Eva Luna

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende  307 pp.

This is an older novel by Chilean author Allende who is one of my favorites. The title character is the daughter of a mixed race woman who was raised in a Catholic orphanage and a man who was dying of snakebite. Eva grows up in the household where her mother works for a professor who doesn't realize Eva exists until her mother's death. Eva is a born storyteller who wraps her dreams and real life into amazing tales. Allende creates a world with interesting characters including a transgender actress, a revolutionary guerrilla fighter, and a filmmaker who is a survivor of Nazi oppression and parental abuse. They all weave together in stories of wealth, poverty, love, hate, war, and peace leaving the reader to wonder what is truly  Eva's life and what are the stories she creates. While this isn't my favorite Allende novel, it is one of the best.

The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro  245 pp.

I saw the award winning movie version of this a long time ago and finally decided to read the book. The story of the of an elderly English butler told through reminiscences as he takes a "motoring trip" across England. He takes the trip to see the woman who was once the housekeeper at his place of employment in hopes of getting her to return to her former position. As he travels, Stevens, the butler at Darlington House manor for over thirty years, recalls his life and dedication to his work as a "perfect" butler. In the process he realizes how his loyalty and dedication have caused him to sacrifice his own emotions in order to hold up the facade of perfection. His dedication and stifled emotions caused him to refuse to leave his post to be with his dying father, neglect to acknowledge his affection for the housekeeper who clearly loved him, and to ignore the fact that his employer was involved in the Nazi appeasement movement while hosting dignitaries like Prime Minister Chamberlain and German Ambassador von Ribbentrop. Ishiguro won the Man Booker Prize for this beautifully written portrait of a life devoted to dignity and pride of a well done job.

Rose

Rose: My Life in Service to Lady Astor by Rosina Harrison  354 pp.


This memoir was originally published in 1975 and recently re-released. Rosina Harrison, known as Rose, was lady's made to Lady Nancy Astor for thirty-five years. She wrote matter-of-factly about her considerable duties to her ladyship and the long hours she put in while in service. However, her story is not one of drudgery. She was devoted to the temperamental and headstrong Viscountess and their relationship developed into one where the maid could frequently be brutally honest with her mistress to which the response was often "Shut up, Rose!" Nancy Astor was quite the character, American born  and the first woman elected to Parliament. She was an outspoken critic when the government wasn't meeting her standards and a thorn in Winston Churchill's side. She was also a tireless worker during the blitz, with her maid and other loyal servants beside her. Rose was in charge of handling the wardrobe, jewels, and getting Lady Astor ready for her multitude of activities. It's clear from her book that Rose enjoyed her thirty-five years in service with all the perks of world travel, meeting royals from different countries and other famous people. Rose was with Lady Astor when she died at age 80. I don't know if there were photos in the original edition but there were none in the paperback version which made it a bit lacking.