LitPick Review
Having broken up with her boyfriend in order to prepare for a hot college social life, Isabel Diaz, "heroine" of "Cubanita" by Gaby Triana is somewhat perturbed when she finds herself caught in a new relationship with a handsome college student who works at the same summer camp. Isabel's new relationship sparks a few culture clashes between her untraditional Cuban upbringing and her desire for a "real" social life. Her mother, a Cuban immigrant, frequently reproves Isabel for her more-than-questionable lifestyle, but Isabel doesn't bother changing even slightly until her mother is afflicted with cancer. Whether or not the book actually ends well is up to the reader; certainly, no significant moral change takes place within the protagonist, despite her more respectful attitude towards her mother in the conclusion.
Opinion:
I did not enjoy "Cubanita." None of the characters, except the disrespected mother, show more than a slight residue of moral feeling or character. The majority of the characters, Isabel inclusive, prefer wallowing in their senses rather than actually thinking throughout almost the entire novel.
Editorial comment: Our reviewer did not care for this book. Perhaps there was a hidden message in the story, but she did not find it and felt the book was not at all worthwhile.
