It’s Not About That Imelda
/Book Review
Imelda’s Secret by Liza Gino
Gino’s historical fiction unravels the pain, anguish, and torment all “comfort women” underwent-- torture and savagery by Japanese soldiers as they seized and annexed their Asian neighbors. Their leaders systematically condoned the ravaging of women and children as young as eight to feed the sexual appetite of its soldiers. Knowingly or unknowingly, as her narrative progresses, Gino touches on the plight of all women as they try to rise above the prevalent perception of women as inferior to men in physical and mental capacity.
As a single parent, with young children to raise, Gino knows the challenges of a woman fighting for survival, which she is able portray through her heroines. Her leading characters, Gloria and Imelda, journey an uncommon path from provincial bliss to young love, honor, betrayal, war, subjugation, and finally redemption. The twist and turns in this novel plus vivid descriptions of the gore and inhumanity of war make it an exceptional read.
“The twist and turns in this novel plus vivid descriptions of the gore and inhumanity of war make it an exceptional read. ”
Through Imelda’s Secret, Gino hopes that “comfort women” of WWII will not be forgotten, that they be recognized, honored, and not shamed. She believes that the Japanese government should compensate them for their imprisonment, sexual slavery, and trauma going back 79 years. Moreover, she challenges women to break free from the mental bondage of presumed inferiority to men, gather their collective voices, and be catalysts for undoing the devaluation of women.
Gino also presents sources of support for women, from Jeannie Celestial, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist at Kaiser Permanente to Miho Kim, Co-founder of “Comfort Women” Justice Coalition, and Judith Mirkinson, the coalition’s president.
Esther Misa Chavez
Esther Misa Chavez is Chair of the Plaridel Awards of the Philippine American Press Club USA, and Publisher, Easterworks Media. Until recently she was Vice President for Sales and Marketing of INQUIRER.net U.S.A., the online version of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
