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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
This was not my favorite book from this author, but I still enjoyed it. I found it to be slow and drawn-out. This author knows how to write a good clean love story. I appreciate that.
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton was historical fiction centered on a woman I knew nothing about, but loved learning her story. The story focuses on Evangelina Cisneros who is imprisoned at the age of 18. She is passionate about Cuban independence from Spain, and she has many, many others who support her fight. Her story is picked up by a young female journalist in the US. She is trying to make a name for herself, and she sees Evagelina's story as that chance. However, she also realizes how committed she is to giving voice to this woman. Marina Perez is the third women whose story is told, and she joins the cause of freeing Evagelina and advancing her cause. Y'all, this was a fascinating story centering women to recount important historical happenings. I loved learning about people and events I didn't know through such amazing women! Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this recent release!
I know about the Spanish American War and have even read a few primary source documents about the sinking of the USS Maine, but diving into the conditions of Cuba and the US during that time through the journeys of three strong women characters was more enlightening than just reading a textbook or a few paragraphs. Cleeton puts a lot of research into her books, and that work shows through the strong characterizations and sense that you are experiencing the history with these characters. Her other books are on my reading list. This one was my second by here, and I really appreciated the multiple POVs she gives as the chapters change.
I truly enjoyed this story about three women in different circumstances and locations but all connected in some way to the struggles in Cuba in 1896-1898. Evangelista is a beautiful woman who is unjustly imprisoned in Cuba. Marina is a wife, mother, and revolutionary who longs for freedom for her country. Grace is a young woman in New York City who finds herself writing articles for Hearst in the midst of a competition between Pulitzer and Hearst for the readership of the city. All three women are strong and stay true to themselves through challenges large and small. This is the second book I've read by this author and it is very well written and brings you right into the story and keeps you there. I learned a lot about what happened with Cuba, Spain, and the U.S. during this time period - things I probably should have learned long ago. Highly recommend!
Favorite quote: (Grace speaking of Evangelista, p 135) "She is indeed lovely, and still, it seems insulting almost in the face of all she has endured to remark upon her beauty as though it is her defining characteristic, to consign her to hues and angles rather than the strength of her character and spirit”.
Favorite quote: (Grace speaking of Evangelista, p 135) "She is indeed lovely, and still, it seems insulting almost in the face of all she has endured to remark upon her beauty as though it is her defining characteristic, to consign her to hues and angles rather than the strength of her character and spirit”.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
There are those who are afraid that the change we seek will leave them pushed to the fringes of a society they have mercilessly dominated for so long.
Cleeton has a way of bringing characters to life, but she really did it with this book, especially since the majority of the characters in this story are actual people.
She wrote a 362 page novel about an event that rarely ever is talked about, a person who went through so much for her freedom and the freedom of her Island and taught me a part of my ancestor's history.
After reading the author's note, it made me want to do my own research and learn more about this war, but also about Evangelica Cisneros though there isn't much out there about her after 1898.
Cleeton will always be an autobuy/autoread author for me. She helps me feel closer to the history of Cuba, of my blood, and for that I will always thank her.
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba tells of the intersection of the Pulitzer-Hearst newspaper war, the Spanish-American War, and the US freeing Evangelina Cisneros from a Cuban prison. I enjoyed learning about this period in history, but found the book to feel more workmanlike than Chanel Cleeton's other novels. All the history content does not leave as much room for the romance that is often part of her stories. Read if you enjoy: books set in Cuba, American history, multiple narrators in one timeline
3.5*
Rounded up to 3.5 because I actually enjoyed the author’s note at the end.
Rounded up to 3.5 because I actually enjoyed the author’s note at the end.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes