by Veronica Esagui, DC
Papyrus Press, LLC, $18.00, 450 pages
Veronica’s Diary is a story that is told in journal design and begins with the author’s earliest memories from toddlerhood through young adulthood. Veronica is a young girl who grows up in Lisbon, Portugal with very strict parents who send both spoken and unspoken messages that children should be seen and not heard. Being a sibling of a younger brother, Veronica learns that girls have different sets of rules than boys, thus growing up curbing and holding in her natural curiosity. She learns to do as she is told and not ask questions. The author follows the strict rules of her parents even allowing them to set up a prearranged marriage to her first cousin who lives in America and for whom she has never met.
Author, Veronica Esagui’s use of her personal memoirs for the format of this book leads to an easy, fast paced read. Through this format, the reader also gains great insight of what the author is seeing and feeling. It paints a very real, clear picture of a different place and time; Lisbon, Portugal-1940 and her personal experiences. This reader cannot wait for Veronica’s Diary II to learn how the author transitioned from a sheltered young girl to a married woman.
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