An Olive Branch for Sante

Young Australian journalist Sara-Jane goes to Sicily and discovers that she has an 18 year-old brother, Sante, living there. This is the story of two young people on a journey extending over two continents, that uncovers some shocking secrets. Set in Australia and Sicily, the novel depicts two fascinating landscapes. Sicily is the land of history, tradition and continuity. Australia represents hope, change and the future. The story traces a journey of reconciliation between the siblings and their estranged father. On a personal level the novel explores questions about cultural and sexual identity, buried memories, love and redemption. Critical praise for Casella's work. "Casella's intention is to chart and illuminate undiscovered, difficult country...The characters are entirely, sometimes shockingly believable, and even if they unlikeable, there is a point of understanding and sympathy to which we are drawn." Helen Elliott, The Age, Melbourne. "Dream and ritual intersect with the real man, define the purpose of things." Walter Tonetto, The West Australian. "A beautifully crafted novel." Dianne Johnson, The Sydney Morning Herald. ("Questa fusione di presente e passato, di nuovo e antico, di vicino e lontano, e' la nota piu' caratteristica della scrittura di Antonio Casella.") "This fusion of present and past, of new and old, of proximity and distance is a most important quality of Antonio Casella's writing." Stefania Greco, in " Terra e identita' Nella Narrativa Contemporanea Italo-Australiana dell'Emigrazione.". University of Bologna