My Rating - 3 out of 5 stars
Publisher - Self-PublishedGenre - Memoir
Publishing year - 2021
Language - English
ISBN - 979-8773218036
Pages - 326
Book Review -
Born in Yugoslavia, Iris Novak (pen name) wrote this memoir to showcase her journey and the struggles she faced. She was born into a low-income family and downgraded by her parents and friends, stating that she was not intelligent or beautiful, and it did a number on her self-esteem.
But with her determination and willpower to prove them wrong, she initiated a path to success. Iris completed all her academic degrees with excellent marks and never stopped learning. However, she was a bright girl who needed more support and understanding.
Her father was not ideal; her grandmother and mother had a unique way of showing care and love. May God bless their souls. However, her grandfather was the only one who showed confidence in her, and they shared a passion for reading.
Iris fell in love with Tone, got married, and had three beautiful children, but there were many red flags that she ignored before the marriage, and after a few months into the wedding, she felt like she had made a mistake. Although she didn't say this in the book precisely, one can sense it. Tone's endless nagging and demotivating remarks made their relationship strained.
She did various jobs and met new people between all these issues. Some she likes and some not. It's difficult for women to study, do a job, take care of children, and do household works all at the same time without any help from their husband, but Iris did it all. She was a one-person army.
Finally, after years of various jobs, she started her own business, and I'm highly impressed by her journey. But as a reader, An Independent Woman in Yugoslavia requires a little bit of editing, the narration is smooth and fast-paced, but many things can be narrowed down.
The memoir is written from Iris's POV, so it is one-dimensional, and I do feel the need to read more about her personal relationships. Something was missing, but maybe that's the pinpoint of the author's writing to shed more light on her professional aspects. Anyways, it is always lovely to read about a woman's journey who beats all the odds and thrives. I recommend it.
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