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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars. It was very interesting learning about this part of history, but I had some issues with the writing style, especially at the beginning, and some parts read like diary entries. I especially liked Grace, and Marina's characters which is funny since the title character is neither of them.
adventurous
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Story set at the end of the 19th century during the Spanish American War and the newspaper war in New York. Bouncing between three women in Cuba and New York, the story is captivating and interesting without getting confusing. This story makes me intrigued about the history of Cuba (and her conflicts) and of Pulitzer vs Hearst.
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
tense
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:
Yes
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-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:
No
I’ve loved Chanel Cleeton since reading “Next Year in Havana” a few years ago, but this book was not her best. The story felt overall rushed, and many parts (especially Marina’s POV) felt like hurried exposition.
Light spoilers from here on out.
One example of this comes from Evangeline’s story. When she is in prison being interrogated, she is offered a chance at freedom for recanting her story. When she refuses, her interrogator tells her that some of her friends, including her fiancé, have turned on her. Instead of questioning this (as would make sense given the source of the news and his obvious motivation to lie), she accepts it without question and immediately falls out of love with her fiancé. Later, she falls in love again with a new man, which, again, felt rushed.
I also noticed a few inconsistencies that should have been caught in editing. One glaring example comes near the middle of the book. Marina runs into her husband randomly while on a mission. On one page, she remarks that he is clean shave. Then, on the next page, he is described as having grown a beard (this is in the same scene - I checked).
Overall, I enjoyed the story. But I felt like it was very much lacking the emotional depth I’ve come to expect from Cleeton.
Light spoilers from here on out.
One example of this comes from Evangeline’s story. When she is in prison being interrogated, she is offered a chance at freedom for recanting her story. When she refuses, her interrogator tells her that some of her friends, including her fiancé, have turned on her. Instead of questioning this (as would make sense given the source of the news and his obvious motivation to lie), she accepts it without question and immediately falls out of love with her fiancé. Later, she falls in love again with a new man, which, again, felt rushed.
I also noticed a few inconsistencies that should have been caught in editing. One glaring example comes near the middle of the book. Marina runs into her husband randomly while on a mission. On one page, she remarks that he is clean shave. Then, on the next page, he is described as having grown a beard (this is in the same scene - I checked).
Overall, I enjoyed the story. But I felt like it was very much lacking the emotional depth I’ve come to expect from Cleeton.
The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton is a historical fiction set in the late 1800s, told from the point of view of three different women: Grace, Evangeline and Marina. Grace is a plucky reporter in NYC, while the other two women live in Cuba and are caught up in the turmoil between Cuba and Spain. Eventually the three women’s stories become intertwined.
I appreciate historical fiction books based on real-life events, and this is a part of history I don’t know much about, but I found the paragraphs full of historical information rather dry and ended up skim-reading them after a while. I think, while historically accurate, the author could have spent a little more time adding to the depth of her characters. The storylines of Marina and Evangeline were both heart-wrenching ones, but I didn’t feel as invested as I should have been.
While this is considered the fourth book in the Perez Family series, I think it stands alone just fine. I have read the first, but it’s been so many years that I’ve forgotten the details. Having said that, if you haven’t read this author before, start with Next Year in Havana instead of this one.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciate historical fiction books based on real-life events, and this is a part of history I don’t know much about, but I found the paragraphs full of historical information rather dry and ended up skim-reading them after a while. I think, while historically accurate, the author could have spent a little more time adding to the depth of her characters. The storylines of Marina and Evangeline were both heart-wrenching ones, but I didn’t feel as invested as I should have been.
While this is considered the fourth book in the Perez Family series, I think it stands alone just fine. I have read the first, but it’s been so many years that I’ve forgotten the details. Having said that, if you haven’t read this author before, start with Next Year in Havana instead of this one.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enter the giveaways all the time if it's an author I like. I was surprised to win this but that fact doesn't change my review at all. I so enjoyed "Next Year in Havana" that I was very anxious to read this. It didn't disappoint. Not only is it beautifully written, from the perspective of three very different women, but it reveals a history many of us know little about - Cuba's long fight for independence. This story takes place in late 1800's when Cuba has already been fighting the Spanish off and on many times. Here, we see America's entry into the conflict. ("Remember the Main!") Most stories about international conflict focus on the men involved. This was a very revealing look at how the women were not only impacted but also the contributions they made. I recommend this book wholeheartedly.