Soñar en cubano

You really should have a look at this cute little book by Cristina Garcia. The English title is "Dreaming in Cuban", and tells the story of three generations of Cuban women, as they struggle to make sense of their world. Cuban, herself, Ms. Garcia had her island experience cut short when she, just like one of her characters, migrated to the U.S. at the age of two. The main characters are Celia the Matriarch, Lourdes the crazy daugher, Felicia the craziER daughter, Pilar the Americanized granddaughter, and other supporting characters: Luz and Milagro- the telepathic twins, Ivanito - their mama-struck brother, Jorge - the irrascible grandfather, and Javier - the drunkard.

The story is developed and told from the female point of view, and the men are only present because of some relationship to the women. However, they're largely voiceless, with the largest voices coming from the ghost of the father and the mama's boy, Ivanito. The novel is interesting because it doesn't seek to give a for-or-against stance for neither the Cuban Revolution nor American policy adopted against the island, its leadership nor its political ideologies. Rather, such issues appear vaguely on the periphery.

Some reviews:

Dreaming in Cuban is written in language that is by turns languid and sensual, curt and surprising. Like Louise Erdrich, whose crystalline language is distilled of images new to our American literature but old to this land, Garcia has distilled a new tongue from scraps salvaged through upheaval."--The New York Times Book Review"

Poignant and perceptive...It tells of a family divided politically and geographically by the Cuban revolution...[and] of the generational fissures that open on each side: In Cuba, between a grandmother who is a fervent Castro supporter and a daughter who retreats into an Afro-Cuban santeria cult; in America, between another daughter, militantly anti-Castro, and her own rebellious punk-artist daughter, who mocks her obsession.... The realism is exquisite."--Los Angeles Times

"This book provides a surprisingly seamless web of time and change, generations and a clarity about the double consciousness of the branches of the family wherever they are. Garcia writes wonderful characters, and the more I read it the more I look forward to reading it again....Excellent book."—Professor Tanya Gardner-Scott, Mount Ida College

P.S. Did I mention the silly book was published in 1993? Well.. the English version at any rate. The Spanish version was written and published a year later.