The Caregiver - Book Review

Sometimes we never really know the full story of the people around us. To some, Mara is a young illegal immigrant and that's that. But how did Mara go from Brazil to Los Angeles and become a caregiver for a woman with stomach cancer? The story of Samuel Park's The Caregiver, told in alternating parts between Mara's present and past, gives a glimpse into the life of one immigrant and what many immigrants are experiencing even to this day.

I must admit, this book was not at all like what I thought it was going to be. I expected it to be more of a story between Mara and the woman with stomach cancer, but that was only one small part of the overall story. Instead, the story focuses more on Mara and her relationship with her mom, but that leaves room for all kinds of discussion about how that relationship shaped Mara and her relationship with her patient.

What makes the story even more interesting is that the author himself had stomach cancer and died right after this book was written. He was also born in Brazil and lived in Los Angeles, so you can bet that he drew from his own family's experience to help shape Mara's life.

This was recommended to me as a book club read, and I would definitely agree. I wish I had someone to discuss this book with!

The Caregiver is published by Simon & Schuster and is available on bookstore shelves now. I received a free advance review copy at Book Expo.