Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Historical Fiction. The novel alternates between two points of view, that of Elisa Perez in 1958 - 1959 who is forced to flee the increasingly dangerous streets of Havana with her family when Batista is driven from the country and Fidel Castro takes control during the Cuban Revolution, and that of her granddaughter, Marisol Ferrera, who almost 60 years later, in 2017 has returned to Havana, a city frozen in time but crumbling, for the purpose of fulfilling her grandmother's last wish: for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth.

With beautiful imagery it is descriptively written in first person by both Elisa in the past, and Marisol in the present. Each face their own struggles in their attempts to find meaning, happiness and safety while living up to their family’s expectations. With themes of family, love, patriotism, freedom, the upheaval and sacrifice of exile, and so much hope, Chanel Cleeton has created a beautiful, heart wrenching tale that brings Cuba and the hopes of its inhabitants, and exiles, to life. This would make a great book club choice with much material for discussion. I very much enjoyed listening to the audio version. I absolutely loved it and highly recommend!

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