El cuarto de la criada

by Fiona Mitchell

Un canto a la libertad y a la dignidad de aquellas mujeres a quienes nadie suele escuchar: las empleadas domésticas.

Reglas esenciales para la organización del servicio domésticoextranjero:

1. Seguridad: Las criadas pueden generar muchos problemas en este sentido. Por ello te recomiendo guardar bajo llave su pasaporte, sobre todo si se ocupa de cuidar a tus hijos.

2. Relaciones: No debes permitir que tenga novio. Al fin y al cabo, un embarazo significaría su deportación y podrías verte obligada a pagarle el vuelo de regreso a casa.

3. Alimentación: Aconsejo separar su comida desde el primer día. Por ejemplo, yo tomo café Illy, que cuesta veinte dólares el paquete. ¡No esperaréis que lo comparta con ella!
Estas reglas son algo que la joven Jules, recién llegada a Singapur, no consigue comprender del todo, por mucho que sus nuevas amigas insistan en que son necesarias para manejar al servicio filipino.

Frente a esas señoras privilegiadas, las doncellas como la joven Dolly o su rebelde hermana Tala, soportan esa situación escandalosamente injusta a cambio del dinero necesario para mantener a sus familias. Pero, ¿hasta cuándo aguantarán sin rebelarse?

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 2017

About the author

Fiona Mitchell is an award-winning writer and has worked as a journalist for many years. She is the author of two novels, both published by Hodder & Stoughton - the newly published The Swap as well as her debut The Maid's Room which she wrote after living in Singapore for three years. She now lives in London with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Lisa B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel a book I will never forget the characterisation was top notch it was heartfelt, visceral atmospheric just loved this one& what made it better was I picked this up on a whim in my library 📚 so went in blind.


This Is Where She Sleeps!!!!!
In a bomb shelter minimal belongings a narrow bed with no windows without any air.

Sisters Dolly& Tala are sisters living in the stifling heat of Singapore 🇸🇬 Dolly is a maid as is Tala to the rich exclusive people who have it all they don’t have their children with them, they help ex pats to have the lives they could not afford.
Jules is a woman they make friends with all have their stories to be told.


I really can’t believe the barbaric rules both live by I can understand back in the dark ages where these maids were told what they can do & what they can’t but in modern times no I can’t fathom this I just loved this book from start to finish I could not put this down I was rooting for Tala, Jules & most of all Dolly wonderful characters that I loved all stood up for what they believe in all those shiny stars 🌟

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Maid’s Room is a beautifully written emotional and thought provoking story.

This novel is about modern day maids working in Singapore, cleaning houses and looking after the children of those much wealthier than themselves, while they leave their own children behind in other countries, and send what little money they earn back to their families, so their children who they are missing grow up, can get a better education than they did themselves. Truly heart breaking, yet compelling!

This was rather a shocking eye-opener for me. I couldn’t ever imagine having a maid, so I must admit, it’s not really something I’ve particularly thought about in great detail, and I certainly didn’t consider how modern day maids may be subjected to such exploitation. Treated like the lowest of the low, not given any respect or basic human rights. This book and the characters within it touched me in a way I’ll never forget. I even had tears in my eyes near the end.

The Maid’s Room covers the lives of both the maids and the families that employ them. Both sides of the story are emotional in their own way, but it’s not all doom and gloom. There is humour and happiness within these pages, people looking out for each other, and above all, hope of a better future.

I loved how the subject of bloggers really gave this book a modern feel. If it wasn’t for the blogging, you could be forgiven for assuming this was a historical novel. However, the use of modern technology serves as a stark reminder that this is happening now, and not many years ago before things supposedly improved.

I was seduced by this book’s beautiful cover, and I’m so pleased I was, as reading this book was a wonderfully fascinating and emotional experience for me. I absolutely loved this and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys emotional and thought provoking stories.

My review is also available on my blog here:
https://littlemissnosleep.wordpress.c...

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really don’t know what to say that hasn’t been said in other reviews.

This is an outstanding piece of work that although written in fiction format should go down into history for its factual honesty and bringing this to the attention of many people.

I for one didn’t realise this still existed, I feel like an ostrich whose had her head buried in the sand.

I am aware that people come to my country and work sending the majority of their earning back to their families.

These are two women with children of their own working in Singapore so that they can send money back to their families so that their children can have a better life, better education and obviously don’t end up where they are; Maids in a Maids room in another country.

Except the Maids Rooms are not luxurious oh no, they are tiny cupboards where they are made to sleep or bunkers, even an uncomfortable sofa in the corner away somewhere. Not room to swing a cat or keep anything except they’re essentials.

“She shuts the door of the windowless box and struggles to breath in the hot scarce air”

I felt claustrophobic just reading that.

There was such a shocking moment written in this book it made me gasp out load.
So much so my husband thought I was in pain. I was, but for reasons within these pages not an actual hurt on my person but on this Maids.

It tells both sides of a story the wealthy side too which made for extra diamonds of a read.

The impact of this book will be forever lasting.

The blogger who tells the secrets is astounding. That part I eagerly came too.

Not an actual quote but it sort of went like this “ if you see a glimmer of a shinning light this could be you are being spied on by your employer”

Oh my.
This surely kicks you into life.

It does have humour within the pages too that lighten it somewhat.

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton who sent me a copy through the post.

[Louise Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tala, Dolly and Jules are three women I will NEVER forget. They are all on a journey that every reader will identify with, in some form, no matter who they are. This is a stunning book that taught me a great deal about a shocking, modern-day form of slavery. It opened my eyes to something I didn’t even know happened. The best books throughout history are those that shine a light where darkness is, and this one does, and how beautifully. The prose is precise and yet bare, blunt and yet poetic, revealing layer by patient layer the core of the story. I absolutely adored this book.

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this was just so good! the pages flew by so fast. If you like the Help, you`ll really like this one! Trust me on this one.
We get to know so many characters in a short while, but it`s not anything wrong with that because they kind of attatch to you right away. I just needed to know what happened to the three women: Jules, Tala and Dolly. I really liked that we got some insight to the other women as well, but those were the characters i cared most for. Plus some characters you disliked, you started to understand and like, like Amber.

[Tiah]

Book Bite on behalf of the Sunday Times: http://bit.ly/2FSiEXq

~This where she sleeps. A cupboard. A bedroom. A windowless box.~

~Ma'am Amber penned a red bubbled around [her clinic visit] with a huge exclamation mark as if it was something to look forward to. But Dolly will have to take a test there like she always does every six months. And when the employment agency finds out she's pregnant they'll deport her, just like all the others.~

~There are more than 200,000 foreign domestic workers in Singapore. The majority of them are from the Philippines and Indonesia.~

~And when Ma'am tells you it's a tin of chicken luncheon meat for your dinner again tonight, all while little Dixie [the dog] is sat in her lap, ears back, eyes closed, Ma'am's nail-varnished hand endlessly stroking his fur, you'll start to wish you had four legs too, and enjoyed sniffing other dogs' undercarriages.~

~I read an article in a magazine about a charity called Sanctuary House whose volunteers fostered babies. I rang the charity and volunteered.

A couple of weeks later I was given a six-week-old baby boy to look after for just one week. Surprisingly, no one from the charity came to have a look around our apartment and we weren't interviewed.~ from the author's note

[Katherine Sunderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that at times might shock you, at other times it might inform you but it will definitely move you, entertain you and ultimately keep you turning the pages as the lives of these women take over your own. These characters are so well depicted and portrayed so vividly it impossible not to love them, or love to hate them. Mitchell introduces us to a delightful cast of women; some are fearsome, cruel and selfish, others are fearless, kind and generous. The dynamics and relationships between them is compelling and fascinating, it will have you reaching for a tissue one moment and raising an enthusiastic fist pump another.

There was nothing I did not enjoy about this story. Set in modern day Singapore, this is the story of sisters Dolly and Tala, two Filipino maids working for British ex-pat families, sending all their money back home to support their own children that they have left behind. Despite the tough issues that this story raises and the moments of sadness that cannot be avoided in a novel that explores injustice and inequality, the author writes with a witty, sharp humour that will ensure you smile, giggle and laugh at the spirit, warmth and strength of these maids as they fight to have their voices heard. Despite the heavyweight material and the amount of research that the author has undertaken to give her novel authenticity and credibility, this is such an upbeat, uplifting and hugely entertaining read that I can do nothing except highly recommend it.

