Official Review: Gerlinda by Emily-Jane Hills Orford

[Wasif Ahmed]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Gerlinda" by Emily-Jane Hills Orford.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Gerlinda by Emily- Jane Hills Orford highlights the brutality faced by Gerlinda, the central character of this novel. Written in second person, this story is set in the 1960s when the problems faced by Gerlinda were common amongst people like her but were not spoken of.

The main problem with Gerlinda’s life is that her father was an ex- nazi soldier due to which she wasn’t accepted in society. Due to this, she was always the odd on out in school. She was the centre of taunts by her classmates who called her by many names such as- ‘cooties’. Other than this, her father was an alcoholic who didn’t support his family in any way. Many a times, Gerlinda and her two siblings were often forced to skip a meal or two as there was no food in the house. Due to the crippled condition of her family, Gerlinda was also forced to wear smelly and old clothes. If she wore any other cloth which was gifted to her by some random person out of pity, her father would beat her up while saying that they didn’t take donations. Her father also badly thrashed his own children for the slightest of things. Gerlinda’s body was covered with bruises and scars by the brutal beating of her own father. Gerlinda’s mother did bring home a small amount of money by an occupation we don’t know about but we do have a suspicion about what she really did. The money that she brought home was usually used up by her husband on alcohol.

From the beginning of the book itself, we get the impression of Gerlinda being a strong girl. She always found a way to overcome the problems with her life. The taunts that were shouted on her in school were easily ignored as if someone was praising her. She stole food if she felt too hungry, not only for herself, but also for her two siblings as well. She did feel guilty while stealing but her own condition and that of her siblings left her with no choice. Gerlinda’s personality was something that one can rarely find in society today- she accepted the life given to her and instead of weeping, faced the problems of life.

There are only two other characters worth mentioning in this review. The rest just have minor roles. These are- Dennis and Mrs. Martinez. Dennis was like the school queen. She was blonde and pretty and was the kind of girl every guy wanted to impress. Dennis even flirted with the teachers. She and Gerlinda never got along and Dennis seemed like the only person which Gerlinda couldn’t tolerate. Watching these two quarrel and fight made the book even more exciting. Mrs. Martinez, on the other hand, whom we discovered a bit later in the book, was like Gerlinda’s guardian angel. Gerlinda’s life started to get better only after she met Mrs. Martinez. Witnessing the events which led to Gerlinda from being just a strong girl at the beginning of the book to a stronger, wise, brave and mature girl at the ending was really exciting.

There are many ways in which one can classify novels. One of them is by the effect they have on you in the ending. There are some books where after finishing them, the reader starts thinking what will happen to the character now and what would have happened if the character had done this instead of that, while there are others which deliver a moral to the reader. Gerlinda is a perfect blend of both. Throughout the course of this book, the reader experiences various emotions. There are times when one feels really frustrated, sometimes a little teary eyed and sometimes one may even find themselves smiling. This mixture of emotions also plays a pivotal role in making this book really enjoyable.

Therefore, I rate the Finalist in the 2016 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest, 4 out of 4 stars. There is absolutely no other rating that I can bestow upon this fantastic novel. The book was professionally edited without any grammar mistakes. It can be read by people of all ages, whether you are a teenager or a retired person. Personally, I think this book will seem more appealing to young adults. The mixture of emotions that one feels throughout the novel also supports the perfect rating. This book can be completed in one sitting if you are that sort of person who can read for three hours straight. Honestly speaking, my expectations weren’t really high when I first selected this book to review. But now, I will be looking around for any books of the same author. Overall, if my review generated even a slight interest towards this novel, then you should go ahead and purchase it. I guarantee you, you won’t be disappointed.

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Gerlinda
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Like Wasif Ahmed's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Zohaib Ahmed]

Great Review!! This book doesn't sound like my cup of tea though

[Wasif Ahmed]

Great Review!! This book doesn't sound like my cup of tea though

Thanks!

[bookowlie]

Nice, insightful review! It sounds like the author has created a wonderful main character who has had to overcome many hardships. It's a great endorsement that the book was much better than you anticipated. Congrats to the author for being a finalist for a book award.

[Wasif Ahmed]

Nice, insightful review! It sounds like the author has created a wonderful main character who has had to overcome many hardships. It's a great endorsement that the book was much better than you anticipated. Congrats to the author for being a finalist for a book award.

Thanks for your sweet comments bookowlie. ?

[Heidi M Simone]

Very nice and thorough review! I love when books make you want more. Gerlinda seems like such a strong and likable character, and I'm glad you enjoyed the read! Congratulations to the author for receiving such a positive review!

[Wasif Ahmed]

Very nice and thorough review! I love when books make you want more. Gerlinda seems like such a strong and likable character, and I'm glad you enjoyed the read! Congratulations to the author for receiving such a positive review!

Thanks a lot @hsimone. ?

[LivreAmour217]

Very nice review! This book sounds interesting, but also kind of sad. Although Gerlinda is a strong girl, I can't help but feel sorry for her based on what you've written. Still, I might give this one a chance!

[Wasif Ahmed]

Very nice review! This book sounds interesting, but also kind of sad. Although Gerlinda is a strong girl, I can't help but feel sorry for her based on what you've written. Still, I might give this one a chance!

Thanks LivreAmour217!!

[LivreAmour217]

Very nice review! This book sounds interesting, but also kind of sad. Although Gerlinda is a strong girl, I can't help but feel sorry for her based on what you've written. Still, I might give this one a chance!

Thanks LivreAmour217!!

You are welcome!

[Wasif Ahmed]

Very nice review! This book sounds interesting, but also kind of sad. Although Gerlinda is a strong girl, I can't help but feel sorry for her based on what you've written. Still, I might give this one a chance!

Thanks LivreAmour217!!

You are welcome!

[Amheiser]

Thank you for the very thorough review. This book sounds like one that I would find interesting. I like the fact that the main character can find a positive adult role model so she is able to overcome the problems she faces. This makes it so that the story has a positive message for young people. It sounds like the author did a good job telling the story so that it draws out the readers' emotions and makes them want to read more. Congratulations to the author, Emily-Jane Hills Orford, for writing a book that sends a positive message for young people; that no matter how bad your life seems, there is hope.

[gali]

Great review! I am not sure the book is for me, even though I like books that inspire various emotions. I am glad that you enjoyed the book. Congratulations to the author for being a finalist for a book award and good luck!

[Wasif Ahmed]

Thank you for the very thorough review. This book sounds like one that I would find interesting. I like the fact that the main character can find a positive adult role model so she is able to overcome the problems she faces. This makes it so that the story has a positive message for young people. It sounds like the author did a good job telling the story so that it draws out the readers' emotions and makes them want to read more. Congratulations to the author, Emily-Jane Hills Orford, for writing a book that sends a positive message for young people; that no matter how bad your life seems, there is hope.

Thanks for your comments @Amheiser. ?

-- 12 Feb 2017, 15:29 --

Great review! I am not sure the book is for me, even though I like books that inspire various emotions. I am glad that you enjoyed the book. Congratulations to the author for being a finalist for a book award and good luck!

Thank you @gali! ?

[Joy Boudreau]

Nice review =) One would have to be very strong indeed to survive such times!