THE WOMAN WHO FORGOT TO CRY by Mihaela CD

Closing Remarks

The Woman Who Forgot How to Cry, written by Mihaela CD, published by Globart Universum, Montreal, Canada, 2023, is a beautiful novel dedicated to her daughter, Larisa.
Once again, the distinguished Canadian writer of Romanian origin, Mihaela CD, offers us a literary delight that completes her creative journey, forming a harmonious artistic corollary.
Today, dear Reader, we will step together into the temple of a woman’s soul, carefully portrayed by the author, placed in surprising life situations, as we accompany her along the obstacle-laden path of destiny.

The book presents a powerful life story, delicately and skillfully rendered in literary terms—through introspection and confessions, dialogues and well-crafted action, stylistic depth and nuance—drawing the reader into the heart of the narrative and allowing them to deeply empathize with the characters.
The seventeen chapters offer an invitation into the existential universes in which the woman struggles—both the external and internal ones—as she seeks happiness along a winding or abrupt path, paved with the lessons that destiny places before her.

We meet Ana from the very first chapter, introduced into the atmosphere of the novel through the description of a provincial train station, where “A fine, steady rain fell upon the pavement, and also in Ana’s soul,” left alone with two children after the death of her husband, Corporal Simion Toader, who died on the front and was buried in a mass grave.

With great artistry, the author builds her character: Ana, orphaned from a young age, raised in a family of eight siblings, a woman whom life taught to face hardship alone. She met Toader at a village dance and married him three months later in a small church. They had two children: five-year-old Lucica and two-year-old Alexandru. In the station, Ana still held on to hope for a miracle. (Chapter 1, Ana)

After receiving the tragic news, she collapses and is hospitalized. There, amidst the hospital atmosphere and under the care of Dr. Gabriela Simionescu, a strange astral communication occurs: It will be all right! Ana dreams of a civil marriage with a man named Ion—someone she doesn’t even know—in the presence of her parents. A glimmer of hope and joy emerges in her dream. (Chapter 2, The Dream)

During her three-week hospital stay, torn between reality and imagination, Ana loses her memory, which suddenly returns: she is 28, from the village of Vaduri, brought to the hospital by two soldiers after fainting at the station, and her children are with her younger sister, Aunt Marioara. (Chapter 3, The Truth) She is taken home by driver Mihai Popa, touched by her broken love story. His final question—Will he ever see her again?—leaves the door open for the story to unfold. (Chapter 4, The Encounter)

Ana remembers her life with Toader, a carpenter by trade, diligent and loving. To support her family, Ana works small jobs in the village, including sewing—her dream is to become a fashion designer. She decides to hold a Christian funeral service for him. Overwhelmed by sadness, she is revived only by her sister Elena’s words reminding her that she is still young, beautiful, and a mother of two. Through her prayers she asks, “Why, Lord?” She is encouraged by her guardian angel and promises herself that she will become strong again—for the children. (Chapter 5, Home)

The engagement party of her cousin Nicolae’s daughter, Ancuța, to George brings Ana back to life. There, she meets Ion. (Chapter 6, The Party) Indeed, nothing is accidental. Strange coincidences keep the reader alert and propel the narrative forward. Responding to a newspaper job ad for a sales position, Ana meets Ion again—the owner of the store and the man from her dream. He is single and wealthy, the cousin of Dr. Simionescu; she is a widow with two children. He confesses his love for her. (Chapter 7, Nothing Is Accidental)

The author shares the joy of their wedding, the happiness of their families and children. They move into Ion’s home in Aluniș, where they experience the emotion of their first dance, his desire to have children with her, and their dreams for the future—including the name of the baby. Ana confesses: “I’m scared of how happy I am.” (Chapter 8, Happiness)

Happiness continues with the birth of their daughter Maria, a blessing for the whole family. Even nature rejoices: “The night stars lit up over Aluniș.” At the hospital, Ana once again lives between dream and reality, receiving strange messages. We witness Maria’s first steps, Ana’s joy at being pregnant again. (Chapter 9, Maria) Later, she gives birth to a baby boy, Ionuț, returning once more to the hospital, a place filled with memories. (Chapter 10, Ionuț)

At a memorial ceremony for the departed, Dr. Simionescu is brought by Mihai Popa, a retired army captain—the same driver who once brought Ana home from the hospital.Then follow more dreams: her parents appear, and another man offers her a bouquet. The dream becomes reality. Ion, seriously injured in a fire, dies and is buried in the Vaduri cemetery near her parents. Once again, her guardian angel reassures her that all will be well, even though he couldn’t change Ion’s fate. (Chapter 11, Tragedy)

