I wasn't aware that A Simple Habana Melody was a rerelease of a title that came out in the early 2000s but I'm glad to have had a chance to revisit a backlist title I wasn't aware of before.

In A Simple Habana Melody, Hijuelos brings the reader via his gorgeous prose to Havana, presenting us with the story of Israel Levis, a musician who was mistaken by the Nazis in Paris as Jewish, and interned at a concentration camp. Now in Havana, he's having trouble adjusting to life and spends his days reminiscing about his affair with Rita Valladares, the woman who acted as Israel's muse.

Hijuelos' writing is absolutely beautiful, tender and heartbreaking. I loved the character of Israel and I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this story after I was done reading it.

Perfect for readers of historical fiction, fans of complicated characters, and readers who don't mind a little bit of bittersweet in their stories.