A multi-generational historical novel set in 20th century Puerto Rico, from the American invasion of 1898 to the late 60s, chronicling the changes primarily through the Benitez family, whose head is Antonio, a canny and successful businessman and entrepreneur. Antonio is not a native of the island, and thus can stand outside the political tensions, and is happy to accept American domination as he feels financial prosperity depends on it. His friend Octavio, however, wants to see Puerto Rico independent, and we see the rise of nationalism through him. As a chronicle of Puerto Rican history, the book has a lot going for it. It’s historically accurate, and brought to my attention the conflicts and challenges that still afflict the place today. The American presence on the island has its supporters and detractors, and these are exemplified by the characters we meet. The first part of the book which focusses primarily on Antonio is more successful than the second part in which we read of the stories of the younger generation and I found this less gripping as there isn’t time to really get inside their heads and they feel less developed. On the whole though the characterisation throughout is good, although the dialogue often felt stilted and unnatural. Overall I found the book a good read, if not a particularly literary one, and I very much enjoyed learning about life and culture in Puerto Rico.

The American invasion of Puerto Rico in 1899 is rarely taught, in schools for instance. Not many people know about the events of the invasion, so it is nice to see someone of Puerto Rican decent tell this story.