Mihai Popa is the one who drives Ana to the cemetery, a man who cares deeply for her and her children. Ana takes design courses at a fashion house, funded by Dr. Simionescu. (Chapter 12, Mihai) She gets hired, and Mihai moves in with her and the children. At 36, she becomes pregnant again. They marry, though her heart still belongs to Ion. She gives birth to Sanda out of love for Ion, and Mihai wishes for all the children to bear his name. The dreams continue—Ana sees her parents accompanied by the three men in her life: Simion, Ion, and Mihai. They announce the birth of a daughter, and in the dream, she gives the child to Ion. (Chapter 13, Fate)

The baby is delivered via C-section with medical complications, after which Ana can no longer bear children—a moment she overcomes with wisdom. Joy returns to their home. (Chapter 14, Sanda)

But another dream foretells danger. Mihai is swept away by the waters of the Someș while saving the children. Ten days of mourning follow. At the funeral, Ana is “frozen in grief.” (Chapter 15, Disaster)

Ostracized by the village and dubbed “the village witch,” as if she were the cause of all these tragedies, Ana remains a woman who sacrificed to survive, who fought for her children, though her past constantly haunts her.She wrestles with herself, trying to make peace between mind and heart, but the angel’s voice continues to guide her. For the first time, she shares her dreams entirely with Dr. Simionescu, her children’s godmother. In her dream, all three men from her life are still alive. (Chapter 16, Gossip)

At 40, Ana sells the house in Aluniș to support her children’s education: Lucica, a medical student; Alexandru, in high school aspiring to study law; and the younger ones to follow. She decides to move to Vaduri, near the cemetery. Her sister is in a car accident. Once again, dreams foreshadow what lies ahead. Her sister dies, and the dream had also warned of a man—the driver—who also dies. Ana had assumed it was Adrian Manea, Dr. Simionescu’s ex-husband, who had donated blood for Elena. (Chapter 17, Adrian)

A month after the funeral, Ana and the children move into Adrian’s house. But sometimes, “Happiness hurts deeply.” Adrian proposes marriage, but Ana refuses—for fear of losing him. “Now, I am the woman who forgot how to cry!…” she says, and continues, “I cannot risk it… I don’t want to lose you…”

A full-circle construction, unfolding as a continuous breath of inspiration, where the reader meditates and lives each moment alongside the characters.

The novel is followed by an extensive literary and artistic CV: poet, editor, literary reviewer, lyricist, cultural promoter, screenwriter and director, traditional and digital visual artist.We are also introduced to the rich literary and cultural-artistic activity of Mihaela CD—Events, Competitions and Partnerships, Editorial Publications and Upcoming Works, Anthologies, Interviews, Literary Magazines, Awards, Critical References, Traditional and Digital Painting, and Art Design.

Diplomas, trophies, distinctions, and awards. A continuous labor, an assumed mission, and an exceptional literary-artistic profile.

The book The Woman Who Forgot to Cry is a novel populated by real, beautifully crafted characters—strong individuals who face life with dignity.

Even though Ana’s inner turmoil is profound—“Why, Lord? Why?” (Chapters 5 and 16), “Why did the guardian angel speak of destiny in her dream? Is it true? Do we all have a prescribed destiny? And if so, what is hers? How could she find out? Whom could she ask?” (Chapter 11)—this turmoil alternates with moments of joy and sorrow. Throughout, she never ceases to pray and communicate with God: “Lord, don’t take him too, please, Lord, please!” “Lord, please, please!” (Chapter 11). In the end, she becomes “like a rock—strong, determined, and full of energy.”

This is a book in which we truly engage in dialogue with the soul and with God, to whom questions are constantly addressed, and from whom answers come—either through beings of light or through people. Only thus do we gain the strength to move forward, according to our own choices, while honoring free will.

The author has the gift of distilling essence, showing us that what matters most is the journey to the top of the mountain—a journey in which God offers Ana children, love, but also many obstacles. A book that invites existential reflection and uplifts us, making us kinder and stronger.

Equally touching is the way people support one another—relatives, godparents, friends—coming together for the rituals that mark the milestones of life: birth, engagement, marriage, death—all deeply experienced by the novel’s characters.

The narrative thread is imbued with miraculous descriptions: “There, in the small shingled-roof cottage in the countryside, in the two little rooms, in the evenings under the flickering light of a kerosene lamp, Ana would tell them stories and read from the timeworn prayer book inherited from her mother” (Chapter 1), alongside reflections and conclusions about life from the characters: “Life spun its thread as it should” (Chapter 1), “Happiness hurts,” or “Now, I am the woman who forgot how to cry!” (Chapter 17).

