Having interviewed and written my Wikipedia article on Carmen Rodriguez, I found this book to be an extremely honest narrative of her life. I almost feel as if she wrote this book as a way to cope with her hardships while in Chile, her exile, and her new life in Canada. It seems to have been a way for her to project her life and give her a way to analyze it. Although the names of the characters differ, the narrative remains a true to life account of what Rodriguez has been through.
To me, this book seemed almost peaceful. Although much of Rodriguez’s life (especially before she finally settled in Canada) has been spent in turmoil, this book makes me feel as though she remains unflappable. All the while, she is able to convey emotion and allow the reader a glimpse of how she must have been feeling during her exile, the death of her friends, her mother, her divorces, and during happier times, like raising her daughters and her romantic encounters.
At times though, I found the narrative a bit unclear, and I feel rereading the book would provide better connections. I’m looking forward to having Rodriguez speak in class, as we didn’t get much of a change to talk to her about this work specifically.
I found the ending of the book brilliant, and I liked the connection to the title. The fact that she writes so much about not forgetting, and remembering towards the end further exemplifies that this is a way for her to remember and deal with the events in her life.

One of my favourites so far this term.