The Housemaid's Daughter

by Barbara Mutch

Barbara Mutch's stunning first novel tells a story of love and duty colliding on the arid plains of Apartheid-era South Africa

When Cathleen Harrington leaves her home in Ireland in 1919 to travel to South Africa, she knows that she does not love the man she is to marry there —her fiance Edward, whom she has not seen for five years. Isolated and estranged in a small town in the harsh Karoo desert, her only real companions are her diary and her housemaid, and later the housemaid's daughter, Ada. When Ada is born, Cathleen recognizes in her someone she can love and respond to in a way that she cannot with her own family.

Under Cathleen's tutelage, Ada grows into an accomplished pianist and a reader who cannot resist turning the pages of the diary, discovering the secrets Cathleen sought to hide. As they grow closer, Ada sees new possibilities in front of her—a new horizon. But in one night, everything changes, and Cathleen comes home from a trip to find that Ada has disappeared, scorned by her own community. Cathleen must make a choice: should she conform to society, or search for the girl who has become closer to her than her own daughter?

Set against the backdrop of a beautiful, yet divided land, The Housemaid's Daughter is a startling and thought-provoking novel that intricately portrays the drama and heartbreak of two women who rise above cruelty to find love, hope, and redemption.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Africa, Book Club, South Africa, Historical, Adult

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Barbara Mutch is the author of four novels set in South Africa. The Housemaid's Daughter, a tale of love, hope and redemption, is set in the stunning Karoo. The Girl from Simon's Bay follows a forbidden romance in the port of Simon's Town during the 2nd World War. The Fire Portrait traces the life of a young artist in a rural hamlet who survives a fire to raise a child. In The Case Against Fili Du Bois, an adopted child must make her mark amid the joys and challenges of a newly-democratic South Africa.
Visit https://barbaramutch.com for more

Barbara was born and raised in South Africa, and is the granddaughter of Irish immigrants.

Reviews

[Carmun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este libro más que contar una historia, cuenta un situación, una realidad. No es tanto la gramática, como la forma tan sutil de narrar los sentimientos.
Una historia desgarradora marcada por el conflicto político-social de Sudáfrica. Y también por las guerras, todas ellas (las mundiales, las raciales, las internas, etc.)
Una lectura recomendable, fácil de leer y que hace reflexionar.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being South African and growing up at the end of the Apartheid, I could totally relate to this story. This too was the South Africa I recall as a young teen. The park benches, public toilets and beaches with their signs "Whites Only" - a picture I still have in my head.

I found the book was very readable, but I didn't find it going anywhere fast. I found that the book went along in a straight line, and did have a hint of predictability, which was a bit disappointing.

I also found that the events taking place in the Apartheid times were very toned down, I recall some of these events happening, like the necklacing that took place, which was just gruesome, and yet, I did not get that feeling when reading her descriptions of these actions.

Maybe it could be that being South African I have a biased expectation of the story, which I found fell a little short of the mark.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was the scenery, which was most visible to me through my mind's eye.
My favourite being the Hadedas calling - made me quite homesick, they are the first birds I used to hear upon waking in the morning - definitely a South African experience :)

[Maria Olga Lectoraapasionada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duro libro, pero a la vez está lleno de ternura, me asombró que en la historia de esta novela, la protagonista Ada, no tenga ningún historia de amor o tal vez tuvo la historia de amor más grande e incondicional, el de una madre, aunque no es su madre de sangre, pero si de corazón.
Me encanto el coraje de Ada, las ganas de aprender y las ganas de superarse a pesar de su dura vida ..
Qué bonita banda sonora la de libro ..Las gotas de lluvia de Chopin..

[Serendipity Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by @musingdragon on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
Around once a year, I read a book like this one and just know it will stick with me for life.

Irish born Cathleen Harrington now lives in South Africa with her distracted husband and two children. Served by their faithful housemaid Miriam and her young daughter Ada, Cathleen is learning to adjust to her new life.

The novel is written from Ada’s point of view but through her interactions with Ada and surprisingly few snippets of Mrs Harrington’s diary, the reader grasps the character of this truly selfless lady that will be so influential on Ada’s life. Following Ada’s journey from childhood to adult and mother we experience her first tragic love for Cathleen’s son Phil, her pleasure in playing the piano, her rejection by both whites and blacks when she conceives a child which fits with neither. We experience the tumultuous emotions; fear, love, rejoicing for Ada’s exotic and wilful daughter Dawn. It’s a story of dancing and music, hope and love, revolution and courage.