Whilst Dolly and Tala are the main characters - well, let's face it, Tala completely steals the show- Jules and Amber are the ex-pats who employ the maids to work for them. Jules does not conform to the stereotype of an ex-pat wife in the community in which she now finds herself and even though she hopes for a new start in this new country, she brings with her sadness, grief and a suitcase full of baggage. But she is thoughtful, kind, considerate and willing to challenge the women she finds herself socialising with. There are some great phrases when we first meet Jules that show how uncomfortable she is amongst these women who seem false and too tightly controlled. When Jules tries to make an ironic comment or imply things are not perfect beneath the veneer of her seemingly polished life, she is met with 'frozen faces' and 'the tumbleweed rolls'. It is not hard for the reader to empathise and relate to Jules and I found her emotional journey moving and poignant as she came to terms with her new life. Jules offers hope to the maids and in her creation, Mitchell is able to voice a range of attitudes and avoids falling into the trap of cliches or trivialising the lives of these women she is representing.

In contrast, Amber is a woman whose voice is 'full of hard edges and sighs', a woman who has few redeeming features and whose distain towards the maids has you curling your toes and gripping the pages a little too tightly. There is a turning point in the novel - to say anymore would be to ruin the incredibly powerfully written scenes - but this sets Amber off on a road that will eventually lead her to consider her behaviour and question her attitudes. Although not before Mitchell has used Amber to create maximum dramatic tension and develop a delicious mutli-layered plot which Mitchell so masterfully controls.

As I said, this is a story about Dolly and Tala and all the maids who are employed by these wealthy women, left to sleep in cupboards and bomb shelters left over from the 1970s, without windows and without enough space to keep their sparse collection of belongings. Each chapter begins with a quote from the anonymous "Vanda", a woman who writes a blog about the "Life as the Employer of a Foreign Domestic Helper." Vanda shares her Essential House Rules which read like something from two centuries ago. Worse still, from time to time, Vanda will post a photo of a maid, list all their mistakes and add their permit number thus ensuring they lose their job and are never employed again. Following the shocking death of April Joy, who fell after being forced to lean out on a narrow ledge nine floors high in order to clean, and after an accusatory and hateful post against Dolly, Tala retaliates. She becomes Maidhacker.

"Forget about putting your expensive coffee on the top shelf and worrying about which toilet you allow your visitors to piddle in, Dolly has more important things to think about like paying for her child to eat and go to school."

Tala's blog is fantastic. She articulates her anger so well and says everything that we all hope we would have the courage to say were we in her position. She is risking her job, her livelihood and her permit to stay in Singapore but when she posts her responses to Vanda, the 'number of blog visitors rises before their eyes like a stopwatch'. Tala is a colourful character with spirit, energy, love and vitality. She is sharp, she is observant and she is angry. She is also believable and fallible. As with all the characters in this book, Tala brings with her a backstory and also has to go on her own journey. But she does steal the show. She has a big heart and seeks no thanks from those she 'rescues', just justice and fairness.

The rest of the novel is a rollercoaster of a ride as Tala is determined to save the reputation of Dolly, and all the maids, and to discover the true identity of Vanda. There are also storylines about Dolly, Jules and Amber that become more complex and more interwoven as the novel moves towards the final denouement. I was completely immersed in this novel. I could hear the voices of the characters, I was damp with the sweaty heat of Singapore and the intensity of the plot. I was fully absorbed in the emotional drama of the scenes and caught up in the themes, issues and incredible behaviour of some of the characters. Most of all, I loved the balance of humour and lightness of touch amongst the hardship which ensures this is a book you do not want to end.

The Maid's Room has rightfully been compared to The Help and the irony that Amber's book group are reading The Help is not lost on the audience. The Maid's Room is a very well written, contemporary novel full of feeling and full of colourful characters that will not be forgotten in a hurry. I hope there will be a film or failing that, another book from Mitchell!

