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Pig's Foot: A Novel
Pig's Foot: A Novel
Pig's Foot: A Novel
Ebook334 pages8 hours

Pig's Foot: A Novel

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

3/5

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The Korticos are from a well-endowed pygmy tribe in West Africa; the Mandingas are descended from a tribe of tall Ghanaians. Both families have been brought to Cuba as slaves. Oscar Kortico and Jose Mandinga, inseparable friends, marry a pair of sisters, and in the tiny hamlet of Pig's Foot (Pata de Puerco), five generations of these families will live out their colorful lives through the tumultuous sweep of Cuban history: from slavery through the war of independence, exploitation, dictatorship, and compromised freedom, to the present day when teenager Oscar Mandinga goes seeking the fabled village of his ancestors.

Carlos Acosta's first novel is a swiftly plotted island folktale with warmth, humor, magic, and a light allegorical touch. It's a history grounded in sights and smells and human foibles. And it's an enchanting and unexpected debut from an author of many talents.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 14, 2014
ISBN9781620400821
Pig's Foot: A Novel
Author

Carlos Acosta

Carlos Acosta was born in Cuba in 1973 and started dancing when he was nine. He rose to principal dancer of the National Ballet of Cuba in 1994. In 1993, he made his American stage debut as the Prince in the Nutcracker. His repertory with the Houston Ballet has included Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake. In 1998, Carlos joined The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden. Most recently, Carlos appeared in The Reluctant Ballet Dancer, a programme in the Imagine Series shown on BBC 1 presented by Alan Yentob.

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Rating: 3.14999992 out of 5 stars
3/5

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Rather mediocre Cuban novelBy sally tarbox on 21 September 2016Format: Kindle EditionPicked this as my choice for Cuba in my round-the-world reading challenge. But only managed about 60 pages before deciding life was too short.Narrated by a troubled youth who's been brought up by his grandparents, he describes/ imagines his forebears' life in a remote village called Pig's Foot. This is the era of slavery - and of slaughter of the whites by their oppressed black workers. It's a brutish life that leaves the narrator's black great-grandfather a seriously damaged man.And events unfold and I found I just didn't care. It's all tinged with typical South American magic realism - but this is not to be compared with the superb Garcia Marquez. It's just a bit flat and lacks something.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A Cuban family saga complete with history, myth, and magic. a good story. Library book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Engrossing book with a twisted plot ending which is somewhat of a cop out. This is the story of Oscar Mandingo,a fourth generation descendant of the founders of the town of Pata de Puerco and the bearer of a magical pig's foot amulet. All alone, Oscar goes in search of his heritage based on what his grandfather, Benicio Mandinga always told him, "No man knows who he is until he knows his past, his history, the history of his country". Even with the last second plot twist, the story is still engaging.

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Pig's Foot - Carlos Acosta

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