Living at Night

by Mariana Romo-Carmona

Living at Night is a troubling view of the indignities and neglect inflicted on disabled and old people by those who are caring for them. It is, however, also a story of hope and redemption__ of how one woman's compassion can make a small but essential difference in the lives of those whom society would rather forget. And how much those removed from the cares of the outside world can teach us about life and the value of human connections.

This stunning debut novel from Mariana Romo-Carmona draws us into the world of Erica García-- a young, working class Puerto Rican lesbian searching for her place in the world... Though Erica comes to realize that she may not be able to change the world, she can indeed take charge of her own life.

Genres: Queer, LGBT, Disability

257 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1997

Reviews

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romo-Carmona writes the story of Erica Garcia, a young lesbian Latina, finding her footing as an adult in 1970s Connecticut. She faces relationship, family and job problems, intertwined in a way that reminds the reader that life rarely throws you one curve ball at a time. Throughout the novel Romo-Carmona shows us Erica’s attempt to impart as much kindness as she can wherever she goes and the difficulty in getting her to turn that concern and consideration to herself. A sound, well-written story that nudges the reader to keep reading this author.

[Virgowriter (Brad Windhauser) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s more emphasis on the protagonist’s work at two different care facilities, and although her live life matters, it doesn’t get developed nearly enough.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. I could relate to the story, even though it was not most well written.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite book ever, but a decent read. If the entire book had been written the way the last 1/4 was, my rating would be higher.