A review by laurelinwonder
Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus, by Carolina Maria de Jesus

5.0

Despite the attempt to oversell this, (ie. marketing of the cover and title, that make this look like one of those 'true story' not well written books), this book broke my heart, pissed me off, and gave me an insight into the Favelas of Brazil at the end of the 1950s. Despite the heavy editing of a male reporter (big surprise there), Carolina Maria de Jesus crafted her diary on the back of paper that she collected in the street and sewed together. Paper that she also collected and sold to feed and clothe herself and her three small children. She kept just enough paper, and wrote her diary of witness on the back of her livelihood. How important are your words, is your story, that you give up small pieces of your livelihood to tell it? THIS IMPORTANT. In the same vein of "Herculine Barbin" and "Coming of Age in Mississippi", this is one book that will take you out of your life, and teach you about the main character of this story, true, acute, hunger. READ THIS BOOK.