This is a thoughtful, heartfelt portrait of immigration, family, and self-resilience. It's also a glimpse into the social upheaval of the 1960s in America, through the eyes of an immigrant and new resident of New York City. Great for readers who enjoy historical fiction, as well as stories of immigration told from a first-person point of view.
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Ana Cancion is 15 and has never dreamed of moving away from the Dominican countryside. When Juan Ruiz proposes, promising to take her to New York City and set her up in a new life, she is reluctant. After all, Juan is twice her age and she doesn't even like him very much. However, under pressure from her family, she accepts. So, Ana leaves everything she knows behind and becomes Ana Ruiz, moving to New York City in 1965, in the midst of social and political upheaval in both the United States and the Dominican Republic. Trapped in her cold apartment, Ana recklessly plans to escape. However, Juan's brother Cesar convinces her to stay, pointing out that when Juan returns to the Dominican Republic for a business trip, Ana can finally leave the apartment on her own and even take some lessons to learn English. Soon, Ana is imagining a different kind of life in America, where she can be free to make her own money, and do as she pleases. However, when Juan returns, Ana is forced to choose between her dreams and her duty to her family.
This book is a bit of a slow start and at first, I wasn't sure if I liked it enough to continue. However, I was curious about Ana and what was going to happen. And, as I kept reading, I started to enjoy her first-person account of what was happening, and what her life in New York City was like. Before I knew it, I was wrapped up in this story. There are parts of this story that are heartbreaking, but other parts that are uplifting, where I found I truly had hope that Ana would have a better life. It's hard to imagine leaving everything and everyone you know behind to move to a new country, with a man you don't like very much, and where you don't know the language. Ana's perseverance was inspiring, and I found the story very compelling.
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