One of the things I appreciated the most about this story was the voice of the author's narrator and main character, Irma, which felt surprisingly authentic... in fact, I googled the author to find her bio & see if she is actually Italian. She isn't, but she lived many years in a small Italian town outside Naples, and spent time in Opi (Irma's village home). Schoenewaldt has also had a play produced at Teatro Cilea, in Naples. So, to my mind, her narrator's authenticity is justified. 
 It is a quiet story, without a lot of literary embellishment, and the drama takes place in the events rather than in dialogue or self-examination. I thought it could almost read like anyone's diary who tells what needs to be told, is as honest as possible, and avoids what is too painful. It's not easy to write simply, and simplicity is what gives this story its strength. 
 Is it a literary masterpiece? Probably not. But it has whetted my appetite for more immigrant stories, and has given me insight into experiences I was totally unaware of, such as the existence & social standing of "collar girls," medical practices & circumstances of the time, as well as the details of passenger steerage.