It is a real treat to discover a novel that makes you feel and react strongly to characters - whether you love them or loathe them. It is a real treat to discover a novel that introduces you to a situation which provokes a reaction and a lively discussion, and it is a real treat to discover an author who can write about a range of characters with consistency, sustaining a strong sense of humour from the first page to the last. It is a treat to discover Mitchell.

[Fiona MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty hard book to read. The story centres around two sisters named Tala and Dolly who are barely surviving as maids in heady and stuffy Singapore and the trials and tribulations set before them as one sends all her money back home to her young daughter and the other sets on a dangerous path of creating an anonymous blog about the way maids are treated. Neither sister is treated well, their living conditions, pay and general well-being are on a knife's edge as their employers treat they like dirt in exchange for the privilege of serving them. The story also follows Jules and her husband Daniel who came to Singapore for a fresh start when IVF wasn't working, and we see the events that happen through her eyes too. What I found fascinating, was how little any of the employers care about their maids as people. They seem to be simply commodities to be used (and in one case, abused). Many of the women in Singapore live in these rather creepy and uniformed condominiums with swimming pools, palm trees and sickly sweet neatness. They fill their days spending their husband's money and drinking around the pool, bitching about everything and everyone. Fiona Mitchell lived in Singapore for 3 years as she was writing this tale, and so her descriptions are of course very exact and nuanced. I felt the heat rise off the page as I read about everyone dripping with sweat and how walking up the road in sandals could cause the tarmac to stick to the bottom of their shoes. A beautifully written book. Reading the author's note at the end I was interested to learn that a number of the things written about were based on specific people that Fiona Mitchell met and interviewed in Singapore.

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Maids Room brings home the reality of hard working underpaid and very often poorly treated women who clean for a living. Set in Singapore, Dolly and Tala are sisters who leave their families, including their children to work for the ex-pats.

Wonderfully descriptive, and grimly realistic, this is a book that is both heart warming and deeply fascinating.

The women, both scared for many reasons, are the subject of a blog, written by ‘MaidHacker’ who give ‘expert’ advice in how to treat your servants and ensure they behave..

The Maids Room is a book that will certainly open your eyes, I loved Dolly and Tala, and felt emotionally tied to their lives. I loved their ‘sisterhood’ and

It is a wonderfully written story and for me quite unforgettable.



It would make a fabulous film.

[Sue Flanagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such an enjoyable read, it was hard to believe it is about real life, not in the to distant past, and still happening now. These stories/truths do need to be told. This is written in a storey format, and the tale unwinds. The characters are loveable and you want them to succeed and to have better lives. No mother wants to be separated from her children. The woman are to be admired, for making such unselfish discisions.

[Saskia Sarginson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely gripped by this novel about a group of domestic workers and their employers in Singapore. Fiona Mitchell writes the maids's stories with compete authenticity; we are in no doubt about the shocking horror of their situations, yet her prose is full of warmth and flashes of humour. In the end, the book is about human courage and the strength that love gives.

[Claire Douglas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! I loved everything about it and will be thinking about it for a very long time. Full review to follow!

[Lainy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 308

Publisher - Hodder & Stoughton

Source - Review copy

Blurb from Goodreads

Set in the blistering heat of Singapore, The Maid's Room follows the lives of two Filipina maids - sisters Dolly and Tala who are working hard to send money back home, and British ex-pat Jules who has left her job as a midwife to move to Singapore with husband David.

Told with humour, heart-breaking detail about daily life as a maid, and with an exhilarating spirit that is ultimately uplifting, this book will resonate with anyone who has struggled to have their voice heard.

Perfect for fans of The Help and The Invention of Wings.


My Review


Two sisters Dolly & Tala living and working in Singapore as maids, earning money to support their families back home in the Philippines. This is their story, we see into their routines, how they are treated, spied on, disrespected, abused and how their strength of character, spirit and fight gets them through the days. Dolly is the quieter of the two, more in keeping in line, Tala takes risk, fights for the girls and is a strong woman who doesn't think twice of putting herself in the firing line. Blog posts make an appearance in this which I actually really liked, we have the blog from Vanda "Life as the Employer of a Foreign Domestic Helper" a poison pen employer who could be talking about items rather than human beings. She enraged me and also Tala who starts her own blog in response which soon takes off gives the maids a voice.

