A Hundred Fires in Cuba by John Thorndike -3.5 stars rounded up

[Booknblues]

I have been search for a historical fiction book from a period which I rarely read and when I came across John Thorndike's A Hundred Fires in Cuba, I thought that it would fit the bill. As an added bonus, I hoped to learn something about the Cuban revolution.

This is a novelization of a period in the life of Camilo Cienfuegos, whose name means, you guessed it a hundred fires. It is a revolutionary tale and love story between Camilo, a real person and fictional character, Clare Miller an American photographer.

Clare and Camilo have an affair in New York City where she lives and he is working as a line cook. Camilo is sent back to Cuba by immigration and Clare discovers she is pregnant.

Fast forward a few years and Clare lives in Cuba with her daughter Alameda and husband Domingo when she discovers that Camilo is not dead as she assumed, but living.

I found discovering the story about the revolution interesting and applaud the book for that. I was not always sympathetic with Clare and at times didn't quite believe her.

I enjoyed the twist at the end which veers from the story about Camilo which I found in Wikipedia.

I expect this to be a book which some enjoy and others, not so much.