The cover compares the novel to The Help, but I think this just doesn’t do the book justice. Yes they both feature black housemaids serving white families, but where The Help portrays a group of maids united in vengeance against a common (white) enemy, The Housemaid’s Daughter is the story of the most forbidden of friendships, flowering despite the harshest conditions. The love and respect between Mrs Harrington and Ada conquers all barriers except death.

One thing just didn’t ring true for me; Ada welcoming her ‘Master’ to her bed with seemingly open arms. As a young girl with no sexual experience, surely the first emotion would be fear, especially considering he has never shown any particular warmth towards her. The ongoing belief throughout the rest of the book that this circumstance was ‘her duty’ to him in his misery and loneliness still lacks something for me. Possibly I have misjudged the attitude of servants at this time to their white families.

The interesting thing about this novel is just how visibly you can see the author growing with her main character. It’s like she’s learning to love Ada along with us. At first it’s hesitant, perhaps overly detailed too soon, but as a big fan of South Africa flaws and all, I just love the detail that went into this novel, from the delicate pink roses in the Harrington’s gardens, to the dirty angry Groot Vis river, to the sound of rain on Ada’s corrugated iron roof and the feel of it between her toes.

If you’re like me and love historical novels with a personal touch, you’ll adore this captivating debut.

[Cheryl James · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review will give no justice to this story. I listened to the audible version and this story melted my heart and my soul. I will forever remember this book and the characters. Three generations of Black and White love, hate, joy, pain, good and evil. When things were good they were good and when they were bad they were bad. I pray that South Africa will forever have a Black Ada and a White Catherine💟

Audio Version

[Adellet · Rating 2 out of 5]

*spoliers* I loved the Help and after reading a few comments that this was a 'South African take' on the same theme I expected to get hooked.

However, I found Ada overwhelmingly bland and frustating. Despite suffering through the suicide of a loved one, the death of a mother, rape, abandonment by family members, racsim, prejudice and several other life-jarring events she always manages to make an objective and calm judgment on her situation. It was all a bit forced and unrealistic for my liking.

There was only a few times when she managed to be assertive, most notably when she the threatens the mayor/commissioner (cant exactly remember his title). But the ramifications of this are glossed over with comments like (paraphrasing) "people kept wanting me to join the revolution and speak out more but i wouldn't." Who were these people? How did the situation like outside of Cradock develop? I wanted more detail, more depth into the issues that the communities were facing and how they were dealing with it. I wanted more specific examples of the prejudice her and her daughter faced in both communities, how they dealt with it on a daily basis and what others in the same situation were experiencing. Instead we just get Ada running back to Cradock House whenever trouble is afoot and only a general description of 'chaos' or 'trouble in Jo-burg'.

Dawn was a far more interesting character and I wish we heard more of her story instead.

What did I like? I found the scene at the doctor's, when Ada brings Dawn in sick, the most moving, as well as the scenes dealing with Phil and his role in the war.

Overall there was a bit too much 'dodging' of hard topics and descriptions for me to recommend this book and not liking the main character/narrator always puts me off.

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: 1930s-1940s

Cathleen Harrington leaves Ireland to meet her fiance in South Africa. After five years, Cathleen barely remembers him nor does she still love him. Her only friends are her house-maid Miriam , and Miriam's daughter Ada. Cathleen takes Ada under her wing,teaching her to read and play the piano.
One day Ada discovers Cathleen's journal, and curiosity compels her to read it giving Ada new insights into life and it's possibilities. Then one night everything changes, and Ada is forced to flee her home...making a new life in the harsh outside world. She is now trapped between the woman she knows she can be, and the woman she is forced to be. This is a story of a young South African black woman's coming of age. A compelling story that sweeps readers into the life of a woman caught between two world's, and whose forbidden friendship with her mistress leads to tragedy and finally triumph.
A totally gripping story from beginning to the end, that also made it thought provoking as it was lyrical. Nicely done and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wanted to be a lot, but it just wasn't. Oh where to start... All of the characters were flat, bland, and one dimensional. There was zero character development, especially of the main character, Ada. I can't even say she was unlikable, because she wasn't anything. Next, apartheid. Yes, this was a horrible time in South Africa's history and yes, it would have been interesting to weave into a story. However, apartheid seemed to be something the author threw in now and then just to prove that this book really was taking place in South Africa at that time. Honestly, I'd be reading a chapter and someone would say, "oh no, children have been shot in the back" and then the rest of the scene just went on like someone had said, "oh look, there's a bird outside the window." Finally, there the lack of any discernible timeline. The author gave no sense of how much time had or had not passed between chapters and events. You could turn chapters and have no idea that the story was now 3 years in the future until someone mentioned the age or size of a child (or even worse, when a character would say, "it's been years since...").