There is so much going on in this book, not just the maids, we get an insight into the families they look after, people they clean for and it leaves you worried for how vile some employers are. These woman are disrespected, abused, used and it really got me up in arms. Whilst this is a fiction book it is representative of the actual struggles going on for these maids, I was horrified and want to be educated more about it. An emotive book that commands the readers attention and made me want to do something to actually help these woman, a link at the back for something like that would be awesome. Working to support your family, leaving your own to care for others is not something I could ever do and only imagine the heartache. To then be treated as subhuman it makes you fear for humanity, vindictive and spiteful yet they trusting them to look after their precious children whilst starving them, abusing them ugh!

I loved the "retaliation" blog, I love Tala as a character, she is quietly fierce and of such strong moral fibre she is a fantastic character, I would have loved the book to be longer, seen more of the other maids and a bit more justice for the women. Then, real life isn't always like that and I think the book stayed true to what all transpired. 4/5 for me this time, a fantastic debut novel and I will be watching for more from Mitchell.

[Elite Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

The domestic “maid’s” lot is never going to be a happy one!

The opening lines; “This is where she sleeps. A cupboard. A bedroom. A windowless box.”

“Oh No!” was my first thought. “We’ve read this before in The Help.” My mistake. It is 2017, the maids have left their children at home, either in the Philippines or Indonesia, to work for the “Ma’ams”, tending to their every whim while they live the expats’ life in Singapore.

The towering blocks of flats where this story takes place, are architectural masterpieces, with everything to ensure that the residents not only have beautifully designed layouts to call home, but they also have the added luxury of swimming pools to use in the intense heat of Singapore. What these apartments do not have is special accommodation for their domestic workers, so more often than not, these workers must sleep in the bomb shelter, the room with no windows which was never designed to be a bedroom.

Jules and her husband, David, have only recently arrived in Singapore. They decided to take up a job offer made to David, leave England and get themselves out of the rut of repeated IVF treatments that have only brought heartache.

Jules first meets Dolly, a woman from the Philippines, the full-time domestic worker for Amber and Tor, neighbours of Jules and David, when they attend a party there. It’s one of many that seem to take place to keep the expats entertained. Jules is immediately struck by Dolly’s beauty and her ability to glide around the room making sure glasses are filled and the food is served.

Dolly arrived to take up fulltime employment with Amber and Tor after the birth of their second son, Sam. Both Sam and his older brother, Colby, are closer to Dolly than to their parents.

The story unfolds around Jules’ empathic observations and her attempts to treat people fairly. Dolly, who left her little girl behind when she was just a couple of months old, was forced to work to ensure that the child gets an education. Tala, Dolly’s sister who had persuaded her to come to Singapore to work, is a wonderfully extravagant character who discovers that someone called “Vanda” is writing a blog for the Ma’ams on how to treat their domestic workers (“Confiscate their passports. Check their rooms for items they may have stolen. Make sure they never use your bathroom”). She decides to take up the cudgels for all domestic workers, using the name “Maidhacker”. Her popularity grows very quickly. When she is kicked out by her landlord over a minor incident it is Jules who comes to her rescue, inviting her to stay with her and David.

It takes a tragic accident to teach some of the employers just how draconian and reprehensible their behaviour is towards their domestic staff.

Fiona Mitchell has crafted a beautiful novel with many of the characters being people I would love to have as friends. Jules; who turns her heartbreak into something positive. Dolly; a dignified lady who has so much courage and Tala! The world needs people like Tala who will fight to change conditions and the blinkered notions of the people employing domestic workers.

Technology has moved on from what we encountered in “The Help.” These women, who have left their homes and families behind to earn a wage, now at least have Wi-Fi and Skype to communicate with their families. Other than that, has anything changed for these workers? Sadly, not really. It does not really matter what era it is as people who are bullies will always want to control their domestic workers.

