by Carlos Eire
First published 2011
Eleven-year-old Carlos steps off the airplane in Miami in 1962, leaving behind everything he knew in revolutionary Cuba. His father remains trapped on the island. His mother waits somewhere far away. Now Carlos faces American schools, the English language, and a parade of foster homes. He decides his Cuban self must die for his American self to be born. He changes his name to Charles and throws himself into assimilation. American abundance surrounds him, but he cannot yet reach it. Cuba fades to a distant memory, something he once knew but that has stopped being part of the world. As Carlos moves between temporary homes, the reality sinks in that his old life has ended forever. He balances memories of his past with dreams of his future, learning to navigate a strange new country that promises infinite possibilities. This is the story of a boy who believes he has died and discovers how to be reborn.
Genres: historical-fiction, coming-of-age, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity-crisis
Setting: Cuba, Miami, United States
Period: 1962
336 pages · Paperback · Free Press