Une fille de…
(Daughter of a...) Book not yet available in English
Summary:
Hanna has always been aware of the scornful way other adults look at her mother. She also sees the men coming and going from her mother’s bedroom at the end of the corridor. Her mother is a Ukrainian sex worker, abducted in her homeland, sold, drugged, beaten, and exploited. When a client leaves her pregnant, she keeps her baby, runs away and strikes out on her own in a small town far away. As Hanna grows up, she makes her peace with her mother’s work but cannot deal with being a prostitute’s daughter. She loses all sense of self-dignity and cannot form normal friendships with youngsters of her own age. She spends most of her time running to empty her mind of thoughts. But when she falls in love with Nolan, she feels the need to be honest and share her story with him.
Edited by: Université Sorbonne Paris Nord
Comment:
Jo Witek’s novel was awarded a prize for best YA novel by German high schoolers. It takes a blunt look at what drives women into sex work and the way society treats them. The powerful topic is well served by a clever construction alternating scenes from Hanna’s past and her present, when she is out running. The novel loops back to its starting point when Hanna finally dares share her family story with the boy she loves.