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tala and her younger sister Dolly are working as maids in Singapore. They send most of their money to the Philippines, so their children can go to school. Dolly is looking after a family with two young boys and Tala is cleaning houses. Life as a maid is difficult. Most expats aren't treating their maids very well. They don't have a voice and always fear deportation. Vanda's blog isn't helping either. Vanda is posting preposterous rules for maids and she publicly shames them. Tala fights fire with fire by starting a blog herself. This means she's now even more at risk, but she can't let Vanda get away with all the awful things she's posting.

Dolly has a big problem. She's broken one of the main rules of the agency she's working for. This means there's a chance she'll have to leave the country if she doesn't find a solution quickly. Amber is strict and doesn't see what's happening in her own home. The only gentle expat is Jules, an English woman who's struggling with fertility problems. She likes Dolly and Tala and tries to get to know them, which isn't how the other expat ladies are behaving. She's still getting to know her new neighbors when something dramatic happens that will change their world forever. For all four women life slowly spirals out of control, will they be able to come out unscathed?

The Maid's Room is an impressive story about expat life in Singapore. Tala is a brave woman with a strong voice. She isn't afraid to stand up for others, but it isn't always easy to be heard when someone's taking everything you have away from you. She keeps fighting and I admired her for it. Dolly is sweet, caring and pretty. She's great with children and genuinely loves the ones she's looking after, while she's missing her own girl very much. My heart ached for the mother who was willing to give up everything to give her daughter a better life. Amber is having marital problems. She's messed up and this clouds her judgement. Jules is suffering, but her gentle nature and tendency to look after others will always make her the one who's taking charge in a crisis. It was clear from the start something disastrous is about to happen and I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out what that would be.

The Maid's Room is beautifully written. I loved that Fiona Mitchell tells her story from several different points of view, which gives the reader a complete picture of what she's writing about. She describes the lives of the expats and their maids in detail and honestly writes about injustice, mistakes, fears, exploitation and maliciousness. The story is laced with feelings of loneliness, homesickness and longing, which are so thoroughly described that I could easily understand and feel them. There's also hope, love and kindness, which gives the story a good balance. Fiona Mitchell has written a fantastic story about a thought-provoking subject. I think The Maid's Room is an absolute must-read and really loved this fabulous book.

[Avigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐.75
There are books that I am happy that I borrow through the library. The Maid's Room is one of those books. The summary looks interesting, but the execution of the plot felt not engaging. On the other hand, it is important to read books with subject that open our minds on subject how people treat their domestic help because of status. The author's note is what made me give higher rating. If you don't like cheating in your books this book isn't for you.

[Marisolera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesante novela, inspirada en las propias vivencias de la autora, sobre la vida de las criadas filipinas en Singapur. Pero no pensemos que aquí esto no pasa. Internas extranjeras hay en España a montones y las hay que son tratadas como estas pobres mujeres filipinas. Mujeres que cuidan a tus hijos y dejan de ver a los suyos durante años, que son tratadas como desechos. Este libro debería hacernos reflexionar sobre este tema.

[K.E. Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Beautifully written, moving, informative, horrifying and yet ultimately uplifting. The world of domestic servitude in Singapore is brilliantly brought to life, which was a real eye-opener for me. Everyone should read it. It's magnificent.

[Landles Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart-warming, thought-provoking and funny in places. The perfect choice for a book group debate. I loved it.

[Inma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Este mes no acierto ni una, madre mía que desastre... A ver si consigo leer algo potable.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rubbish at reviews so all I will say is wow loved every part of this. Defo room for a sequel great writing great story and great characters

[Mandy Radley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed The Help then you'll enjoy this book about two sisters Dolly and Tala who are maids/live in help in modern day Singapore. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommended.

[Emma Chan-Paxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book especially if you have lived in the Far East...

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Når man læser forfatterens efterskrift, bliver man bekræftet i det man anede; at denne bog er baseret på virkelige hændelser, og er inspireret af forfatterens egne oplevelser, som velstående i Singapore. Bogen er autentisk, relevant, tankevækkende og lettere provokerende. Hovedpersonerne er charmerende, troværdige og ligeligt præsenterede. Jeg kunne godt lide bogen, fordi den tilbyder flere historier i én. Den fortæller begivenheder fra forskellige synsvinkler, og så tilbyder den fiktion, der hele vejen igennem føles realistisk.

