The next ship home : a novel of Ellis Island /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"An unflinching look at the immigrant experience, an unlikely and unique friendship, and a resonant story of female empowerment."--Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star

Ellis Island, 1902: Two women band together to hold America to its promise: "Give me your tired, your poor ... your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..."

A young Italian woman arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life. That same day, a young American woman reports to her first day of work at the immigration center. But Ellis Island isn't a refuge for Francesca or Alma, not when ships depart every day with those who are refused entry to the country and when corruption ripples through every corridor. While Francesca resorts to desperate measures to ensure she will make it off the island, Alma fights for her dreams of becoming a translator, even as women are denied the chance.

As the two women face the misdeeds of a system known to manipulate and abuse immigrants searching for new hope in America, they form an unlikely friendship--and share a terrible secret--altering their fates and the lives of the immigrants who come after them.

This is a novel of the dark secrets of Ellis Island, when entry to "the land of the free" promised a better life but often delivered something drastically different, and when immigrant strength and female friendship found ways to triumph even on the darkest days.

Inspired by true events and for fans of Kristina McMorris and Hazel Gaynor, The Next Ship Home holds up a mirror to our own times, deftly questioning America's history of prejudice and exclusion while also reminding us of our citizens' singular determination.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Webb's (Three Words for Goodbye) novel, which takes place on Ellis Island in 1902, tells the stories of Francesca and Alma. Alma's German family has not been in the country for long, but Alma is fluent in English as well as German and has easily picked up bits of Russian and Italian. Sent to work by her stepfather, Alma is initially afraid to serve as a translator at the immigration center but she soon adjusts, despite dealing with corruption and the sad stories she witnesses. Francesca's sister arrives in New York already ill and dies at Ellis Island. Terrified that she will be returned to Italy, Francesca befriends Alma to convince her to help find a way for Francesca to stay in the country. The two young women help each other through difficult times and try to ward off abuse. Both women are treated unfairly, primarily by men but also by other women. Narrator Kathryn Markey does a remarkable job voicing the variety of accents and languages spoken by those who come through Ellis Island. VERDICT Webb's historical novel sheds light on an interesting period in American history.--Cheryl Youse

Booklist Review

When thinking of Ellis Island, some envision freedom and new beginnings. For Alma and Francesca, it represents corruption, unwanted advances, and manipulation. Taking a job at Ellis Island, Alma gets an inside view of how immigrants are treated when they arrive in the States. On Alma's first day, she meets Francesca, who came from Italy to escape her abusive father. Francesca desperately wants to stay in New York but needs Alma's help to make that happen. Inspectors, food vendors, and matrons take liberties with the immigrants they work with every day. Reports of corruption start to surround Ellis Island, and the government calls for change. Bonded by friendship and secrets, Alma and Francesca fight back against an unethical system. Webb (Three Words for Goodbye with Hazel Gaynor, 2021) tells the story of female friendship and strength with great historical detail. She stresses the need for barriers between the classes to be broken. With compelling detail, she weaves in suspense with secrets and the risk of danger due to riots, deportation, and an upset society. This is a great historical read.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

HEATHER WEBB is the bestselling and award-winning author of seven historical novels. Her latest, Meet Me in Monaco, cowritten with Hazel Gaynor, was a finalist for the 2020 Goldsboro RNA Award in the UK, and the 2019 Digital Book World's fiction prize. She lives in New England with her family and one feisty rabbit.