The Distant Marvels: A Novel - eBook Review

The Distant Marvels is a gripping novel written by the author of many award-winning books, Chantel Acevedo. This book is the meeting point of many genres and emotions – Historical account of a struggle, a family saga, a love story. There are so many reasons that this stunning novel needs to be widely read.

Story Plot

Maria Sirena is a storyteller. Beautiful tales woven out of her past are not only her favorites but also the listeners’. The novel is set in 1963, Cuba. The worst hurricane – Hurricane Flora, hits the region.

All the women living on the island have been evacuated to a former governor’s mansion. Now with no work to do, nowhere to go, the women are all huddled up in a room at the top floor of the mansion. Maria grabs this opportunity to tell gripping stories. Her stories about her childhood in Cuba’s Third War of Independence, her rebellious father, her fierce and loving mother take on a life-changing form for both the teller and the listeners. The stories are all very engaging and meditative.

The Nostalgia Factor

This book not only tells incredible stories. It also makes you remember the good old days when you rested on your grandmother’s lap and her stories filled your ears and heart.

The book is like sunshine; it hits you like the soft rays of the morning sun, just when you are thinking the world around you is getting darker. The book is like a rose, it speaks of pure love and the heartbreak that comes with it, just like the thorns attached to the delicate flower. The writing by Chantel Acevedo does excellent justice to the beautiful stories it is telling. Acevedo has given the story a lyrical touch, which makes reading it so much more joyful.

Verdict

We give 4.5/5 stars to The Distant Marvels. This story within a story is a marvelous read and deserves a special spot on every reader’s bookshelf.

The Distant Marvels by Chantel Acevedo