Naples to New York

A ten-year-old orphan from Naples who loses her home and her aunt in a post-war explosion. She travels with Carmine to New York as clandestine stowaways aboard the U.S. Navy ship Victory. Her resilience and guarded hope drive the journey as she navigates peril and longing for family.

A twelve-year-old street-smart boy who survives by selling cigarettes and small cons in post-war Naples. He secretly follows George onto the ship, forming an unlikely bond with Celestina. Fearing that adoption would make Celestina his sister and bar him from marriage, he wrestles with belonging and loyalty.

The ship's purser who negotiates with the captain to spare the children from deportation. He then orchestrates a public defense for Agnese, recruiting a journalist to publicize the case. His actions blend pragmatism with a sense of responsibility for the vulnerable.

An African-American cook on the Victory who befriends Celestina and Carmine aboard the ship. He aids them by sharing meals, teaching tricks, and supporting their bid for safety. Though briefly arrested on suspicion, he is exonerated thanks to Carmine’s testimony.

Agnese is Celestina’s sister who emigrated years earlier to New York. She is arrested and charged with murder of her abusive husband, becoming the subject of a public defense. Italian-American communities and early feminist groups rally to her defense, reducing her sentence from death to two years.

The ship’s captain who initially contemplates deporting the children but is persuaded by Domenico. He faces pressure from Domenico’s threats about the captain's alcoholism. His decisions set the stakes for the voyage and the children's future.

A journalist whom Domenico enlists to publicize Agnese’s plight. He helps bring Italian-American communities and early feminist groups to public attention, shaping the narrative around Agnese’s case. Through media exposure, he contributes to reducing her sentence and highlighting immigrant voices.