Scan barcode
A review by lyderature
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez is definitely one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time. Gonzalez takes a tumultuous period of time—the Communist revolution in Cuba, and turns it into a family-oriented, sweet and realistic tale about culture and home. In other words, I loved it.
Lucia Alvarez is a typical teen girl. She has a best friend to squeal over clothes with, a mother who won't let her wear make-up (even though she desperately wants too), a little brother that can be annoying at times, and a crush to daydream about. Her biggest worry was what to wear to her first dance....Fidel Castro took over her home, Cuba. Then her happy life vanishes as Communism and Socialism reign. Her family doesn't support it, they don't join in with the revolutionaries. The consequence? At worst, they're avoided. At best, they're scorned. And they're also watched, betrayed, arrested, and scorned. Once Lucia realizes that you can't trust anyone, it becomes apparent that things have gotten way too dangerous for her and her little brother. Her parents have no choice but to send them secretly away, miles away, to the United States to seek some generous hospitality, and more importantly, asylum.
I know I've already said it, but this story is so touching and heartfelt. Lucia experiences and sees things that we can only imagine, but she still remains strong and hopeful. And when she loses almost everything, she doesn't fight like the revolutionaries do. She retaliates in her own way, by making the best of her situation.
It was also really moving to see how close the Alvarezes were. Nowadays, it's hard to find such true, family love. But by depending on each other, brother to sister, sister to mother, mother to father, and the father was the foundation of them all. Everything about this story, the message, the writing, the little bits of humor, the characters, is lovable and charming.
I recommend it to any youth who's in search for a deep, historical or realistic novel. Look no more, this is it.
Lucia Alvarez is a typical teen girl. She has a best friend to squeal over clothes with, a mother who won't let her wear make-up (even though she desperately wants too), a little brother that can be annoying at times, and a crush to daydream about. Her biggest worry was what to wear to her first dance....Fidel Castro took over her home, Cuba. Then her happy life vanishes as Communism and Socialism reign. Her family doesn't support it, they don't join in with the revolutionaries. The consequence? At worst, they're avoided. At best, they're scorned. And they're also watched, betrayed, arrested, and scorned. Once Lucia realizes that you can't trust anyone, it becomes apparent that things have gotten way too dangerous for her and her little brother. Her parents have no choice but to send them secretly away, miles away, to the United States to seek some generous hospitality, and more importantly, asylum.
I know I've already said it, but this story is so touching and heartfelt. Lucia experiences and sees things that we can only imagine, but she still remains strong and hopeful. And when she loses almost everything, she doesn't fight like the revolutionaries do. She retaliates in her own way, by making the best of her situation.
It was also really moving to see how close the Alvarezes were. Nowadays, it's hard to find such true, family love. But by depending on each other, brother to sister, sister to mother, mother to father, and the father was the foundation of them all. Everything about this story, the message, the writing, the little bits of humor, the characters, is lovable and charming.
I recommend it to any youth who's in search for a deep, historical or realistic novel. Look no more, this is it.