The novel is structured into 17 chapters, unfolding across multiple layers—family events, dreamlike experiences, communications with astral entities—that shape the protagonist’s identity and evolution. Through these, we delve into Ana’s life—a destiny that marks her deeply—within a narrative that develops in a crescendo, through a flowing lyrical-narrative rhythm that energizes the story, to the point where the reader forgets they are merely reading.

We oscillate between reality and an imaginary universe charged with extrasensory elements, while also exploring the hypersensitive inner world of the main character. This interplay allows the past to alternate with the present, the real with the imagined, the earthly with the celestial.

In essence, the novel is an inner journey, filled with metamorphoses in the way life, events, and lessons are perceived.

At first, when I saw Ana waiting at a train station for those returning from the war, I thought how fitting it was for the author to choose such a moment—especially considering that we live in a time when peace is broken unexpectedly and increasingly often.

I also realized that the writer had shaped her character beforehand—a strong character undergoing continuous growth, confronting life head-on from childhood to maturity.

Indeed, the feminine universe portrayed by the author is unpredictable and fraught with uncertainties, yet it is captured and filtered with subtlety—marked by the ability to decipher the characters’ inner realities and place them in a lucid, ethical, and moral context, within each one’s infinite spectrum of emotion.

Ana becomes a model of feminine dignity—a strong woman who dedicates herself fully to her children and from whom we learn so much. She ascends, step by step, the staircase of the soul, accepting her destiny with maturity, devotion, and responsibility.

What we have before us is a realistic novel in which narrative planes interweave, extend from one another, and communicate just enough to allow the action to evolve. Through carefully crafted storytelling, the novel develops, attenuates, or alternates inner conflicts and life experiences—some repetitive, some oddly synchronous, and some difficult to comprehend.

Life scenes are captured in their essence, in a creation that captivates from beginning to end. It is a novel that offers a model of a courageous woman—fighting for herself, her family, and her children—with a profound inner fire that allows her to overcome life’s adversities. The novel has—and will continue to have—a significant psychological and axiological impact on its readers.

The book is a lesson in life—of dreams, searches, and struggles—conveyed through ideas that flow, move, and reach exactly where they must. A story with unexpected developments and powerful characters marked by life, yet beautifully constructed and presented. The writing is captivating—one that compels the reader not to put the book down.

A moving life story, delicately and artfully rendered—filled with introspection and confession, with meaningful dialogue, well-developed characters, and stylistic richness that places the reader in the heart of the action and invites them to empathize.

It is an imposing narrative construction where psychology intertwines with reality—where one discovers that life’s lessons are learned only through experience.

A book that invites reflection and the exploration of the profound meanings behind the emotions of a strong woman on her surprising journey toward personal happiness.

The subject is timely, approached in a unique manner, with a confessional style that leans into the psychological. It delivers wise life lessons for readers of all ages and succeeds in pulling us out of the chaos of today’s world, sweeping us into the whirlwind of the characters’ inner worlds. This is a literary creation that deserves all our attention and appreciation.

What the author ultimately wishes to convey is that love brings us closer, unites, creates empathy, builds, and offers itself to the point of self-identification. Love generates emotional states that elevate the human spirit. Love is learned through living it. It is the love of self—the core of one’s being, the loop of deep truth that connects us to the Divine within and in others.

The message that emerges from between the lines is: You must fight! This is a book about life as a struggle, about hope and faith in God—our constant companion in dialogue and spirit.

It is said that in youth, at the age of love, writers choose poetry, while in maturity, they turn to the novel. I find that Mihaela CD’s literary maturity expresses itself fully in every literary genre. She is a distinctive voice in contemporary literature, with a unique, authentic, and fully assumed style.

We thank the author for this spiritual journey—this voyage through the human soul—which once again proves that love stands above all and must be given freely.

We eagerly await the next books that are ready to be published, for life wrapped in words flows like a sacred river, from infinity to infinity.

I wholeheartedly recommend: Read this book!

 

AURELIA RÎNJEA
Member of the World Poets Association – Romania
Member of the Union of Romanian Language Writers

 

 

 

Despre autoarea MIHAELA CD: 

Cv literar-artistic Mihaela CD

Profil Gold: Mihaela CD 

Referinte critice: Mihaela CD

Cv literar-artistic : Mihaela CD

Despre cartile autoarei Mihaela CD

Creatii literare: Mihaela CD

Melodii pe  versuri scrise de:  Mihaela CD

Pictura si art design by Mihaela CD

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