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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
At an individual character level, The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton is the story of strong women, of how their lives intersect, and of what comes after. On a broader scale, this is historical fiction about Cuba and about the New York Gilded Age. On a philosophical level, this story is a conversation about journalism. At every level, the book keeps me turning pages until the very end and then, beyond the end, as I research the history to see what happened next.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/05/the-most-beautiful-girl-in-cuba.html
Reviewed for NetGalley.
Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2022/05/the-most-beautiful-girl-in-cuba.html
Reviewed for NetGalley.
slow-paced
NetGalley ARC & 3.5 Stars | I love love loved The Last Train To Key West. I was, however, slightly disappointed with The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba; it's still a great read, though.
The competition between the newspapers, their values, and the importance of the media added depth to the plot. I championed the feminist vibes and romances as well as the socio-economic commentary.
I learned more about Cuban independence from the Spanish. For me, there was too much emphasis and focus on the American reporter's story versus Evangelina's.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
You can find the complete review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/may-2021-book-releases/
The competition between the newspapers, their values, and the importance of the media added depth to the plot. I championed the feminist vibes and romances as well as the socio-economic commentary.
I learned more about Cuban independence from the Spanish. For me, there was too much emphasis and focus on the American reporter's story versus Evangelina's.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
You can find the complete review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/may-2021-book-releases/
I always like learning about real events through historical fiction. There isn’t anything groundbreaking about this formula (strong women prove themselves in a world run by men and find love/acceptance at the end of it all), but it isn’t any less enjoyable because of that - if you’re a fan of her other books, or authors like Beatriz Williams, Fiona Davis, or Stephanie Dray, you’ll enjoy this book.
I liked the overall story of the three different girls, but got bogged down by some of the historical details.
I really enjoyed this one. I am reading a nonfiction book and sometimes I need a break from nonfiction so I picked this one up to read at the same time. I love all of Chanel Cleeton's books on the history of Cuba. This one is about three women in the late 1800s when Cuba was ruled by Spain. We have a journalist working for Hearst and two women put in reconcentration camps in Cuba. It is believed this was the first time concentration camps were used. One of the women is a real figure named Evangelina Cisneros. Hearst sent his men to free her from the jail which is kind of crazy. He brought her to America as a poster woman for the war in Cuba. He helped try to get the Americans involved, which they did eventually. The Spanish-American War only lasted a few months in 1898 in which America gained Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and temporary control of Cuba. Cuba gained its independence from the USA in 1902. I love reading about history, especially from other countries that I know nothing about.
-At the moment, I cannot think of a place I'd rather be than sitting among a group of women plotting revolution.
-There's a difference between writing about atrocities happening to other people and experiencing them ourselves.
-At the moment, I cannot think of a place I'd rather be than sitting among a group of women plotting revolution.
-There's a difference between writing about atrocities happening to other people and experiencing them ourselves.
Wonderfully woven stories of 3 strong women fighting for their own place in a world full of revolution and change. I love that Chanel used a real woman as one of the 3, and her story is really stranger than fiction. Such a beautifully haunting story of the build up to the Spanish American war resulting in the end of the Spanish rule of Cuba…told through 3 women in very different stations of life of the guilded age in America and in Cuba.
3.5/4 stars.
Thanks to my library and the Libby app for providing this audiobook.
Thanks to my library and the Libby app for providing this audiobook.
Usually love these books but I just didn’t get as hooked in this one.
Eeh. This was my least favorite of the Perez sister series. I just never got attached to the characters like I to her other books.