Grazie

An unforgettable tale of healing and forgiveness

Instigating change within oneself is complicated. Rumbling with a painful and resonant past is complicated. Seeking healing after shock is complicated. But family? Family makes complicated look easy.

Graziana's life has been overturned. With no stable ground to stand on, she returns to the land of her ancestors in search of healing. In Graziana's absence, her stepfather Herman has been saddled with Hazel, his wilful, creative, and thoroughly neglected granddaughter. These thorny relationships struggle to flower in the shadows of an unaddressed past. Old resentments, traumas, and failings threaten to choke out growth. But with a little bit of tilling, new seeds begin to sprout from the loam.

Who do we name as family? Which connections, wanted or unwanted, withstand erosion? Are these connections divinely appointed or made in the full sweat of labour? From the sun-smothered cammini of Italy to the inhospitable schoolyards of Canada, Grazie is a story of reclamation, rehabilitation, and forgiveness.