The story of Aurora Michavila, a young Latina in her twenties, is a good example of how the Spanish language affects your way of thinking. When Aurora was twenty-eight years old, she went to visit her native Cuba where her family had immigrated many years earlier. During this visit her mother presented her with a gift that would change her life, a book called “Aurora: A Cuban Novel”. It was written by Jose Maria Figueiredo and was set to be published by Encounter Press, a New York publisher best known for publishing works by foreign authors. The book’s publisher, Carlos Molinero, produced a commercial in Spanish for its first printing in four languages including Spanish, English, Korean, and Portuguese, a feat that at the time was seen as a major break through for the Spanish language in the American market.
In her first paragraph, the book is described as a tale about a young woman living in the slums of Havana, Cuba, working as a bar maid. The story chronicles her trials and triumphs as a young woman trying to find love and happiness while struggling with an identity crisis that culminates in her enlisting the services of a well know a con artist known as Hidalgo. The book was quickly praised in both the literary world and was soon to become a best seller. Michavila’s own writing style is described as distinctive and engaging in a manner that immediately grabs the reader’s attention. Although Aurora’s story is set during the 1950’s revolution, the cultural references are clearly seen and the book reads just like a modern day sequel to “Aurora”.
Hidalgo and his associate, Jara Mendoza, are two archetypal characters from Cuban literature that would seem to be ripped from the pages of a novel by Jose Maria Figueiredo. The characters are so similar that even the most avid readers would be hard pressed to determine the difference between the two without reading the Spanish original. Michavila’s translation of Hidalgo and Mendoza has the feel of a very good mystery thriller. The story and the style of writing are both engaging and beautiful, making this a must read for anyone interested in Cuban Literature.