Komm, komm​ is a memoir informed by social and political history, which explores the fragmented experience of growing up with more than one country of origin. It is told from my perspective as someone who was brought up in Britain and, who, in the wake of Brexit, has recently gained Cypriot citizenship. This is despite never having lived in Cyprus nor having visited for twenty-three years, owing to a deeply uncomfortable relationship with the place. The ambivalence about my father's birthplace stems, in part from the aftermath of the 1974 Cypriot conflict, which has left the island partitioned to this day. Set against this backdrop, Komm, komm investigates the meaning of homeland and the effect that culture and heritage exert on us from afar. 

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The story strikes at the heart of how we are formed by the influences of our parents, our cultures and our family histories. It asks how we can let go of the past and move forward. The themes it explores, including war, nationalism, prejudice and physical abuse, are heavy subjects, but Komm, komm is told with warmth and a delight in the epicurean, depicting the often farcical nature of Mediterranean culture with a wry but loving sense of humour. The text has been translated into German by Christine Kochschmieder and published by Mikrotext Verlag.

 

Praise for Komm, komm:

"Katerina Vasiliou erzählt die Geschichte von uns allen, die wir mit mehr als nur einer Herkunft, einer Wurzel, einer Sprache aufgewachsen sind. Die die Grenzen zwischen imaginierte und tatsächlicher Heimat permanent ausloten müssen. Sie erzählt mit Witz und Tempo, gleichzeitig mit Tiefe und Traurigkeit - die Dissonanz, die wir, die wir auch mehr als nur "eins" sind, immer in uns tragen. Must - Read!

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- Autorin Rasha Khyat

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