Omnibus edition of A Womans Place By Susanne O'Leary
These two novels are based on family letters, postcards and diaries written by my great-aunt Julia and her daughter Sonja.
The first book, A WOMAN'S PLACE, tells the story of Julia, who, in 1899, at the age of twenty, travels on her own to New York in hot pursuit of the man whose child she carries. Living life with passionate intensity, across the social realm, Julia struggles to survive in turbulent times.
Her daughter Sonja, born of that first tempestuous union but brought up in Finland by a stepfather when Julia remarries, has the same spirit and courage as her mother. Her wanderlust takes her to Paris and then on to New York, where, for a short time, she leads a 'Great Gatsby'- life in the aftermath of the Wall street crash.
SONJA'S PLACE is the sequel, written after many readers' requests to continue Sonja's story. In 1932, Sonja has left the Ford family and takes employment in an architect's office in New York City, where she finds both a new career and the love of her life. She settles in Manhattan, where she experiences both unimagined bliss and heart wrenching grief. Her mourning is eased when a child comes into her life in a most unexpected fashion. Soon, Sonja finds that she is one of the first modern women, struggling to balance work, childcare and home life. As if difficult economic times, the threat of war and a marriage rife with conflicts aren't enough, Sonja finds her whole world threatened when the past comes back to haunt her. The backdrop of the Great Depression and its impact on society then, provides an interesting parallel to the present times.
Sonja's subsequent story was so fascinating that I decided to try to find out what happened next. After a long search I unearthed more of the letters and diaries and was able to piece together the rest of the life story of this beautiful, feisty woman. Her later life was just as full of challenges as her youth and during my research, I found myself transported to another era, that of the time before and after the second world war. Sonja's story is both moving and exciting and I hope you will enjoy reading it.
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