An affecting first-person story about a homeless woman. After having all her worldly belongings stolen one night, Patsy/Lillian/Winnie reconstructs her life story, which turns out to have a number of tragic surprises. I found the narration uneven and at times implausibly literate for a woman of Winnie's abilities and background. But despite its flaws, this novel scores points for giving us a perspective we don't often see and for bravely avoiding romanticizing or idealizing its protagonist. ( )

We've all seen them - those folks who wander seemingly aimlessly with their shopping carts and black garbage bags of "treasurers". With the wizardry of fiction, Trezza Azzopardi takes us into the mind of one such person and shows us every little thing has a meaning and has a place.

Follow along as Winnie, who has lost all of her worldly possessions (which were contained in one, small suitcase) tracks down the thief, and thus the stolen items. Relive with her memories long buried and feel the heartbreak as she relearns and recounts why each "useless" item is precious in her eyes.

A novel not to be missed. ( )

This is a haunting story of a woman's life. We first meet Winnie when she is in her 70s, homeless and the victim of a robbery. As she tells her life story, we learn she suffers from mild retardation and a tendency to see spirits -- making her an unreliable, but unforgettable, narrator of her life's story.

I loved this book, and its examination of vulnerable people in our society. ( )

After reading The Hiding Place I thought this book would be great, however, I can't seem to get into it. I might try again later but for now it isn't grabbing me like I thought it would. ( )

I liked "The Hiding Place" a lot, but nothing prepared me for this quietly devasting book, possibly one of the saddest things I've ever read.

Winnie's world was always small, but as each of the few people she relies on slip through her fingers, and as each tiny act of thoughtless cruelty shakes her fragile mental health, she grows more and more alone, until the world abandons her altogether and she has to make a reality from the ghosts in her head.

I found this book heartbreaking and it took me weeks to stop thinking about it. ( )