“Él entra a la habitación que hemos compartido durante años. Finjo estar dormida pero lo entreveo tropezándose en la oscuridad. Pisa los zapatos, la ropa y los juguetes desparramados en el suelo. Se tropieza y sigue a tientas. Estira los brazos, abriendo y cerrando las manos. Se arroja sobre nuestra cama. Tantea mi cuerpo en la penumbra, a través de las cobijas. Se acurruca como un niño, prendiéndose de mis caderas y hunde la cara entre mis piernas. Y me ruega una y otra vez que no, que no me vaya por favor.”

Destierro by Alina Gadea is a short but very intimate novel about divorce. Gadea takes us through the thoughts of our nameless character, a young woman with two kids, starting from the moment that she decides to divorce the father of her children. The novel has no dialogue, and it is told entirely from this woman’s perspective.
The length of the book does not allow for much back story or plot; however, it is so well written that its 70 or so pages were enough to make me create a bond with this woman. Her feelings are so beautifully and realistically portrayed that I felt her rage towards her husband and disappointment on her “failed” life project. I loved seeing her grow as a character, slowly becoming an independent person and resisting the temptation to go back to her lonely but comfortable previous life.
Through these feelings and thoughts, Gadea shows us the pressure society puts on women as wives and mothers and how difficult it is for a Peruvian woman to take this step, even if it is something that will lead her to happiness. I cannot say much more without spoiling this short story, but I recommend this one sit read.

About Alina Gadea

Alina was born in Lima in 1966. She’s is a lawyer, but afterwards studied Creative Writting in Centro Cultural PUPC. She published her first novel in 2009, and has published 4 more afterwards, all in novella format. She has won several awards for short story and poetry.

Other books written by Peruvian women:

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Peruvian initiatives and projects that support and empower girls and women

Misma Luna

Misma Luna is a charitable organization dedicated to carry out activities and projects for the benefit of children and women, mainly based on education and values. Their mission is to improve and support the community through educational activities and projects. They have several projects to empower women, education and hygene campaigns, and book donations for children.