What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cleaning Woman's Daughter
I am Eve. Collector of words. I look them up. I write them down. I knead them into sentences. I am the story.
When her mum rescues a book from a garbage can, Eve's life changes. She reads her way into the stories, into a place in the world, worlds she never knew existed. Eve becomes the story. Everything is possible. But with adulthood comes deception and betrayal; to survive Eve strips life bare. No stories, no people, no connection.
But the stories are determined to win her back.
Alexina Dalgetty has written short stories, plays and A Cleaning Woman's Daughter is her first published novel. She has also waitressed a lot. For many years Alexina worked with Theatre of the Oppressed techniques. In 1993 she co-founded an alternate high school, inspired by TO, for youth who had not experienced success in school. It remains in operation. Born in Sheringham in Norfolk, Alexina grew up in Luton, Bedfordshire, and currently lives in Camrose, Alberta.
When her mum rescues a book from a garbage can, Eve's life changes. She reads her way into the stories, into a place in the world, worlds she never knew existed. Eve becomes the story. Everything is possible. But with adulthood comes deception and betrayal; to survive Eve strips life bare. No stories, no people, no connection.
But the stories are determined to win her back.
Alexina Dalgetty has written short stories, plays and A Cleaning Woman's Daughter is her first published novel. She has also waitressed a lot. For many years Alexina worked with Theatre of the Oppressed techniques. In 1993 she co-founded an alternate high school, inspired by TO, for youth who had not experienced success in school. It remains in operation. Born in Sheringham in Norfolk, Alexina grew up in Luton, Bedfordshire, and currently lives in Camrose, Alberta.
300 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2023
1 person is currently reading
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 11, 2024
An interesting story with compelling characters. I enjoyed the author's style. I recognized a number of locations (even though the names were changed) which created some nostalgia. I did feel that Eve's interest in words should have had more play throughout the book and not just at the beginning. And I did find it a bit difficult to believe that she would hide herself for ten years, considering her talents. In the end, I hoped that she would enroll in upgrading and go to university at last but my ambitions for her were thwarted.
July 27, 2024
I did like this book don’t get me wrong but I bought it because the blurb hooked me in thinking there was some mystery. There isn’t really. There didn’t seem to be a story as such, more the followings of a character through her life. Also because the narrator flashes back a lot I struggled to work out how old Eve is/was at certain points in the book unless mentioned.
The spelling and grammar mistakes also annoyed me - breathe missing the ‘e’ twice! And lots of double spaces.
Despite this, I liked the writing style and it helped form images in my mind. The sections about Hazel + friends and also the section about the wallpaper I loved, but didn’t like the sections on Eve as much. The descriptive imagery was fantastic in the book, especially regarding nature and food.
The spelling and grammar mistakes also annoyed me - breathe missing the ‘e’ twice! And lots of double spaces.
Despite this, I liked the writing style and it helped form images in my mind. The sections about Hazel + friends and also the section about the wallpaper I loved, but didn’t like the sections on Eve as much. The descriptive imagery was fantastic in the book, especially regarding nature and food.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2024
The witty, sometimes wacky, wanderings of someone who loves words.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews