Reviews for Understanding Stepmothers: Women Share Their Struggles, Successes and Insights

The average rating for Understanding Stepmothers: Women Share Their Struggles, Successes and Insights based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2021-07-14 00:00:00 Cynthia Cole Extremely interesting book as regards Romanian-Canadians. It presents lots of Romanian customs (food, dances, songs, superstitions, religion) and also a moving story. The action is set between 1902-1930 and focuses on the fate of the Corches. Rahila dies, Samson remarries but dies soon, which creates a real trauma among children who have to be sent to other families. Some adapt, some don't...and live with their thoughts in the past characterized by LOVE (Samson's figure is crucial), while present is nightmarish. This is Annie Corches's situation. A sensible child, she is exploited by her aunt, beaten up everyday and banned to go to school no matter how much she loved learning. In the end the main character runs away from her aunt and takes refuge in her sister's house, Tenka, until she finds a husband and therefore a real...home. Feeling an inner exile..still persists... The Devil however seems to have won...as after so many disappointments...Annie does no longer believe in the omnipotence of God! I loved this book. Really LOVED it. It reminded me of Cinderella, of many fairy tales. However the documentary background is really serious and I also liked the writing style. For those who do want to read it too, don't forget the time when the action takes place. Many things happened in Romania. Traditions are kept mainly in the countryside now, but still Romanian Orthodoxs LOVE Christmas, Easter, Mucenici,etc and I can still say with huge pride that Romania has one of the best cuisines in the world! Some recipes are in the book. Congratulations for Kenneth Radu!!!!!

Review # 2 was written on 2020-12-30 00:00:00 Brian Etzel My own grandparents came from Romania to Saskatchewan in the early 1900's. This could be them. There is much darkness and pain in this book. Life was so hard. The recipes and the cultural info was just wonderful to read, and imagine my own family's history.