Review of Havana 1995 -english version-

[Marsha JJ]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Havana 1995 -english version-" by Ileana Gonzalez Monserrat.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Author Ileana Gonzalez Monserrat describes Havana 1995 -English version- as a story about “a long-waited desire for freedom in Cuba.” In the narrative, she contrasts the situations of two Cubans named John and Vladimir. Vladimir currently lives in Havana. John lives in exile in the United States, and Vladimir is his driver while on a return trip to the island. As John takes in the sights of his former home country, he reflects on the country’s situation under Fidel Castro’s leadership. He also shares his thoughts on the different situations between Cubans living abroad and those who have remained in the country. Yet, there’s a common desire for freedom among many. John wonders if there’s a possibility for everyone to finally be united in freedom. The time is the end of 1995. This timing is significant because it was when there was renewed hope for freedom for the Cuban people.

Monserrat has a talent for writing very poetically. I found Havana 1995 -English version- to offer an interesting perspective, and I liked how the author chose to tell the story through the lens of a Cuban who no longer lived there. She successfully captured the feeling that exiled Cubans have of being strangers to their native country. The longing for freedom for the Cuban people permeated the narrative, and I thought the book was effective in sharing this sense of the feeling in the country at that time.

My favorite aspect of the book was the author’s ability to describe John’s emotions when returning to Cuba after being away for so long. I have a long-held fascination with Cuba, so this book helped me to learn more about the sentiments of Cubans, particularly at this time in history.

Despite my enjoyment of the book, I thought it had several shortcomings. The first issue was that this book was originally published in the Spanish language in 1991, so despite the inclusion of several updated introductions to the book, I felt it was dated. The title of the book may inhibit it from reaching a wide audience. Perhaps a subtitle explaining the historical relevance of that timeframe would have been helpful. Many potential readers will wonder why they should read a book about Havana that is several decades old unless they have some additional context.

Although the writing was strong, I also found the narrative to be somewhat obscure and confusing at times. It was hard to tell if this was due to the author’s writing style or if it was the fault of the English translation from the Spanish version of the book. I had to work a little too hard to understand what was going on in this book. Another issue was that the book needed additional editing. I uncovered many obvious errors, and this led me to subtract a point from my rating. Therefore, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.

The audience for this book includes anyone with an interest in Cuba. I recommend it to readers who are looking for a historical perspective on what was happening in the country in the 1990s.

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Havana 1995 -english version-
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[Micah_1]

One thing everyone desires is freedom, just like the Cubans. Your review is interesting.