This book appeared in Jane the Virgin, and I made a note of it and bought it immediately. Although it’s originally written in English, it talks about life in Cuba and the struggles of immigration, particularly at a time when there is political unrest. Therefore, although it isn’t the traditional book I’d recommend, it’s still very much worth the read.
In less than 250 pages, we learn about several generations of Cuban women who have endured unnecessary trauma and how it has made them stronger and brought them together. The matriarch of the family, Celia, still lives in Cuba and blindly supports “El líder”, who we can assume is Fidel Castro. This is particularly interesting given how the men in her life have disappointed her, giving her little reason to put more faith in another man who continues to make false promises. We also learn about her daughters, Felicia and Lourdes and their children and the obstacles they faced throughout their lives.
The story is mostly linear (with the exception of the letters between Celia and another character of the story, Gustavo) and jumps from character to character (mostly female) and their recounts of their lives and relationships. Although they are quite different, they do share one thing in common other than blood: strength. When faced with adversity, these women only became stronger, which during this time in a country run by men, is an impressive feat.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone interested. It’s a book that revolves around divisiveness, family relationships and exile. In short, it does not disappoint.
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