Family Matters

June M. Blurton is a retired speech/language pathologist.

Marlena, the only child of Italian immigrants, is the central figure in
these nine short stories, which are set for the most part in Southern
Ontario between the 1950s and the present. Four of the stories deal with
Marlena’s adventures as a child and teenager. Her father is an
employed mechanic and her mother works during the tomato season,
supervising even new immigrants as they skin and can vegetables. Marlena
spends summers at her grandma’s tiny farm, and, when she gets older,
works at the factory. In these stories, De Franceschi nicely captures
images of the period: the lack of acknowledgment by the men when their
wives work to bring in extra money; a first kiss; the bootlegging of
wine and beer; trying to make sense of emigration; a dysfunctional
family and the kindness of an older woman.

The other five stories tell of Marlena’s life as an adult. These
stories tell of parents and grandparents growing old; of shooting a
moose out of season; and of vacationing on a southern island. The story
about a commune has little to recommend it.

Overall, the collection is uneven. Though De Franceschi’s stories
about Marlena as a child have charm, those about her life as an adult
lack tension and say very little.