Dalia: Lost Youth

by Rosa Flores

Before she is even five years old, little Dalia has the responsibility of helping her mother and looking after her two younger siblings. Dalia washes the family clothes, collects buckets of water to wash their clay cooking pots, and feeds the animals. There is never a moment of rest for her in El Cortez, Mexico, as the first female born into her family. Enduring beatings and never hearing a kind word-life is hard. When Dalia is twelve years old, a stranger kidnaps her and forces her to live with him and his family. Even though her father is a harsh man, Dalia misses her home. During this time, she often wishes for death. Her life becomes even more complicated, when at age thirteen, she gives birth to her baby girl Maribel. Fearing for her life and the life of her child, Dalia runs away. Alone and afraid, she travels north. Dalia, a novel, follows one little girl's journey from her childhood home in Mexico as she tries to make a new home in the United States. It's a story filled with pain and heartache and hope for a better life.

310 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2015

Reviews

[Maraha Martel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was totally worth reading. The author really made you feel as though you were there as she brought this book to life. It kept me so interested that I didn’t want to put it down. Can’t wait to read her second book and find out what is going to happen to Dahlia.
Totally recommend reading this book!

[Emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book so much and would definitely recommend it to others if you looking for a rainy day book that you can curl up in a comfy chair and a hot drink with!

[John Poland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dalia, born in Mexico, to an agrarian family, learns about life the hard way. Her adventure, as sad as it was, is well written, great character building and good descriptions of surroundings. On the one hand, you hope no one has to go through her trials, but you also want to read more.