Dominicana by Angie Cruz
This book featured on the Women’s Prize for Fiction and is about a 15 year old girl from the Dominican Republic. The author says she based the story on her mother’s life and what happened to her. When her mother heard she wanted to tell her story she didn’t believe anyone would want to hear it. Sometimes the gateway to history is through fiction.
Ana marries a man twice her age and goes to New York for a better life. She is to send money home to her family. Life is very difficult for her – she cannot speak English, has nothing to do other than clean the apartment. Its not until her husband has to go back to the Dominican Republic that she has a chance to live properly.
I really enjoyed this book. It shows the limitations of women’s lives in the 60’s.
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
I watched the TV series before reading (or listening) to the book. I usually prefer to do it the other way around. Even though I knew what was going to happen I still really enjoyed listening to this book.
It felt a little different as it was set in Australia rather than USA, but the story was the same. Its about a group of friends, who all have children in Kindergarten. A young woman joins the group when she moves to the area – but their friendship is tested when her son is accused of bullying – physically assaulting a girl in the class.
As the story develops you find out more about the women – and in the end there are tragic consequences. Its about friendship, family domestic violence and the impact it can have.
Pixie Chronicles 