The Parallel life novel is a dramatic insight into the life of Laura Cutina, an Olympic champion at the Los Angeles 1984 games. The story takes place in an atrocious communist era, where Ceausescu and his dictatorship have a strong lead on Romania and where sportsmen and women have very little support and are marginalized.
Along with her teammates, Laura suffers through everything, from fierce hunger, sometimes leading to fights.
The novel is a mix between agony and ecstasy; as both of Lauras parents die of cancer, and her only sister, in a car accident at the fragile age of 9. She then goes on, with profound scars, with only her love of sport keeping her going.
Subsequently, as young as 15, she falls in love with the gymnast Cosmin Daniel Licaciu who was a year older than her. They actually meet while Laura was just 6, in the gymnastics arena, in Bucharest. After 3 years of profound love, their relationship ends. They meet at a championship in Germany, where their romance is restored.
Laura was coached by the great Nadia Comaneci, who she adored. For her, Nadia was unique, special and magnificent.
Laura participates at many championships, but severely injures herself many times. At 16, she participates at the American Cup, but is defeated by the American Mary Lou Retton.
The novel presents the sufferings of Laura Cutina as a young girl as she loses her sister, and then as an adolescent who needed to be strong in her daily life, her career, and in her love life. She loved her boyfriend a lot, although she would always receive letters from all over the globe.
At 18, Laura and her boyfriend, Cosmin Daniel, part ways as a result of a conflict and would later on meet 23 years later.
A thrilling story full of suffering, but also hope.
Laura and Daniel are now married and currently live in Las Vegas, coaching at an arena. They each have two children from their previous marriage.