I don't understand how this book is getting such decent reviews. It was 400 pages of undeveloped character and story. I felt like I was reading the author's outline for a story instead of the finished novel. On the plus size, it was set in a large font so at least it went quickly!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in South Africa so reading this book had special meaning for me. Ada's mother could have been the housemaid who was part of our family as I grew up and my beloved housekeeper who helped me raise my children. Barbara Mutch draws a vivid word picture of life in a small Karoo town and the distinct line between the empowered White Community and the disempowered Blacks. South African Whites chose not to see their Black employees as having a life outside of their employer's home. Cathleen stepped over that line and loved her maid and her maid's daughter. When Ada developed a passion for music to match Cathleen's it created an irrevocable bond and that reinforced their commitment to each other. When Ada feels she has betrayed Cathleen she leaves her employment without any explanation and enters a world very different to the sheltered existence she has known all her life as part of Cathleen's home and family. That world exposes her to the suffering of her fellow Blacks in the Apartheid era. She endures and music helps her cope and survive and eventually reunites her with her beloved Cathleen.

[Conchita Piquer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una conmovedora historia, donde el valor y el coraje de la protagonista nos enseña lo que la desigualdad de razas provocó en una época.
Sin embargo también se nos muestra un lado del amor que puede con todo y une a las personas .
Me ha encantado la forma en la que está escrita y la música que nos va acompañando a lo largo de las páginas.

[Carol E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place in South Africa during the reign of apartheid. A maid (black) in a white household raises her daughter there, teaching her the maid duties. The daughter, Ada, grows up and the book follows Ada's life through apartheid and the struggles for liberation.

Ada is sheltered and naïve, not knowing much about her own culture. I wondered about this.. wouldn't her mother have prepared her to understand her own culture and obtain some survival skills? Ada was kind of bland and a loner.

I'm not sure what to think of this book. It was good, but sometimes disappointing. It was obvious it was written by a white person but told through the eyes of the black maid. I just wonder how "real" it is. Even though there were clashes and turmoil, as did happen and would happen under apartheid, I kept thinking that the viewpoint was very "whitened" and not as a black maid would actually have experienced it -- a missed opportunity to get some real insight into the double life that a maid would have to endure.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story Description:

Headline|October 23, 2012|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-7553-9210-0

A South African THE HELP, THE HOUSEMAID’S DAUGHTER is a startling and thought-provoking debut novel which intricately portrays the drama, dynamics and heartbreak of two women against the backdrop of a beautiful yet divided land.

Duty and love collide on the arid plains of central South Africa. Previously released as “Karoo Plainsong” this is a fully revised debut novel.

Cathleen Harrington leaves her home in Ireland in 1919 to travel to South Africa to marry the fiancé she has not seen for five years. Isolated and estranged in a harsh landscape, she finds solace in her diary and the friendship with the housemaid’s daughter, Ada. Cathleen recognizes in her someone she can love and responds to in a way that she cannot with her own husband and daughter. Under Cathleen’s tutelage, Ada grows into an accomplished pianist, and a reader who cannot resist turning the pages of the diary, discovering the secrets Cathleen sought to hide.

When Ada is compromised and finds she is expecting a mixed-race child, she flees her home, determined to spare Cathleen knowledge of her betrayal, and the disgrace that would descend upon the family. Scorned within her own community, Ada is forced to carve a life for herself, her child, and her music. But Cathleen still believes in Ada, and risks the constraints of apartheid to search for her and persuade her to return with her daughter. Beyond the cruelty, there is love, hope – and redemption.

