Title: La Aguita: The Little Water
Author: Jenny Kingham
Publisher: XlibrisAU
ISBN: 978-1-5434-0468-5
Pages: 200
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent
Pacific Book Review
La Aguita is an intriguing novel about the tumultuous time of Chile in the 1980’s. Author Jenny Kingham has written a novel that gives readers a fascinating look through history. La Aguita tells the story of Laura, an Australian Methodist missionary, who helps Chilean families rebuild their agricultural crops and cattle in the town of La Aguita ( Little Water). She’s staying with a mother and son, Elena and Marcelo, and becomes close to them. However, their time together is disrupted by the reign of the Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet. Laura is soon caught in the middle of Chile’s turmoil when Marcelo becomes a protestor against Pinochet’s brutal regime and puts their lives in danger.
La Aguita has compelling and multifaceted characters. Laura is a sympathetic protagonist who empathizes with the Chilean people and is not just a distant visitor to the country. She is a stranger in the country of Chile and not used to the customs, but grows close to Elena and Marcelo despite the differences in their cultures. Laura does not act as though she’s better than Elena and Marcelo, and becomes a vital part of their lives. Elena is torn between duty to her country and hope for a better life for her son. She has devout faith, but also harbors a secret about Marcelo’s father. Marcelo wants to overthrow Pinochet and protest for democracy, but is going to extreme measures to try to change Chile’s fate.
Kingham’s writing is straightforward and emotional. She writes about complicated topics such as Latin American politics in a relatable way by making the topic personal to the characters in the novel. La Aguita also has realistic dialogue with Spanish and English often mixed together to reflect the mixture of South and North American cultures in Chile. The descriptions of the Chilean countryside are so vivid, readers will easily imagine themselves in the South American country.
La Aguita would be best for readers who want to read historical fiction about Latin America. This book would be ideal for fans of Latin American authors like Julia Alvarez and novels like in The Time of Butterflies. The novel could be used in classes that are teaching about Chile or about the Pinochet regime. Kingham’s book is educational and inspirational. La Aguita shows that love and faith can overcome hate. La Aguita: The Little Water is a novel that will take readers on an unforgettable journey.
