Never Look Back (Lesley Pearse)

EN This book is a roller coaster of emotions. I remember going through all the feelings and some more, while following the whole story that the author decided to tell us. It was the first book I read in which I followed the main character from her childhood to the end of her days. And, personally, I think it is beautiful to know all the parts of a person, all her deeds and all the events of her life from the beginning to the end of her days.

What impressed me the most in this book were the details. We can feel as if we are in the middle of the action of the stories, soaked in the emotions of the characters, in their fears, in their sorrows and even in their joys as well. Matilda Jennings is the main character of this book. An English woman of incomparable strength, who from a very young age tried to fight for her rights and the rights of others. This woman did a little of everything such as helping slaves, orphaned children and women that worked at brothels to get better horizons for their lives. The truth is that she learned from an early age to have that kind of spirit, since she began to work very early to help support her family. At that time, the role of the woman was to take care of the house, the family and the children. But Matilda longed for her independence and appreciation. And in that fight, she went through several negative phases that made her task very difficult, but she never gave up, even with all these adversities. And trust me, Matilda lost a lot. But the desire to make a difference in people's lives was enormous and it always motivated Matilda to continue.

One of the phrases that struck me the most in the book was when her father told her to “Never look back”. And so, she did. She kept going. Trying to be a milestone of difference in others people’s lives. However, I found myself questioning her attitudes a few times. Because although she had often been deceived and betrayed, I feel that she did not always prioritized those of her blood and family. By this I mean that they also deserved her attention in a profound way, and not only the others she was "adopting" throughout her life. Still, I can't question her or the woman of strength that she is. Not all of us would have the ability to carry life forward as she did.

I highly recommend this book. It's an enormous book of eight-hundred-page, but it didn't frighten me. However, I understand that this is not the case for everyone. It is a heavy book, and not only in the figurative sense. Some passages of this story require a lot of stomach. But, for me, it made perfect sense. Life is not a bed of roses, and sometimes we need to be reminded of that. And if we can make a difference in the lives of others, the better!

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