Full disclosure: I was given a free advance reader copy of this book by Author Marketing Experts in exchange for an honest review.
When I search for books online or at a store, certain words will pop out. These include “girl,” “woman,” “wife,” and “daughter.” This is especially true with the last word as I have seen that in several novels, usually in the The ___’s Daughter format. This was big back in the 2000s and 2010s, but the trend has died down since then. But, books like today’s subject The Cheesemaker’s Daughter by Kristin Vukovic prove that it hasn’t gone away entirely. The novel earns that title for its exploration of the main character and identity along with having a wonderful setting.
The Cheesemaker’s Daughter is about a woman who tries to save her family’s cheese factory in Croatia. As her marriage unravels, New Yorker Marina Maržić returns to Pag Island to help her father with his struggling cheese factory, Sirana. She is forced to confront her Croatian-American identity and her past as a refugee from the former Yugoslavia while she lives with her parents and starts a new life working at the factory. While she gradually settles into the place that she once called home, her life becomes inextricably intertwined with the island’s cheese. On top of that, when her past with the son of a rival cheesemaker comes back to haunt her on the divided island, she must find a way to save Sirana and learn to belong on her own terms.
First, let’s get this out of the way: I like cheese just fine. I like it on burgers, hot dogs, pasta, salads, crackers, and pizza. I won’t eat it by itself. In other words, it needs to be on something if I’m going to eat it. However, Vukovic does such a great job describing the various cheeses, especially the taste, made throughout the novel that it makes me want to take a bite out of them. It’s also clear that she loves the process of making cheese as there are plenty of descriptions of how Sirana puts them together. Normally, I would put my recommendation towards the end, but I have to say that for the descriptions alone, cheese lovers will enjoy this, both for the food and how it’s created.
The setting and how Vukovic paints it is exquisite. Much of the story is set on Pag Island, which is a part of Croatia. Vukovic portrays it as a rugged, but beautiful place filled with tradition. Readers also get to learn about its history being influenced by regions like Venice and Yugoslavia as well as the impact that the Bosnian War (1992-1995) had. For those who don’t know, the Bosnian War took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was a key factor in the collapse of Yugoslavia. Even Operation Storm – the last major battle for Croatian Independence and major outcome of the war in general – has a pivotal role in the book. On top of that, the book takes place in 2012-2013 when Croatia was about to enter the European Union. The author does a great job with depicting Pag Island realistically but not forgetting what makes it special, especially its cheese. This is important, for why would Marina return to it if she didn’t think of Pag Island in those ways?
In addition, Pag Island is a great location to reflect on identity. As mentioned earlier, the island was influenced by a bunch of cultures and world events. Marina, too, is a product of similar circumstances. Even though she grew up on Pag Island, her father sent her to live in New York City as a Croatian refugee during the Bosnian War when she was a teenager. As a result, she has many conflicting identities, both as a Croatian and as an American since she has survivor’s guilt for escaping the war when there were people, especially ones she knew, who didn’t. Moreover, she also reconciles her role as a wife, sister, and daughter, while she forges her own.
Finally, Marina is a wonderful character. The Cheesemaker’s Daughter wouldn’t work without such a multi-faceted person like her. When readers meet her, she has left her marriage in the United States to spend time in her homeland of Croatia, but her problems don’t go away. When she was a teenager, she had a romance with a guy from a rival cheesemaker family on the island, yet she may or may not still have feelings for him. Additionally, she has a lot of trauma, not only with the national one as a result of the Bosnian War, but also she experienced a miscarriage. She goes through depression, but she finds purpose in working at Sirana. Mirana is a strong-willed individual, yet she’s vulnerable. Her relationship with her equally strong-minded father Nikola is also interesting. A lot of Marina’s trauma was the result of the decisions that he made from sending her to New York City to the origins of the feud with the rival cheesemaker. I was wholly invested in her journey to find where she truly belongs and to transform into the cheesemaker.
If I had one complaint about this book, it would be that it has too many conflicts happen right after another. Let me elaborate. There’s always something that occurs without much breathing space, especially in the second half. Granted, the novel spends some time divulging into how Marina feels about all of these developments, so it’s not like they don’t get brought up again. It simply felt a bit too melodramatic.
The Cheesemaker’s Daughter by Kristin Vukovic is a good story about one woman’s journey for a sense of belonging. Pag Island was a wonderful location that reflects the conflicts the main character goes through. I enjoyed how the novel explores identity, and a lot of the book wouldn’t work without such a character like Marina. Also, it’s got plenty of descriptions of cheese and a loving portrayal of the process. Along with cheese lovers, I would recommend this book to readers who love stories that take place in Croatia and in other countries that were formerly part of Yugoslavia; tackle identity, national and generational trauma; and the sense of belonging. It’s been awhile since The ___’s Daughter became a trend, but this one rightfully earns it because it proves that Marina is more than just the cheesemaker’s daughter. The Cheesemaker’s Daughter is out tomorrow, August 6, so go grab it wherever you get your books.
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Book Reviews by a Chick Who Reads Everything 