The Tragedy of Fidel Castro
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15
Ratings1
Average rating2
An absurd magical realist satire in which God sends Jesus to mediate between Castro and JFK during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Beverly Hills Book Awards 2014 Winner in Multicultural Fiction USA Best Book Awards 2013 Winner in Multicultural Fiction Nominated for the Montaigne Medal 2014 Winner Global E-book Awards 2014 - Fantasy Historical Setting In this magical realist blend of the all-too-real, the imaginary and the just plain absurd, the world teeters on the brink of destruction as JFK and Fidel Castro prepare once again for battle. As protests mount on the streets and the wily Castro plans his ruthless final move, the possibility of salvation emerges: the Second Coming of Christ to broker the conflict, assisted by the housewife Fatima. The result is a comical and highly nuanced exploration of the relationships between Capitalism and Communism, oppressed and oppressor, fantasy, memory and reality, in which grey areas proliferate and the rug is repeatedly pulled from beneath the reader's feet.
Reviews with the most likes.
This story had so much potential. I loved the idea of Jesus intervening in the lives of mortals. But in the end I was disappointed. The thing is, I can't say exactly why I was disappointed. The book is very well written and, at times, wickedly funny, but the story just didn't resonate with me.
I loved the exchanges between God and Jesus; a troubled Father / Son relationship. However the majority of the novel involved JFK and Castro, so it was a long wait between the clever and humorous dialogue.
I found it a chore to get through, and no book should be that. Having said that, I understand that this is a political satire and I may not be in the correct target audience (a sleep deprived new mother may not have the required concentration and patience).
