Title: These Women
Author: Ivy Pochoda
ISBN: 9780571363827
Publisher: Haper Collins / Jonathan Ball Publisher
Pages: 334
Source: Review Copy from Jonathan Ball Publishers
From the award-winning author of Wonder Valley and Visitation Street comes a serial killer story like you’ve never seen before—a literary thriller of female empowerment and social change
In West Adams, a rapidly changing part of South Los Angeles, they’re referred to as “these women.” These women on the corner … These women in the club … These women who won’t stop asking questions … These women who got what they deserved …
In her masterful new novel, Ivy Pochoda creates a kaleidoscope of loss, power, and hope featuring five very different women whose lives are steeped in danger and anguish. They’re connected by one man and his deadly obsession, though not all of them know that yet. There’s Dorian, still adrift after her daughter’s murder remains unsolved; Julianna, a young dancer nicknamed Jujubee, who lives hard and fast, resisting anyone trying to slow her down; Essie, a brilliant vice cop who sees a crime pattern emerging where no one else does; Marella, a daring performance artist whose work has long pushed boundaries but now puts her in peril; and Anneke, a quiet woman who has turned a willfully blind eye to those around her for far too long. The careful existence they have built for themselves starts to crumble when two murders rock their neighbourhood.
Official Summary
Oh Wow! What a story. I received These Women from Jonathan Ball Publishers during January. At first glance, this book did not appeal to me, so it ended at the bottom of my TBR pile. A story about street workers in LA was not remarkably high on my priority list. Nevertheless, I picked it up and started reading.
The author quickly drew me deeply into the lives of her characters. The mystery of working girls being murdered and discarded like rubbish had me hooked. You get to experience this story from various viewpoints as each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view – and brilliantly brought together.
The book starts with Feelia in 1999, the first chapter entirely dedicated to a one-sided dialogue leaves you a little unsure of where the story is headed. But intriguing enough to force you to keep turning the pages.
This is followed by part one – Dorian – 2014. Dorian is a mother who lost her daughter, and this part of the book was simply heart-breaking. The mother’s loss, grief, and desperate need for understanding and closure make any idea of putting this book down impossible – even when you are left with a lump in your throat.
Next, we meet Julianne, a young woman who knew Dorian’s daughter and who entered the world of street workers. Her the part of the story is a difficult read. The author dumps you straight into the centre of These Women’s lives. Allowing you into their world and their minds, experiencing their struggles. Forcing you to explore the world from a completely different angle.
This shocking chapter leads to part three which introduces Essie Perry – a Latina detective who looks at the world as a puzzle to be solved, making her rather unpopular with her co-workers. She has her own story which soon leads you to fall in love with this surprisingly persistent and quirky little woman.
Part four is dedicated to Marella, a young woman who grew up in the same neighbourhood, but whose parents kept her sheltered by sending her away to school and keeping her off the streets. Yet now she is grown up, back home and opening her eyes to the world she lives in.
The final part of this book is dedicated to Anneke, Marella’s mother, diving deep into her mind and revealing the motivation for her actions.
This is a truly powerful story which explores the harsh realities of life on the streets of LA. This book is a harsh tales about sex, drugs and murder but at the same time filled with love, determination and a strong desire to survive and succeed. I felt compassion for every woman in this book. The author allowed me to feel their pain and struggles on every page.
Ivy Pochoda took a harsh reality and created a deeply moving novel guaranteed to leave you looking at the world around you with a very different perspective.
I loved this book, the blurb on the back cover did not do this story enough justice – this is a suspense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, it is impossible to predict where the story will end and the characters in this book simply crawl into your heart.
Don’t miss out – make sure you get your hands on a copy of this book – it is a deep, powerful and extremely moving tale.
Other Books by Ivy Pochoda
WONDER VALLEY
VISITATION STREET
THE ART OF DISAPPEARING
About the Author
Bio from the Author’s Site
Ivy Pochoda is the author of the critically acclaimed novels Wonder Valley, Visitation Street and These Women. Wonder Valley won the 2018 Strand Critics Award for Best Novel and was a finalist Los Angeles Times Book Prize and Le Grand Prix de Litterature Americaine, as well as being chosen as an NPR and Lost Angeles Times Book of the year. Visitation Street won the Prix Pages America in France and was chosen as an Amazon Best Book of the Month, Amazon Best Book of 2013, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection.
Her books have been translated into five languages. Her writing has appeared in The New Your Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and The Los Angeles Review of Books. Her first novel The Art of Disappearing was published by St. Martin’s Press in 2009. She teaches creative writing at the Studio 526 Skid Row.
Thank you, Jonathan Ball Publisher, for this review copy – this story will stay with me, I loved every page. To the author – WOW – I cannot wait to get my hands on your other books. As always, thank you for reading my review, if you have read this title, drop a comment below sharing your thoughts. Until next time….. Happy Reading!
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