[Ronnie Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the blistering heat of Singapore sisters Tala and Dolly are Filipina maids, modern-day domestic workers, hired by ex-pats to clean, cook, care for their children and walk their dogs. Dolly is quiet, determined, beautiful. Tala is strong, loud and humorous. These two sisters are quashed by the poor work conditions and even poorer policies and yet they do their bidding happily because it means they can send money home to their family. Dreaming of a better future and not this meagre existence that sees them with hardly any rights, little or no respect and a room to sleep with no windows and scarcely any air, Dolly and Tala muddle through, bound by love, strong and determined in the face of their plight, aching for the sight and touch of their children so many miles away.



Jules Harris is an ex-pat in Singapore, where she works as a part-time receptionist, idling away the time with the other women in her condo who rant and moan about the small troubles in their lives, harbouring a burning dream that she is desperate to turn into a reality. A baby. A baby of her own. As an ex-midwife, she has seen and aided countless deliveries and now it is her turn. But when her third IVF attempt fails, her chance at motherhood – of holding and feeding and loving a child of her own – slowly dissipates with the last ounce of her hope.



Honest and touching, The Maid’s Room gives us three remarkable characters, who sit in your heart and linger in your mind well past the final page. It bestows a better understanding of the world thousands of domestic workers live in and replenishes the hope of a single voice being heard above the din of countless others. I was shocked at some of the things that happened in this book, and afterward in what I found on the internet. Modern day domestic workers suffer terrible injustice. There are an estimated 53 million in the world and a quarter of them are afforded no legal rights – it’s horrendous. They’re human beings, they deserve their rights, respect and so much more than what they are given. And this beautiful book helps shine a light on this.



Fiona Mitchell has written a book that is surprising and refreshing in equal measures. Melodic and honest, I found her writing both profoundly sad and profoundly funny – I think my favourite chapters were Tala’s ones. She is just amazing. I loved Fiona’s writing. I can’t even put into words how much I’m looking forward to reading her next book.



The Maid’s Room is a book brimming with hope, kindness and humour. Sad yet joyous, shocking yet compelling. A sharp, truthful and exquisitely told tale. I loved it – I think everyone should read this book!

Hopeful. Powerful. Unforgettable.

[Gabbie Pop · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, for full disclosure,I shall start by letting you know that I did have some doubts going into this book because it very obviously has two women of colour at the center of it while the author herself is white.Those doubts did intensify a little when I found it quite hard to come across own voices reviews and wasn't quite sure what attitude to have while going into the book since I,myself,wouldn't be able to tell just how authentic the representation is.

ALAS.

In the end, I was impressed by how close to the subject Fiona Mitchell was after reading her explanation of what sparked her desire to tell this story and how it was inspired by real life events she witnessed/took part in.From what I could tell (tough you should obviously take my two cents on it with a grain of salt since I am in no place to be the voice of a community that I am not part of) the representation came across as heartfelt and respectful.

The phrase 'perfect for fans of The Help' does add on some extra weariness (though it made it very easy for me to recommend the book today in the shop when a lady was looking for recs based on that one!) because there is a certain level of white saviour-ness that I would expect when that comparison is made and the addition of a white protagonist did add to my worries.

BOY WAS I ECSTATIC TO BE WRONG! Fiona Mitchell makes it so that these wome -both Tala and Dolly,our protagonists,but also all the other maids that they are friends with- are complex,human characters as opposed to stereotypes and bland cardboard characters that lack dimension. Moreover, the book in itself presents these women taking agency and being the ones in charge of their own destinies despite their detrimental living conditions.

Which brings me to my main point, which is that I thoroughly appreciate Fiona Mitchell shining light on the real problem: though it is easy to lose yourself in Tala and Dolly's stories and to treat the whole thing like fiction, just like the women in this story commenting on the world The Help features so like their own, it is important to point out that to many women stories like this are a reality and not fiction.This makes me truly appreciate The maid's room and the intent behind the book.

The writing style is fastpaced,engaging and very heartfelt, which made it very easy to fly through the book in a couple of seatings.

That being said, there was still a little je ne sais quoi missing, which is why the book was more of a 3.5-3.75 for me.

[Sara Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It's a poignant tribute to underpaid and ill treated maids around the world. This book is set in Singapore in the stifling heat. A beautifully written debut by Fiona Mitchell , it introduces us to two Filipina sisters, Dolly and Tala, who leave their home and their children to work for ex-pat families in order t send money back to their families. The back story weaved in also introduces us to the lives of their employers and what the maids are up against whilst trying to make ends meet. Thankfully, not all employers treat the maids badly, but Jules, a newly arrived ex-pat midwife from the Uk, is one character to keep your eye on throughout this wonderful book.

The unbearable heat of Singapore itself permeates, especially when we discover that maids are often left to sleep in stuffy, windowless boxes. Not only do they live in constant fear of messing up which could lead to their deportation but they also have to deal with life estranged from their loved ones. Particularly haunting and evocative is the writing around those maids who have left children behind. The story accelerates when one of the maids — Maidhacker — writes a blog exposing the truth about life as a maid. Stand back and watch all hell break loose! It's a really entertaining read.
The novel, whist dealing with serious issues, is also enlightening, funny and uplifting. As I reader, I was totally won over by Dolly and Tala, and cheered from the sidelines willing them to overcome the numerous obstacles put in their way by Mitchell. The poignancy of this book reminds us just how many women all over the world still suffer humiliation and degradation at the hands of ruthless employers. Many thanks to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Fiona Mitchell for the opportunity to read and review The Maid's Room. And yes, I would totally recommend it as a brilliant holiday read or one to curl up with in front of the fire this winter.

[Lucille · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved The Maid's Room: a moving tribute to underpaid and ill treated maids everywhere - in this case in Singapore. A beautifully written debut by Fiona Mitchell it tells the story of two Filipina sisters, Dolly and Tala, who leave their home and their children to work for expat families. Interwoven are the stories of the women they work for and what the maids do to survive. Not all employers treat the maids badly but those like Jules, a newly arrived ex-pat midwife from the UK, are the exception to the rule.

The unbearable heat of Singapore itself permeates, especially when we discover that maids are often left to sleep in windowless bomb shelters. They live in constant fear of committing any misdemeanor which could lead to their deportation. This is highlighted when one of the maids, under the name Maidhacker, decides to write a blog telling the truth about their lives in response to one written by a woman detailing how to keep their maids under control eg: a rare day off should be only between certain hours so that the maids wouldn't be at risk of recovering from a hangover the following day and unable to fulfil their duties. The Handmaids Tale eat your heart out.

The novel, while hard hitting in the issues it covers, is also amusing and uplifting. The reader cannot fail to be won over by Dolly and Tala as they overcome numerous obstacles in their daily lives and the saddest part is that many women all over the world still suffer humiliation and degradation at the hands of their employers. Many thanks to NetGalley, Hodder and Stoughton and Fiona Mitchell for the opportunity to read and review The Maid's Room. It's sure to be a great success.

[Charlotte Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely and totally loved this beautifully written debut novel by Fiona Mitchell.
Whilst there are similarities of course to The Help (which some reviewers may think is a negative) , what makes The Maid's Room different and truly memorable is when you realise that this novel is set in modern times. It makes you aware that this hugely unacceptable treatment of domestic workers is still very much an issue that many people still have to live with now.
I won't give too much away as to how the story unfolds, but it is a gripping read with wonderful characters that really stay with you, characters that I found I missed once I had finished the book !
This is a really well written novel and I never would have guessed that it was a debut (and I can usually tell, even when it's a good read).
Fiona Mitchell has become one of my favourite Authors and I can't wait to read her second novel due out in April 2019 !!

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

We were told before that when you looked up Filipinos in the dictionary, you'd find domestic helper as the definition. I never saw this though as I've never looked it up. But there's no denying there are so much filipinos working abroad looking for better opportunities even under unfavorable conditions.

The Maid's Room was a quick read but in no way easy nor simple. The scandals and the fights were what made the story intriguing but at the same time it would disturb you to know that it's happening.

There were some points that I disagreed with otherwise this would have been 5 stars. And there were some inaccuracies about the Philippines but those are passable. Overall an enjoyable read that you won’t just read but would also make you think.