I’ve been on a kick lately of reading Cuban writers. They offer a glimpse into a world that seems to me to be frozen in time, yet the people have still worked and laughed and written and dreamed. This novel depicts through a masterful plot and in-depth characters the complex melding of religions and ethnic groups in Cuba. Correa describes the Cuban-Chinese community and their secret societies, as well as the mysteries and rites of the Regla de Osha also known as Santeria, which is an old religion rooted in Western Africa. We are able to participate in a meeting of the Abakua Secret Society, be inside the Palero (priest), and wander the decaying grounds of old mansions whose owners prospered under Batista. I’m going to track down more of Correa’s books to read more about this fascinating world that exists in our midst.
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