Dear First Love

More about the book

Zoé Valdés, one of Cuba's most imaginative writers, presents a tale of spiritual and sexual awakening set against the oppressive backdrop of the Castro regime. Danae, trapped in the numbing routine of poverty-stricken Havana, reaches a breaking point and leaves her family without explanation. In search of her first love, she returns to the countryside of her youth, where she had been sent to work in the fields as a teenager under a sadistic overseer. It is here that she fell in love with Tierra Fortuna Munda, a campesino girl her age. The narrative immerses readers in the magic of Danae's late childhood, as inanimate objects like a wooden suitcase and an ancient ceiba tree recount the gritty, irreverent, and often tragic lives of young adults in the work camps. When Danae reunites with Tierra, their love is rekindled, yet their return to Havana tests not only their relationship but also impacts Danae's desperate family. The novel serves as a tribute to Cuba and its resilient spirit, exploring universal themes of love and loss through sensuous language that captures daily life in both urban and rural settings.