4 out of 4 stars
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Life Before is a novel set in Dallas, Texas in 2011 and begins with the story of Elaine Grace Dearborn. In this first-person narrative, Elaine identifies herself as a stay-at-home mom and housewife whose youngest child has recently left home. Faced with the prospect of having no one to care for and nothing to do, Elaine decides that she will become the writer she always dreamed of becoming.
As she sits down to begin writing, it seems as though her laptop starts displaying words on its own. Elaine enters a trance-like state in which she envisions a young girl named Elizabeth who, like her, lives in Dallas. Only the Dallas of Elizabeth takes place in 1907, and Elizabeth’s life is the life of a prostitute. When Elaine comes out of her trance, she wonders if she has had a hallucination and worries that she is losing her mind. In spite of her fears, she begins to write and research her story about prostitution in the early 20th century. She feels a particularly strong connection to the character of Elizabeth, one that could almost be described as psychic. While this is disconcerting to her, she continues to write her book.
The story Elaine writes is compelling. K. L. Romo makes it so through her own insightful and finely tuned prose. Life Before is a real page-turner and an incredible eye-opener. The reader learns not only about the kinds of prostitution that existed in old Dallas, but also about the mores and values of many of its inhabitants. The author reveals the hypocrisy and cruelty that existed at every level of society in the early 1900s. She made me question if those same qualities are just as present in today’s society. She also introduces us to characters that are loving, compassionate and willing to take risks to help those in need. Through these heartwarming and heartbreaking characters, examples of decency and integrity are imprinted on the reader. So, too, is the belief that this goodness can also be seen in all levels of society.
In spite of the bleakness of the lives presented in the book, a hopeful theme runs through it. The belief that people can change the world is pronounced and demonstrated. This is an inspirational work of fiction that left me with a determination to seek out the best in people and to do good in the world. It will appeal to anyone who likes a story of triumph over evil. Because of some of its mature content, I would not recommend it to young adults.
There were no grammatical or spelling errors; nothing in the writing indicated anything other than being edited very well. I would enthusiastically give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars.
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Life Before
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