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Maruchi Mendez

    Song for Olivia: A Novel Based on a True Story
    • Gusana. Esbirra. Latifundista. Mari is only 12 when she is called these words for the first time. She knows what they mean: worm, henchman, filthy landowner. What she doesn’t yet know is that they mark the beginning of her exile from her native Cuba. Mari’s childhood has been filled with the opulence enjoyed by Cuba’s wealthy elites, but as Fidel Castro seizes power, her father’s money and former government position place a target on their family. The country she has always called home is now violently rejecting her. After a fraught escape to Miami, Mari and her sister Olivia must start over as Castro continues to devastate the loved ones they have left behind. Miami holds both hope and desperation. Mari works towards her dream of becoming a writer, while Olivia meets and falls in love with a counterrevolutionary. Still, their family is fractured, their money is scarce, and their father insists they will be able to return to Cuba before they know it. But Mari and Olivia know that their futures are in the US now. It's up to them to find their way back to the lives they want to lead.

      Song for Olivia: A Novel Based on a True Story2023
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