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A review by scarlettletters
The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
4.0
Ok, this was for the task to read a book written by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative. In this case, the immigrant in question is Lucia Alvarez, who leaves Cuba during the rebellion, assuming she will return to her parents once everything settles down. Adult readers would presumably have some idea that this will not be the case.
What Gonzalez did really well was portraying the way that both Americans and Cubans were subject to propaganda that limited their understanding. When Lucia was in Cuba there were difficulties, but nowhere near the level that her foster parents assumed. And her friend in Cuba was convinced that Americans were in constant danger because of race riots and other unrest. Lucia found herself in the middle of two worlds, neither of which was what she had believed.
Lucia's innocence is frustrating but believable. She and her brother don't really understand the way they are being manipulated by the government and while an adult 50 years later can roll their eyes and say, "How could they be so naive?" I think it's important to realize that we don't always see what's going on until it's too late, especially when we are young and impressionable.
What Gonzalez did really well was portraying the way that both Americans and Cubans were subject to propaganda that limited their understanding. When Lucia was in Cuba there were difficulties, but nowhere near the level that her foster parents assumed. And her friend in Cuba was convinced that Americans were in constant danger because of race riots and other unrest. Lucia found herself in the middle of two worlds, neither of which was what she had believed.
Lucia's innocence is frustrating but believable. She and her brother don't really understand the way they are being manipulated by the government and while an adult 50 years later can roll their eyes and say, "How could they be so naive?" I think it's important to realize that we don't always see what's going on until it's too late, especially when we are young and impressionable.