an America where corruption is rampant and it’s literally every man for himself. Domenic’s spirit—and respect for the new life he’s carved—shines brightly throughout, despite his heartbreaking experiences, making this a true homage to the steely resolve of America’s first immigrants.
Takeaway: Riveting story of immigration and Boston’s North End in the early 20th century.
Comparable Titles: Adriana Trigiani’s The Shoemaker’s Wife, Akhil Sharma’s Family Life.
“Step into the rich tapestry of early 20th-century Boston where love, friendship, and betrayal intertwine against a backdrop of political intrigue and personal vendettas.”
Trubiano’s historical novel tells the story of the Italian immigrants who fought for survival and acceptance in Boston’s North End in the first half of the 20th century. Domenic Bassini is 16 years old when he sets sail for America from his hardscrabble little village to make a better life for himself and perhaps improve the family fortunes. A shy, quiet kid, he nonetheless meets people on the voyage who will remain in his life (for good or ill), including Cologero Dragotto and his beautiful and shrewd young bride, Francesca, who seduces Domenic even before they land in Boston, and the spunky 10-year-old stowaway, Ermino Lentini. Once in Boston, Domenic, a stoic, steady worker, gets a job and keeps his head down. Domenic becomes Ermino’s protector by default, but the kid is a handful and drifts away, finally going full-bore into a successful life of crime. Early on, Ermino and Domenic have a run-in with young Colin O’Riley, the son of Brendan O’Riley—a very powerful police officer in the BPD; a generation-long enmity between the Bassinis and the O’Rileys will soon develop. Colin becomes a dirty and dangerous cop and the nemesis of Domenic’s son, Dommy, who’s a war hero, a scrupulously honest cop, and a beacon for the future. (As his wife, Martha, later says ruefully, “Dommy didn’t want to just be a cop. He wanted to be a saint.”) The narrative runs from 1914 to the 1950s and through three generations of triumphs and tragedies; the city of Boston is as much a character as the human characters. The author effectively illustrates the ways in which struggles for power in the city often resembled a fight between scorpions trapped in a bottle. The story covers the Brahmins, who lost Boston but controlled the State House; the Irish, who took over the BPD; the Italian Mafia and lesser gangs; and the often hilariously corrupt politicians. In the course of the tale, readers encounter the famous police strike of 1919, the Great Molasses Flood of that same year, the Spanish flu, and several cameo references (including Joseph Kennedy, Sacco and Vanzetti, and James Michael Curley).
A moving and well-written saga of an earlier time in America.
LEN JOY, award winning author of Dry Heat and Everyone Dies Famous
Trubiano’s debut novel, “What Once Was Promised” is an epic tale of the Italian American immigrant experience in the first half of the 20th century.
Sixteen-year-old Domenic Bassini arrives in Boston in 1914. On the passage over he befriends and protects Ermino Letini, a young stowaway. The two boys are taken in by the Rossarios. Their young son, Joseph, and the two new arrivals become close friends.
Trubiano weaves an intricate, compelling plot that follows these three characters as they build a life in America. Hardworking, steadfast Domenic goes to work in the shipyards, Joseph, charming and glib, becomes a successful, politically connected businessman, and Ermino, who has always had to live by his wits, turns to crime.
The author does a masterful job of developing believable characters – from these first-generation Italians, to their Irish rivals, to the upper-crust Brahmins – and Trubiano has an impressive eye for detail. Here is a random example: “The walls were framed with wood paneling with the bottom stained from when water had flooded the room over the years. Cases of wine and beer were stacked in one corner opposite the bar while a pool table sat impossibly close to the wall in the other.” I can see, even smell, that room. Great writing.
Skillfully woven into the fabric of the novel is a detailed history of Boston in the 1900s – the reign of the Irish mayors, the corrupt police, the mob, even the anarchists.
“What Once Was Promised,” is a multi-generational family saga packed with action, intrigue, love, and violence. It is a compelling story that is often inspiring and sometimes heartbreaking.
