Cirilo Villaverde (1812–1894)

SPOILERS FOR MOVIE!!!

Page 491 and she's still alive. Yes, I finished [Cecelia Valdez, or El Angel Hill] today. I'll refrain from critiquing the movie... or at least I'll try to. Now I know one more reason why the movie, Cecilia, is called the most controversial movie in Cuban history. No, not because it might offend Castro. It's because the over-the-top religious symbolism including the bit where Cecilia dresses up as the Virgin and throws herself off a bell tower is Humberto Solas' invention, not Cirilo Villaverde's. Except for the names of the characters, the movie doesn't follow the book at all. Imagine if you'd gone to see Lord of the Rings, and in the end Frodo became a 6 foot tall hunk and decides to go look for a blonde in the land of men... Yup. You got the idea.

As for the book, it was set in 1830s Havana, and written in exile shortly after that time period. Imagine Flaubert crossed with Nicolai Gogol but gone Cuban with a sprinkle of Gone with the Wind on top, and you're getting there. The translation is a bit clunky, but since this is a hard-to-find classic, we'll forgive that. The charm of the novel isn't really its plot, two lovers who can't be together because unbeknownst to them they are brother and sister. Yes, it goes a bit melodramatic at the end. Neither of the characters are nice enough to weep buckets for their difficulties, and you'll want to shake several people who aren't be blunt enough to make the lovers see that they are little too close in kinship. Denial is powerful, even in 1830.

The reason to read this book is its intricate detail of the lifestyle, conventions and race assumptions of the time. Once you've finished reading this book, you'll be able to mill sugar cane in your own backyard. You'll know proper etiquette for a white-only ball, an all-race ball, and a colored ball. Amazingly enough, this level of detail doesn't drive the reader mad. It may come close, but then you realize Villaverde actually had a point for that digression. Either it will be for humor, or it will be to introduce a person who becomes important later, or a situation that will be repeated but in a more significant manner. Everything is beautifully foreshadowed.

But no, Cecilia does not throw herself off of the bell tower. You won't weep at the end of the book because Cecilia just went splat. You may, however, weep because you have to leave 1830s Cuba.… (mais)

While Cirilo Villaverde's, "Cecilia Valdes or EL Angel Hill", is not written in the breathtaking prose some of my favorites are, it is an incredible novel depicting nineteenth century Cuba. It can be considered, and is, one of the "Greats". When I purchased this book, I found out that it is part of a small library of Latin American Literature published by the Oxford University Press (www.oup.com - Library of Latin America Editions). I highly recommend this Library to anyone interested in Latin American history, culture or literature. Outstanding!… (mais)