Broken Paradise: A Novel
3.5/5
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About this ebook
Cuba, 1956: Cousins Nora and Alicia are accustomed to living among Havana's privileged class -- lavish dinners, days at the beach, dances, and dresses.
Their idyllic lives take a turn for the worst after Castro's rise to power. Food becomes scarce, religion is forbidden, and disease is rampant. Alicia stays behind while Nora emigrates to the United States and struggles in an unfamiliar land. Both of their identities are challenged as they try to adapt to the changes forced upon them.
The situation in Cuba deteriorates and Alicia is beset by bad fortune, while Nora painfully assimilates into middle-class U.S. culture. Her heart, however, remains in Cuba. Letters between the cousins track their lives until Alicia's situation becomes so difficult that Nora is forced to return and help. But what she finds in Cuba is like nothing she has ever imagined.
Broken Paradise is an extraordinarily powerful novel about passion, love, and the heart's yearning for home.
Cecilia Samartin
Cecilia Samartin was born in Havana in the midst of Fidel Castro's revolution. She grew up in Los Angeles as a fully bicultural, bilingual American. She studied psychology at UCLA and marriage and family therapy at Santa Clara University. Deeply concerned with the lack of Spanish speakers in her profession, Cecilia has practiced within the Latino communities in some of the most impoverished inner-city areas of San Jose and Los Angeles. She lives with her British-born husband in San Gabriel, California.
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Reviews for Broken Paradise
35 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/54.5 stars
This is the beautifully told story of two Cuban cousins separated by the Cuban Revolution. The book spans several decades going from the tropical beaches of Cuba to America. Being Latina I could easily relate to the lives of Alicia and Nora. I loved the family relationships and how they were realistically portrayed. There were portions of this book that I felt were taken from my own life. I also loved the development of the political situation and how it affected the characters. It did not come off as too preachy or too heavy. I’m not into reading politics, so this was a right mix for me.
Most of all what I loved about this book was the gorgeous descriptions and eloquent writing. I could smell the ocean and feel the breeze on my face as I read the passages from Cuba. My only complaint was the ending, which I did not care for. I thought it was too far-fetched and drawn, however, the rest of the book more than made up for it. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book was published in 2004 with the title Ghost Heart, but for some reason it changed to Broken Paradise instead. Ghost Heart is Samartin’s debut novel, and I have already read another of her books this year, Tarnished Beauty, a book I really enjoyed. I liked this book even more!In this novel we get to know Alicia and Nora, cousins, best-friends and kindred spirits. No one can play like Alicia and Nora and no one can laugh like Alicia and Nora. Their life in Havana is good and safe, with visits to the beach, nice clothes and good food. But then Castro and the revolution destroys everything. Nora and her family leaves for the US, while Alicia stays behind. Nora’s family escape the hunger and constant propaganda, but Nora can not let her life in Cuba go. She miss Alicia too much. Throughout the book we follow Nora’s life in the new and foreign country, and how Alicia is coping and learning to live with the revolution. I will not reveal too much of the plot, this book is too good to destroy for someone.This is a book about finding a balance between grief and hope, love and pain. Despite of the heavy theme, it is still optimistic. There are some clichés, but they are well placed and not too many. The story is both beautiful and sad. I really liked this book, and apparently (I have not read the books myself) people who liked The Kite Runner and The Island might like this book too.