About the book: Through the intimate bond of a companion and benefactor, Gabriela reconciles the painful experiences of her youth as she is reshaped by the Widow, La Viuda. Together, day after day, night after night, La Viuda immerses Gabriela in lists, boxes, places, times, objects, photos, and stories, captivating and life-changing stories. It seems Gabriela is not just hired to cook and clean; she has been chosen to curate La Viuda’s mementos while taking care of the old woman’s failing health. “As you grow thick, I grow thin,” says the widow, portending the secret of immortality that will overtake both women.
Jack says of his novel: Gabriela and the Widow is a very personal novel not at all based on personal experience. It is a novel about two women, one dying—The Widow; the other—Gabriela, is blossoming. It is an archetypal Mother-Daughter novel working the idea that culture passes through women. It is built on the notion that our memory is fallible and that our stories have to be written down for them to be meaningful. It is a novel about the transformative power of love and respect. It is also a novel built on the idea that women share deep and universal secrets regardless of which culture they live in.
My comments: I found the book to be a gripping read. Gabriela is an amazingly resilient and resourceful character who has a miserable time as an adolescent after she loses her family. She doesn’t want much from life really – just a pair of Nike trainers and to keep busy, but even simple ideals are hard to find in a corrupt, oppressive world. It’s not an easy book to read at times in terms of the harsh content, but it’s one you can’t put down. You get so drawn to Gabriela with her freshness and uncomplicated approach to things. Jack Remick has a gift with character creation. He portrays everyone sharply, even minor characters that we only meet in passing. We know exactly what makes them tick and whether we like them or not within a sentence or two. There is plenty of action, an intriguing plot and a lot of enjoyment to be drawn from this novel.
About the Author: Jack Remick is a poet, short story writer and novelist. In 2012, Coffeetown Press published the first two volumes of Jack’s California Quartet series, The Deification and Valley Boy. The final two volumes will be released in 2013: The Book of Changes and Trio of Lost Souls. Blood, A Novel was published by Camel Press, an imprint of Coffeetown Press, in 2011.
You can find Jack online at http://jackremick.com
Blog: http://bobandjackswritingblog.com
Twitter: @jackremick
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jack.remick
Publisher Website: http://CoffeetownPress.com
To learn more about the World of Ink Tours, which this post is a part of, visit http://worldofinknetwork.com
Buy the book here:
Hello Stephanie: Thank you for this concise look at Gabriela and The Widow. Your note about Gabriela’s character is insightful. I very much appreciate the attention you have give the novel.
Thanks for hosting Jack on your blog.