A review by serendipitysbooks
The Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Céspedes

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

 I was surprised by how much I loved Forbidden Notebook, surprised and a little horrified at how much I could relate to Valeria, a woman living in 1950s Italy. Her sense of having lost herself in her role of wife and mother, of struggling to find time and space for something just for her - something as simple as writing her thoughts in a notebook, and then feeling guilty when she did really hit home, as did some of the realities of parenting adult children and middle marriage. A quiet domestic story that powerfully resonated with me. 
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