My Review:

Ada Mabuse was born in 1930 in Cradock House, located in a remote town on the very edge of the Karoo which is a desert area in South Africa. Her mother, Miriam does the housekeeping, polishing, laundry, and cooking for Cathleen Harrington and her rather stalwart husband, Edward.

Cathleen immigrated to South Africa from Ireland in 1919 to marry Edward after a five year separation. She wondered on the ship if Edward had changed in that amount of time especially when she met a man on board who caught her fancy. Years later she would wonder again about the seemingly lovely man she met on board during her immigration.

Ada only lived with her mother, Miriam at Cradock House and didn’t know who her father was. Despite the questions to her mother, Miriam, this was a subject not up for discussion. Miriam felt that some things were just better left unsaid.

Cathleen Harrington and her husband, Edward had two children: Miss Rose and Master Phil. Cathleen teaches music at the white school but Ada is banned from attending there due to her skin colour. Miss Rose had no interest whatsoever in learning how to play the piano so Cathleen instead teaches young Ada who becomes an accomplished pianist. Miss Rose was a surly, sour, and bossy young woman who was a huge disappointment to Cathleen as a daughter. She only had eyes for her father, Edward and bossed Ada around like she was her primary maid and servant. Ada always fulfilled the tasks asked of her by Miss Rose as she didn’t want to cause any problems for her mother, Miriam. Cathleen Harrington was very liberal minded and she and Miriam had a friendship that was certainly considered unusual/taboo for this period of time. Cathleen also taught a young Ada English which would serve her well throughout her life.

Ada and Master Phil who was also liberal minded like his mother, Cathleen had a friendly relationship. They played together from a very young age and Ada just absolutely idiolized Master Phil. As far as Cathleen and Phil are concerned, Ada is “part of” the “family” whereas she is treated only as a servant by Rose and her father, Edward.

As the years pass, Ada’s beloved mother, Miriam passes away. Ada is devastated at her loss and Cathleen hugs her much to Edward and Miss Rose’s utter disgust. The second time, Ada felt this “disgust” was the day Master Phil left home to fight in the war. At the train station, in plain view of his family and neighbours, Master Phil hugged Ada. She then realized there was a stark difference in the way black people and white people are perceived by others.

Once Miriam is gone, Ada takes over the complete household duties her mother once did. She cooked and ironed and polished the wood until it gleamed! At the end of each day, Ada would play the piano for Cathleen and Edward for hours. Music was what bonded Cathleen and Ada so tightly together.

Ada was pressured into an illegal sexual relationship which ends with the birth of her daughter, Dawn who has far, far lighter skin than Ada’s. Ada has no choice but to leave the Harrington home and the family she has come to love so dearly. She makes her way across the river trying to make money by taking in laundry and hauling it to the river each day to wash and dry by hanging the items from the tree branches and shrubs. She at first lives with her Auntie who is a very unkind and unsympathetic woman. Ada paid her to live in her small, cramped mud hut but her Aunt eventually tosses her out with the baby in tow. She makes a friend in Lindiwe who takes her in in exchange for learning to read English. Lindiwe’s mud hut is even smaller and more cramped than her Auntie’s was but they make do.

One day, Ada learns that a school close-by has a piano but no music lessons are offered there. Ada summons her courage, straps Dawn to her back and walks into the school to confront the principal, Mr. Dumise about a job playing the piano and teaching music to the students. Mr. Dumise had another teacher in his office at the time and he was totally disgusted with Ada due to the colour of Dawn’s skin – he knew she had sinned. Ada was getting used to losing friends and neighbours once they saw the colour of Dawn’s skin. Although upset, she wasn’t surprised. Mr. Dumise took a chance on Ada after listening to her play the piano. He was, in fact, totally taken aback at Ada’s talent and hired her. Ada’s new job completely changes her life.

Barbara Mutch has written an irresistible book that is extremely difficult to put down. There was so much more I wanted to say in my review but that would have had to include spoilers and I couldn’t do that to you. You simply have to read this breathtaking novel.

Although the book is fiction, the Karoo does exist and apart from recognized historical figures, the characters are a product of the author’s imagination. However, the places they inhabit are very real.

