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rachelhelps's review against another edition
2.0
I'm pretty meh on this book. I liked learning a little more about Che (did you know his first name is Ernesto?), but most of that was on my own time and not through this novel. Basic plot: an orphaned woman receives letters from her mother (?) which tell her she is Che Guevara's daughter. Are the letters true? She goes on a wild goose chase to Cuba to find out. We never really know, and it's unclear what this means for us about Che. The thing that saved the book I think were the kind of poetic (possibly over-the-top) reminiscing letters at the beginning.
servemethesky's review against another edition
3.0
This book was...mildly interesting. The writing is beautiful, but that's just about all I have to say for the book. Maybe it's the kind of thing you won't understand unless you're Cuban. I just felt very detached, never really connecting with the narrator or her mother. [a:Roxane Gay|3360355|Roxane Gay|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1407278304p2/3360355.jpg]'s novel, [b:An Untamed State|27865163|An Untamed State|Roxane Gay|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1448023315s/27865163.jpg|26127435], about a woman's tangled relationship with Haiti was more powerful and poignant for me than this book about a Cuban exile.
The pictures were fun to look at, though!
The pictures were fun to look at, though!
whatevermarlene's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
emmyelizabeth's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is just beautiful. An exploration of memory, culture, family, legacy, heritage, history, love, loss, and so much more in less than 230 pages. It left me with the incredible sensation of time moving through me. Truly a work of art.
alexplores's review against another edition
3.0
Alright, so about this book. I really like the way it was written, though I was confused at so many parts. Who's speaking? Who's dead, and who's not dead? The context of which the book was written was so good that I was able to overlook all of this, though. I just wish I could have known a few more details.
Like: Is Che alive at the end of the book? Is Calixto? And who's speaking at the beginning?
But all in all, it was a good read.
Like: Is Che alive at the end of the book? Is Calixto? And who's speaking at the beginning?
But all in all, it was a good read.
sundaydutro's review against another edition
3.0
A beautiful book. I kept having to remind myself that it’s fiction. I was going to give it 4 stars but I feel like it was missing something and I’m not even sure what... I wanted more out of it though. It feels like the book pushed to an end instead of flowed. The first part being very poetic and the second part being very straightforward. I guess I was hoping for more poetry.
pepper1133's review against another edition
1.0
Oh my God, this was awful. I had to create the "couldn't finish reading" category just for this book. Please don't bother with this drivel. Read something by Allende or Alvarez instead. Those authors are who this one wants to be, but she fails miserably at it.
thatwhichmeowsalsohisses's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i really liked this book. it was a super and easy light read but also very well written. it’s romantic but not grossly graphic or cliche, but very beautifully described and poetic.
dylannleigh's review against another edition
4.0
The first section is an intriguing opening. The second section is so beautifully written I frequently read excerpts aloud to myself to enjoy the sound. But the third....it just feels almost like a draft. Like unedited diary pages. Certain scenes felt pointless and took too long while hugely important things were addressed and wrapped up in a few paragraphs. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this very much. If you have an interest in Cuba, I would recommend this book very much.