When Your Voice Tales Like Home: Immigrant Women Write

Carol A. Stos is an assistant professor of Spanish Studies at Laurentian
University.

This collection originated in discussions the two editors had about
their own experiences as immigrants to Canada. The contributors are
women who came from many different countries of origin (some very
recently, others more than two decades ago).

As recounted here, their individual stories are unique yet bound by
certain common themes. There is hopefulness, determination, excited and
nervous anticipation, the kindness of strangers, humour, perseverance,
and success. There is also discrimination, racism, disillusionment,
anger and bitterness, the breakdown of marriages and family units, and
grinding despair. As Somaia-Carten points out, these stories are not
“always uplifting reading”; in fact, at times they are painfully
difficult and shocking.

Most of the women tell their stories as straightforward
autobiographical accounts, which is not to suggest that these pieces are
devoid of imagery, lyricism, or other distinctive and effective
stylistic features. Other writers communicate their experiences through
poetry or short stories.

This intense and profoundly moving book offers other immigrant women
the comfort of shared experiences. At the same time, it challenges any
complacent attitudes we might have about the seamlessness of our
multicultural Canadian mosaic.