The story is educational, helps us understand apartheid, showed the liberal thinking of some of the people of this time period, it is thought-provoking, an epic journey of an uncertain love and an enduring friendship.

I loved so many of the characters in this novel, especially Cathleen, Dawn, Phil, Lindiwe, Miriam, and of course, sweet Ada.

This is my fourth “favourite novel” I’ve read this year out of the 182 books I’ve read so far. When word gets out, Barbara Mutch’s novel The Housemaid’s Daughter is going to be a huge hit. Very, very well-done!!

[Arcesio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuenta la vida de Ada Mabuse, la hija de la criada de una casa de blancos en la ciudad o poblado de Cradock house, de propiedad de los señores Edward y Cathleen Harrington.

Su madre Míriam pasó toda la vida trabajando en Cradock house y ella quería vivir y morir en ese mismo sitio. Miedosa de nos ser llevada por el tokoloshe por escuchar detrás de las puertas de la dueña de la casa, de quien recibió una educación básica, Ada aprende a leer y escribir y a contar con el señorito Philp.

Libro contado a dos voces, Ada y la conversación secreta de la señora con su Diario. Ada hereda el estoicismo de la madre. ¿La señora las sentía como de su familia ante la ausencia de cariño de su esposo??

Una niña llena de honestidad y bondad en un mundo lleno de prejuicios y desigualdad racial del apartheid. Derrochaba devoción, paciencia y cariño, en especial con el señorito Philp.

Fue entiendo las cosas de la vida en la medida que le fueron sucediendo y gracias a las vastas consecuencias de su inocente padecer. Desarrolla dos habilidades: hablar inglés y tocar el piano. Le toca vivir bajo el Apartheid en la Sudáfrica de mitad de siglo, sin saber que lo suyos (los Negros) deben librar su guerra de liberación de una sociedad, mientras a ella le corresponde sobreponerse a la tristeza tras su salida inexplicada de Cradock House; todo por ser obligada a "ceder ante el deber de su señor sobre la lealtad hacia su señora".

Se debate en una guerra intima de una "piel clara dentro de su vientre", producto de su pecado, que endurece su corazón por haber cruzado la "línea racial" en contra de su voluntad. Tras perder su inocencia y dejar de transmitir su resplandor, huye buscando refugio hacia su verdadera sensación de pertenencia y soledad: su nuevo oficio de maestra de piano, y convivencia en la tierra marrón, el sol amarillo para criar a Dawn, su hija mulata, su vergüenza de ojos azules.

En carne propia se entera que el poder divisorio de la piel es para los blancos mucho más fuerte que los lazos sanguíneos y le tocó volverse de hierro para enfrentar el aislamiento racial y la desilusión.

Leer la novela bajo el sonido de las "gotas de lluvias de Chopin" trasladan al lector hasta el auditorio del colegio St James, donde Ada tocó con maestría el piano para un público blanco. La expresión de la melodía fue una forma de librar su guerra contra el hambre, la crueldad y las normas que asfixiaron a la mayoría negra.

Al final se revela una oda en homenaje a una larga amistad entre la señora Cath y Ada, edificada con las notas y teclas del piano Zimmerman, para suavizar la vergüenza que la acompañó desde que su inocencia fue arrebata por el señor Harrington.

Calificación: 3.9/5

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story and from the beginning invites you into its pages.
There is so much to discover. It is about relationships, duty, submission, rejection and acceptance and about love.
It is set in the beautiful and wonderful Karoo which the author paints with her words and Ada adds the music.
At times I listened to Chopin's Raindrop to further enhance the experience and to capture Ada's mood. In my opinion this book describes life in South Africa during this period more accurately than many other books which I have read. It also made me consider the experiences of the different race groups during this time. My only criticism, Siobhan not Siobahn!! A beautiful name mis-spelled.
This is more than a five star book.

