The Little Breadwinner by Lucia Mann is about the Civil War that destroyed and raged in El Salvador. Thousands lost their lives, and those left behind were terrified, lost, alone, and wondering what future they would have after such horrors and tragedy. Going beyond telling us about the war, the author lets us go more in-depth and get a more personal account. In doing so, we feel a personal connection to the characters that make this a story that needs to be told. One woman, in particular, is Estella. She suffered and was brutally traumatized by soldiers. Throughout the story, you find yourself wondering, will she too be lost before the war ends?

The war was brutal, and I wanted to weep throughout this story. I feel that this is the reaction that everyone will have reading this heart-wrenching book. It’s a good thing for people to read because many people don’t know their history or any other history, and we don’t learn or evolve by staying ignorant. Don’t think that this is a book for you to enjoy (at least not that way). This book is meant to teach you something and draw attention to how awful things happen to good and innocent people in war. You can feel the author’s emotions, and the writing was done so well that you won’t have any difficulties understanding the message she wanted you to see.

I felt like I was inside the story because of how well the author wrote it. I also felt like my heart was breaking as I continued reading because I imagined the war and the people’s suffering. As a sensitive person, I did have to stop a few times, but that was only because I felt so sad that this was based on real events. The author is someone I will read again because of her powerful descriptions and writing ability—notably, the ability to connect you to characters like Estella. I also appreciated that there were facts because I wanted to be as informed as possible and felt that that was something the author had done successfully.

Pages: 272 | ASIN: B08JMCZ7VR