Set in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the narrative follows Cara Romero, a woman in her sixties who loses her factory job of twenty-five years. Facing eviction from her Washington Heights apartment, she enters a senior workforce program. The story unfolds through twelve sessions with a career counselor, structured as official intake forms and transcripts. Cara discusses her strained relationship with her estranged son, Fernando, her reliance on her best friend Lulu, and her struggles to navigate digital job applications as an aging immigrant.
This book serves readers interested in realistic portraits of urban gentrification and the immigrant experience in New York City. It appeals to those who appreciate character studies told through unconventional structural devices like bureaucratic documents. Readers walk away with a specific understanding of how labor market shifts and displacement affect elderly workers. The text provides a clear look at the complexities of family debt, apartment succession rights, and the perseverance required to maintain a sense of worth when social safety nets fail.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2022
- Language
- EN
