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A review by lilbanne
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
4.0
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading Next Year in Havana! I enjoy reading a good travel book to learn about another culture's history from the pages of a book. I enjoyed learning about the Cuban Revolution and the history behind Cuba. I had no in-depth knowledge about how hard life is in Cuba, so it was a vastly enjoyable read. The characterization and unrealistic insta-love are present in the story, but you need to suspend some belief when reading the book.
The story unfolds in two distinct timelines, each with its emotional and romantic love interest journey. The first timeline, set in the late 1950s in Havana, follows the life of Elisa Perez, a young woman from a wealthy family deeply affected by the Cuban revolution. Elisa falls in love with a rebel named Pablo. The two are separated when her family flees to Florida.
The second timeline is from the perspective of Marisol, Elisa's granddaughter in the present timeline. Marisol returns to Cuba to scatter her grandmother's ashes after she passes away suddenly. Marisol, who has grown up in the US, is eager to learn more about her heritage. It is through her budding relationship with Luis, the grandson of her mother's old friend, that Marisol uncovers the long-held secrets about her grandmother's life in Cuba.
Always wondering where she fits, an American or a Cuban, Marisol learns about her Cuban heritage and how she fits into the world. The author's heritage inspires the story, and I enjoyed a historical-fictionalized version of her history.
The story unfolds in two distinct timelines, each with its emotional and romantic love interest journey. The first timeline, set in the late 1950s in Havana, follows the life of Elisa Perez, a young woman from a wealthy family deeply affected by the Cuban revolution. Elisa falls in love with a rebel named Pablo. The two are separated when her family flees to Florida.
The second timeline is from the perspective of Marisol, Elisa's granddaughter in the present timeline. Marisol returns to Cuba to scatter her grandmother's ashes after she passes away suddenly. Marisol, who has grown up in the US, is eager to learn more about her heritage. It is through her budding relationship with Luis, the grandson of her mother's old friend, that Marisol uncovers the long-held secrets about her grandmother's life in Cuba.
Always wondering where she fits, an American or a Cuban, Marisol learns about her Cuban heritage and how she fits into the world. The author's heritage inspires the story, and I enjoyed a historical-fictionalized version of her history.