Review by jenjayfromSA -- Life Before by K.L. Romo

jenjayfromSA · Post by **jenjayfromSA** » 23 Aug 2017, 05:57

[Following is a volunteer review of "Life Before" by K.L. Romo.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Prostitution is a tough subject to tackle, but in Life Before author K. L. Romo does it with compassion and a clear, uncompromising stance.

Her novel takes an unusual slant which adds to the tension of the book. When housewife Elaine Dearborn in 2011 finds herself immersed in the memories and life of Eliza Darling in 1907, she thinks she’s going mad. Could it be possible she did live as Eliza in her “life before”?

Most of the story is Eliza’s, the circumstances that forced her into prostitution, her degradation and shame, addiction to opium and scramble back to “respectability” as a seamstress. It is also the story of Mamie and Rosa who had similar, and worse, experiences and the campaign to close the “cribs” where young girls were imprisoned and used by 20 to 30 men a day.

Although Romo does not go into any overly descriptive details – her narrators tend to cringe away, thankfully – there is plenty of explicit sex and violence. If this would bother you, stay away from this novel.

I personally commend her courage in raising the curtain and telling stories that were ignored at the time. It seems Dallas, Texas, in 1907 was self-righteous and hypocritical – and not alone in that either. Setting it so far back gives this a certain distance which Romo obviously tries to refute by having her 2011 narrator at least pass prostitutes propping up the walls.

What comes across strongly are the conditions that forced young girls to become “working women”. When the alternative is starving or working 14 hours a day in a cotton mill for a pittance, a well-paid life of comparative ease is enticing, especially if you regard it as work, nothing more, but clients can be dangerous, as Romo shows. Some girls, of course, have no choice.

What I find horrific is that I know this kind of exploitation, abuse, greed and hypocrisy is not confined to 1907. I was also taken aback by the degree of racism that is so matter-of-factly revealed.

Moving between narrators in different times is a refreshingly different angle and gives Eliza’s story a gritty reality. It is, after all, her story. Modern-day Elaine and the “rebirth” idea are not really explored but do add an extra dimension.

I found the writing a little too sugary for my taste, but that is personal. The e-book is well-formatted with minimum errors. I recommend this novel to those who appreciate a well-researched tale of the past and the stomach to handle descriptions of the harsher side of life, which are unfortunately far from past. It is a courageous and thought-provoking story. I give this 4 out of 4 stars.

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Life Before
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Post by **kandscreeley** » 24 Aug 2017, 19:05

I really am going to have to start this one. I think it sounds like it has a great message. Thanks for a nice review.

jenjayfromSA · Post by **jenjayfromSA** » 25 Aug 2017, 02:57

It surely does. Horrific, but true, especially when our police here in Johannesburg raided a similar "crib" only the other day, freeing more than 30 girls. Human trafficking is very real.