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RAVING PRAISE FOR ARCADIA, MY ARCADIA
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Linda Morelli's Reviews of Great Books
Arcadia, My Arcadia,
By Nicholas D. Kokonis (2004), St. Basil's Publishers, ISBN 0-9754032-0-6
"Writing reminiscent of the classic authors"
Reviewed by Linda Morelli
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"Young Angelos Vlahos has a dream: to go to high school and eventually get a job so he can earn enough money to help his family, poor villagers who live on the barren Virgin Mountain of Arcadia, Greece. His goal at first seems insurmountable as he heads off to the nearby town of Polis, armed with his graduation certificate, and faces the examiners who will determine whether or not he will be admitted to high school. After the test and the teasing of the town boys about his oft mended clothing and shoes, Angelos is certain he has failed his entrance exams. Perhaps he should do as his mother wishes: stay in the village and help out the family. | 
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Then he receives the news that he has been admitted to high school! Elated and proud, his parents arrange for him to live in a shabby shed in Polis while he attends high school. There he faces the struggle of learning, classmates who tease him, and teachers who feel he would be better suited to the fields. The challenges Angelos faces seem daunting, often insurmountable, and the tormented boy struggles between staying in school and returning to his family. A deeply religious young man, Angelos finds the courage to endure. He works hard to obtain good grades, earns food by sweeping the streets and, eventually, his good grades lead to a tutoring job.
When his family's well dries up during a severe draught, his father starts drinking and his mother's arthritis worsens. His older sister has found work in Germany, but his younger sister watches as her dowry dwindles so the family can eat. Angelos often misses school to help out the family, and grows determined to travel to America and earn enough money to help support his family. Yet many obstacles confront him. Can he obtain the necessary paperwork he needs to attend an American college? Can he find a sponsor? Far more important, how will he earn enough funds to pay for the trip to America, an almost impossible task?
Arcadia, My Arcadia is a marvelous book, one that kept me thoroughly entranced from the first page. Nicholas Kokonis has the unusual and unique ability to reveal a human soul's elation and torture, the conflict between hope and despair. His writing, reminiscent of the classic authors, has an ability to touch our hearts with an endearing story that will long be remembered after the last page is read. Arcadia, My Arcadia is a novel that should be on everyone's reading list, and I highly recommend it for teenagers who would certainly identify with Angelos' struggles."
Linda Morelli
Award-winning author of FIERY SURRENDER and SHADOW OF DOUBT
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