The Making of Her

The Making of Her is a page-turning mother-daughter love story, spanning the 1960s to 1990s, charting one woman's journey to escape the legacy of the society that shaped her.

'An absorbing, brilliantly paced book; I didn't want it to end.' Roddy Doyle

People were forever telling her how lucky she was. But what did people know?'

Dublin 1966. When Joan Quinn, a factory girl from the Cranmore Estate, marries Martin Egan, it looks like her dreams have come true. But all is not as it seems.

Joan lives in the shadow of a secret – the couple's decision to give up their first daughter for adoption only months before.

For the next three decades, Joan's marriage and her relationship with her second child Carmel suffer as a consequence.

Then one day in 1996, a letter arrives from their eldest daughter. Emma needs her birth parents' help; it's a matter of life and death. And the fragile facade of Joan's life finally begins to crack.

'The Making of Her sucked me in from the very first page, and didn't let up until I'd turned the last. Heart-warming and heart-breaking, it is an exquisite examination of the secrets that haunt us. I cried several times. A stunning debut.' Sally Hepworth

'Bernadette Jiwa writes with compassion and grace about what it means to be a mother, a daughter and a sister.' Pip Williams

'A beautifully crafted, thought-provoking novel that ultimately celebrates the strength of women. A true pleasure to read.' Ashley Audrain

Bernadette Jiwa was born into a house with no books and a home full of stories, in Dublin, Ireland. She migrated to the UK in the 1980s, raised three sons with her husband, and now lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is the creator and leader of The Story Skills Workshop " a program that has taught thousands of people to harness the power of their everyday stories. The Making of Her is her first novel.

The Making of Her

Author: Bernadeet Jiwa

Penguin Books

RRP: $32.99

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Interview with Bernadette Jiwa

What originally inspired the idea of The Making of Her?

Bernadette Jiwa: THE MAKING OF HER is inspired by a true story that I wanted to rewrite long before becoming a writer. A dear friend of mine was given up for adoption in England by her unmarried Irish mother in the 1960s. Her parents returned to Ireland, got married and had more children. My friend reunited with her parents in the 1990s, but her siblings still don't know she exists to this day. Like many families of that generation, they were torn apart by a legacy of shame and secrecy.

I also wanted to preserve something of my Irish grandmothers' stories lest we forget the plight of women of their generation. Without access to contraception, both grandmothers gave birth to eleven children. They had too many mouths to feed, and there was never enough of anything to go around. Their bodies, their hearts and their souls took a hammering. Like my grandmother, Ellen, who died in childbirth aged just thirty-eight, some women paid the price with their lives. Her story and stories like it are not something that happened in the dark ages or isolation. And we still live in their shadow.

How much of your inspiration comes from real life and real people?

Bernadette Jiwa:  When I was writing THE MAKING OF HER, I drew on my memories of the Dublin where I was raised and the family stories my parents told me growing up. 

Bernadette Jiwa: Most of my research related to the two time periods in which the novel is set. It was important to understand the cultural backdrop of the story. Women had little or no reproductive freedom in 1960s Ireland without access to contraception. In the 90s, the women of Ireland began to find their voices. Mary Robinson, our first female President, was inaugurated in December 1990. The country voted to legalise divorce in 1995, and the last Magdalene laundry closed in 1996. I wanted to be sure the details in the book accurately reflected what life was like for women then.

What did you learn, about yourself whilst writing The Making of Her?

Bernadette Jiwa:  I was heading into my mid-fifties when I began writing this novel, so I was reminded that it's never too late to change course or put your heart into something new. And I've been very fortunate to work with a community of extraordinary women, from my agent, editors and narrator to design and marketing teams to bring the novel to the world. Writing may be a solitary pursuit, but it takes enormous acts of faith and love on the part of others to bring the work to the world. So gratitude has become part of my process.

There are several issues raised in this book; Adoption & Reconciliation at the heart of it, how important is it to understand all perspectives?

Bernadette Jiwa:  If we're to avoid judgement and blame in any situation, it's always important to hear all sides of the story.

What's the main message you hope readers take from The Making of Her?

Bernadette Jiwa:  While I was writing, I could reflect on the sacrifices of the generations of women who came before us. Telling this story has made me acutely aware of the freedoms we have today. But progress is not always linear, and history can repeat itself if we let it.  

What advice do you have for aspiring writers or artists?

Bernadette Jiwa:  I didn't begin writing until I was in my mid-forties, and I'm publishing my debut novel in my mid-fifties, so I'd encourage any creative to remember that it's never too late to begin. 

What or who inspired your love of reading/writing?

Bernadette Jiwa:  I was born into a working-class Dublin family and a house without books. When I was ten, uncle Larry brought me to the local library, and I got my first library card. If it wasn't for him and my local library, I might never have discovered the joy of reading. Stories like The Secret Garden and Little House in the Big Woods gave me a window into other worlds and a hankering to explore faraway places one day. 

What's next for you?

Bernadette Jiwa: I want to continue shining a light on women's stories and writing more novels.