[Tanya Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book. It is a story that spans the life of "Ada", a housemaid in Africa, during the time of apartheid. So much hardship and overwhelming kindness surround this poor woman in her struggle to be loyal to her master and perform what she feels is her "duty" and how she deals with the aftermath of her decision and what she must deal with in defending her actions and protecting those she loves. I didn't like how the timelines were not more clearly set, but everything was wrapped up nicely at the end.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book posed a bit of a dilemma for me when it came to it's rating. It is very well written with descriptive passages that transport you to South Africa and it's hardships relating to apartheid. However, the story is dreary with no feeling of hope at any stage, the characters, both black and white, are predictable and boring and you never quite get to know them. Their naivety throughout the story is surprising, especially as they are all educated.

[Antoinette · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

Paramount to this book is getting into and accepting Ada’s voice, as most of the book is told from her viewpoint. The only time we stray from this is when she is reading her Madam’s diary entries. I definitely struggled to get into this book- I felt that Ada’s voice was too flat and lacking in emotion.

That being said, the story of apartheid and how it evolved, I did find very interesting. I did feel that the magnitude of what was happening was toned down. I was repulsed at the practice of “necklacing”, but I certainly did not feel the terror that the people were experiencing.

The last 100 pages made the book worth reading, but a slow journey on your way there.

[Cleo R · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3'7

[Vesela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Отдавна не ми се беше случвало книга да премине през всички оценки - от "зарязвам я!" през 2* (което за мен реално е едно ниво над *супер-зле*) до 3,5*/5*.
Окончателната ми оценка е: книгата ми хареса! Хареса ми образът на главната героиня (Ада) и нейното израстване на фона на бурните събития през годините на апартейда в Южноафриканската република. Научих много неща за това време и за живота в тази държава.
Имаше неща, които ме дразнеха, но като цяло впечатленията ми от книгата са положителни.

[Tempo de Ler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A apreciação de outrem - se é que alguma nos deveria sequer ser admitida - deveria ter em conta A Cor do Coração e nunca a cor da pele. Infelizmente, sabemos que não foi assim no passado e, o que é ainda mais angustiante, não é assim na actualidade.

Retrocedendo até uma época vergonhosa, quando a segregação racial foi legitimada na África do Sul, a autora, Barbara Mutch, faz um óptimo trabalho a destacar a importância dos valores morais de cada indivíduo, evidenciando o elevado custo que a falta destes tem tido para a humanidade.

A trama desenrola-se enquanto acompanhamos Ada ao longo de diversas fases da sua vida, uma vida condicionada por factores externos e sobre os quais Ada não tem qualquer poder. A sua mãe, Miriam, serve na casa Cradock desde que Cathleen viajou da Irlanda para se instalar na África do Sul e Cathleen acaba por ter um enorme impacto na vida de Ada, não apenas por lhe oferecer a rara oportunidade de aprender a ler e a escrever e por, ainda que inconscientemente, lhe oferecer uma das armas essenciais na sua sobrevivência futura - a música - mas também pela relação de amizade e respeito que se desenvolve entre ambas.

Ada é obrigada a lutar para perseverar por entre sofrimento, discriminação e pura maldade. Historicamente, cingimo-nos frequentemente ao acontecimento em si ignorando o que o motivou ou os esforços envidados para que fosse sequer possível; em A Cor do Coração, vivemos o intermédio, presenciamos o que se perde para que a mudança seja finalmente conquistada e quão lento, perigoso e complexo é o processo de mudar mentalidades. É terrível verificar como o racismo e o preconceito eram defendidos pela lei; fomentados pelas autoridades.

Tudo isto nos chega através de Ada e é aqui que reside o único ponto negativo do livro - para mim. Ada soou-me demasiado ingénua, é certo que a sua falta de conhecimento e constante necessidade de explicações facilita a nossa integração na história e, mais tarde, nos permite os nossos próprios juízos de valor sem a interferência da opinião de Ada, mas tanta inocência faz apenas sentido enquanto ela é jovem, tornando-se frustrante com o avançar da narrativa e da idade da protagonista. Pessoalmente, preferia um relato mais consciente e inteirado sobre os acontecimentos, mentalidades e atitudes; certamente o livro iria adquirir um tom mais violento, revoltante e chocante, mas também mais real.

Gostei especialmente do tipo de comunicação que se instala entre Ada e Cathleen, através dos diários desta última; acaba por nos oferecer uma visão mais abrangente e um ponto de vista diferente. Apreciei também a ideia de que, independentemente da cor, do parentesco, da instrução ou da educação, cada indivíduo é responsável pela forma como se comporta, de acordo com a sua verdadeira essência . Verificamos isto não apenas com Cathleen e Ada mas melhor ainda com as suas descendentes, como proveniências e educações tão distintas acabam por não determinar o carácter da personagem.

