A review by bethreadsandnaps
Speak to Me of Home: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins

4.0

 

4.0 ⭐️

SPEAK TO ME OF HOME looks at the commonalities of three generations of women who struggle with identity and their “home.” Rafaela is the matriarch, born in Puerto Rico and moved to the Midwest with her husband. Ruth is the daughter, who moved away from Puerto Rico as a young girl, and then there’s Rafaela’s granddaughter Daisy, who feels called to Puerto Rico. At the opening of the novel, Daisy is hurt in an accident while in Puerto Rico after getting the results of her DNA test.  

This novel gives the reader a lot to think about. I think I was expecting a bit more plot. At times, the novel meandered more than I expected and felt more character-driven than the author’s previous novel AMERICAN DIRT. 

The cast of men takes a backseat in this novel, and I kept mixing the men up. If you’re like me, you might want to write some notes on how the men are related to these women. I saw another reviewer say the family tree was helpful, but my copy didn’t have a family tree. 

This intergenerational saga with strong ties to Puerto Rico has resounding themes of family and identity with a strong sense of place, and Cummins’ writing was stellar. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review. 

It publishes May 13, 2025.