Today I would like to recommend you the newest book by Magdalena Witkiewicz, the author of, f.e."Milaczek", "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" or "Opowieść niewiernej" / "The story of unfaithful woman. Ladies and Gents, here it is -"Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie" / "Ballad for aunt Matilda" [2013].
This time I want to say a few words about her book "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List" [January 2015]. I'm sure you'll like it. This book you can read only in Poland yet, but who knows, maybe soon you'll be able to read it in any other country and language, and that's why I'm here with my words.
Magdalena Witkiewicz is a Polish writer and graduate of, f.e. the University of Gdańsk. She wrote and published eight books for adults: Milaczek [2008; second edition 2013], Panny Roztropne [2009; second edition 2013], Opowieść niewiernej [2011], Ballada o ciotce Matyldzie [2013], Szkoła żon [2013], "Zamek z piasku" / "Sand castle" [2013], "Szczęście pachnące wanilią" / "Happiness smells like vanilla" [2014], "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List" [2015] and also for children: Lilka i spółka [2013]. Her book "Szkoła żon" / "School of Wives" was published in Vietnam and the title of this book is "TRƯỜNG HỌC CHO CÁC BÀ VỢ" [2014]; also her other book, "Zamek z piasku"/ "Sand castle" will be published in Vietnam soon and the title of this book will be "Lâu đài cát"
You can find more information about writer on her official page or on her official page on FB.
Also you can find more posts about her on my blog here.
About what this book is:
At first I have to say one thing - maybe this book is a bit hard because it's about illness but this kind is really warm, nice and just wonderful.
For sure it's about love. Real love, not only just a feeling to the other person but about living in love, true friendship, plans for the future and dreams. About the fact that everything is possible if you only believe in it.
To be honest when you read this book, you aren't sure who's the main character of the story. We have there Patrycja, the mother of two daughters - Karolina and Majka - who has Acute myeloid leukemia [AML]; Karolina, or better Ina because all people call her like that; Grażyna, who lost her husband and who can help Patrycja and gives her the most amazing thing - life; and of course we've also the story of Karolina, Patrycja's daughter who wants to do everything to help her mother and who, by accident, is finding love...
The book is something like confidences of Ina, Karolina, Grażyna and of course Patrycja who's writing letter to her kids during her fight against illness.
After short prologue we have first chapter and words : "Because you were first on the list". Words said by Karolina to Ina, when the girl found her mother's friend and who had to help her.
Every next page shows us the next secrets, fights, plans... Also we can feel a lot of emotions - from hate to love, from pain to joy. And of course we can be a part not only of that fight but also all adventures and ideas of characters.
will Patrycja get well? And what with Patrycja and Ina's lost friendship, will they be friends again? And what with feeling between Karolina and Filip, guy who she met during travel to Berlin? And Ina and her life - will she finds somebody who she will love? And Piotr, Patrycja's ex-husband - what with him?
Don't worry, I won't tell you anything more, because it's always better to read it than hear from the other person. But I can tell you that in the end all of these women will find their happiness, loves and new lives. You can trust me, you will be surprised.
Why you should read it:
Good question. Maybe because this story is about life, real life, about illness, changes, about looking for happiness and love, about mistakes, sins, forgiving and finally about true love. Because this book is about true friendship. Because this book shows that life isn't always so great as everyone think and that even after hard and bad times, happiness and good moments always come to us. And that we always have to believe in ourself, no matter what.
The best is that this book is also for women and for...men. And no matter what age you have - you can read it because the story in this book is without any borders.
The best is that this book is also for women and for...men. And no matter what age you have - you can read it because the story in this book is without any borders.
Things to look out for:
At first we have to answer a question - what's better: love or friendship? Love come and go, for sure, friendship stays for the whole life. Of course if is true.
But of course emotions are the most important thing. And also relations between people, their problems and... the fact that true friendship, even the lost one, is possible.
Also fact that we always have to fight for life, happiness and love, no matte is it our life or somebody else; that good things always comes to us, and that only true friends can change your life and just be with you no matter what, be your support during bad and good moments. And we just have to believe in good things.
And of course you should feel all these emotions and see all these thoughts and problems of all characters from the book. Especially fight for one person.
Where / when you should read this:
This book has 347 pages and you're reading it really fast so I'm sure that you are able to read it in one evening or if you reading a bit more slowly, during the weekend. Where? Yes, this is always a good question. I think that it would be really good if you had a little peace around yourselves to think about the story, about words inside the book.but you can read it everywhere and anytime, trust me.
Ok, I think I already said enough to show you that this book is really wonderful and I hope that all my words wrote here made that you will want to read it one day. I hope so.
↑ A book cover of "Pierwsza na liście" / "First on the List".