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wordsofclover 's review for:
Dolores
by Lauren Aimee Curtis
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Teenage Dolores shows up on the convent's steps, in desperate need of a safe place to hide from the world. She finds a strange comfort in the silent presence of the nuns, and begins to strange road to become a novice, all while hiding the secret life growing inside her belly.
This is a short work of fiction focusing on the strange, rather sad life of a teenage girl who seems to neither know herself or where she wants to go in life. A road of bad decisions, and trust in the wrong boy has led Dolores to the convent, in a country far away from her own family, and she has to deal with her past, her present and her shaky future all by herself with no real support.
I liked the writing in this a lot, and I would definitely be interested in picking up more short fiction from Lauren Aimee Curtis. I really liked the fact that we were only given a glimpse of Dolores - we never found out her true name or where she was from. We know she was used by boys in a way that definitely makes the reader uncomfortable but also in a way that doesn't come across as against Dolores' wishes. Just in a way that makes you sad for the more innocent and loved girl Dolores should have been. She didn't seem to be from a 'bad' family - she appeared to be loved. But things just didn't work out and she obviously felt the need to run away with a baby in her belly, rather than stay and receive some kind of support from her parents.
I loved Dolores's descriptions of the nuns and the convent - none of which are glowing. The picture painted of the old, silent, and mostly ugly nuns is done really well and I definitely felt the atmosphere and saw the picture being painted by Dolores. Yet, there is an odd fondness in how she describes them as well as despite everything, they have taken her in as a potential new member of the flock.
This short book is definitely worth a read for people who like literary fiction, and a fascinating insight into a confused young girl's mind. Really enjoyed it.
Teenage Dolores shows up on the convent's steps, in desperate need of a safe place to hide from the world. She finds a strange comfort in the silent presence of the nuns, and begins to strange road to become a novice, all while hiding the secret life growing inside her belly.
This is a short work of fiction focusing on the strange, rather sad life of a teenage girl who seems to neither know herself or where she wants to go in life. A road of bad decisions, and trust in the wrong boy has led Dolores to the convent, in a country far away from her own family, and she has to deal with her past, her present and her shaky future all by herself with no real support.
I liked the writing in this a lot, and I would definitely be interested in picking up more short fiction from Lauren Aimee Curtis. I really liked the fact that we were only given a glimpse of Dolores - we never found out her true name or where she was from. We know she was used by boys in a way that definitely makes the reader uncomfortable but also in a way that doesn't come across as against Dolores' wishes. Just in a way that makes you sad for the more innocent and loved girl Dolores should have been. She didn't seem to be from a 'bad' family - she appeared to be loved. But things just didn't work out and she obviously felt the need to run away with a baby in her belly, rather than stay and receive some kind of support from her parents.
I loved Dolores's descriptions of the nuns and the convent - none of which are glowing. The picture painted of the old, silent, and mostly ugly nuns is done really well and I definitely felt the atmosphere and saw the picture being painted by Dolores. Yet, there is an odd fondness in how she describes them as well as despite everything, they have taken her in as a potential new member of the flock.
This short book is definitely worth a read for people who like literary fiction, and a fascinating insight into a confused young girl's mind. Really enjoyed it.