Esta é uma história fantástica sobre um período terrível. Uma narrativa poderosa que se debate com o preço a pagar pela diferença de tom de pele.

[PopcornReads - MkNoah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review & Giveaway: If you’ve been following our book reviews for very long, you know I love novels based in other cultures that speak to what’s really important in those cultures. What could be more pivotal to the South African culture than apartheid? And South African author Barbara Mutch’s debut novel, The Housemaid’s Daughter, deftly portrays it. At the same time, this is a novel about hope and redemption, about friendship and family – about what really makes a family. It’s historical fiction that’s thought provoking, it’s heartbreaking and it’s heartwarming and I think that makes it perfect for any time of year. I’m paying it forward by hosting a giveaway with the copy I was sent by the publisher, so be sure to enter our giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=6930.

[Vanessa Tekać · Rating 5 out of 5]

Predivna prica o prijateljstvu koje se prenosi s generacije na generaciju, i to u vrijeme kad je takav odnos bio nezamisliv izmedju ljudi razlicite boje koze! Zadnja dva-tri poglavlja sam se sva najezila i uzivala u, iako tuznom, odlicnom kraju price. Za 5 plus! :)

[Lilian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Beautifully written. This book gave me all the feels.

[Jordan Stier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is too little known. Unforgettably beautiful.

[Margarida · Rating 5 out of 5]

De certeza que este livro me contou uma das mais lindas e emocionantes histórias que alguma vez li

[Aoife · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in South Africa, we follow Ada, a Black girl working in a white household and the connection she forms with the family. As Ada grows, she learns love and grief, as well as understanding the tense politics of her country during apartheid and giving birth to a mixed race child.

I enjoyed the start of this book and learning about Ada but couldn’t shake the fact that this is a story of a Black woman being written by a white woman - and with big white saviour energy. The devotion and love Ada feels towards her Madam and other members of the family felt a bit much, especially as Ada starts learning more about what life is like outside of the house she grew up in and very much sheltered her from the type of fractured world existed due to race. There are really sad moments in this where we see Ada struggle and blame herself because of something someone else did to her.

The middle/end of the book meandered and would have benefitted from an extra POV. It felt a bit odd that Dawn's birth and existence was such a big part of Ada's story yet her childhood is glossed over so fast and then suddenly she is gone to Johannesburg. I think it would have been interesting to get a POV from Dawn of how she survived there (even though it's heavily implied). The rise of the violence and tensity of apartheid and the resistance was used as a backdrop to Ada's life and while the author did try and get Ada involved directly, it felt like it didn't really go anywhere and again maybe using Dawn's character more in a POV would have worked to help us understand more from the resistance side as Dawn could have gotten involved in it maybe. Her character felt like a wasted opportunity to add more to the narrative.

Things felt rushed towards the end as well considering the book meandered for so long as well, and I felt a bit sad over the ending.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Съдбата на главната героиня в тази книга - Ада , и начина по който тече повествованието, ми напомня някак на "Където пеят раците" и героинята в нея - Кая ( без да има сходство в тематиката).
Много интересна е историята, изкючително тежък живота описан в нея, но без да те подтиска. Въпреки , че много свободи са извоювани към днешна дата, мисленето на хората не се е променило толкова и темата за расизма е отново на дневен ред, за съжаление.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot and setting were amazing. I loved the premise, and the author can write some beautiful descriptive imagery. However, I just couldn’t connect to Ada, and she never felt like a real person. Everything she went through… her approach to life didn’t seem real after living through trials and trauma. I thought the book would be told more from Cathleen’s point of view; journal entries are not enough. So… good plot, amazing setting & descriptive writing in places… characters fell flat. And the story was so character driven, that the story fell a bit flat.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in South Africa, the story follows Ada, the black housemaid to Catherine, who had moved to South Africa from Ireland to marry Edward. Although a bit slow at times, the characters, story and setting were woven together so well, that I enjoyed it as an emotional family saga.

[Beth Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read, recommended by my librarian 😊