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A great coming of age of tale! This historical fiction tale follows three teen boys - David, Carlos and Luis - as they not only face normal everyday growing up but also have to endure the struggles and fear of living in Cuba during Fidel's rise to power.

The three friends have a strong friendship and come from three very different families. They spend their summer days diving into the ocean, discovering a growing attraction to the opposite sex and motorcycles. Seems like normal teen life. But then - revolution strikes the island country. I'm already fascinated by this period in history - the 1960s - as there were so many remarkable people shaping the world (Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Castro, etc); so getting to read a fiction piece set in this time was a treat for me.

Their parents all respond in different ways. One parent is a supporter of Fidel, while his wife (steeped in traditional values) is livid and disgusted by his siding with the new regime. David's parents eventually send him to the United States for his safety while they work to secure the proper documents for themselves to leave the country.

Coming of age stories are always a delight to read as it offers a trip down memory lane but you also get to see the ebb and flow of relationships and friendships. How the dynamics change and shift as we grow into ourselves. I was even more taken in by this story as it took place during a revolution. Instead of the story featuring generals and military planning we see how everyday people deal with the added pressure to their lives. We see how their businesses, beliefs and values become challenged. And then discover how they respond in order to keep their families and loved ones safe.

As their strong friendships become not only tested but strained a tragic event occurs which will leave the boys changed forever. They make mistakes and learn from them on their own. They don't let their past dictate their future. And as we we see them grow up and briefly see them become men they still have that sense of adventure from their childhood.

Pelayo Garcia has penned a must read novel that will leave you grinning as you recall your own shenanigans with your childhood friends and give a deeper appreciation of everyday life during a period of turmoil. I truly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it for years to come.

What a great book! This coming-of-age story of three Cuban boys is tremendously compelling and oh, so very real! Although female and seven years younger than David, Carlos, and Luis when Fidel came to power in 1959, the boys lived my life. The book's depiction of life in Cuba after the take-over is exactly as I remember it. I too watched the "barbudos'" triumphant entry into Havana and I too experienced all the swift political and social changes described. I too watched my family torn with indecision about staying or leaving the country and had parallel experiences of events that may seem far-fetched to those who didn't live the era. I can vouch that the closeness of the Cuban mother-son relationships are not over-stated and that the Cuban boy attitudes toward male friends and girls could not be more accurate.

In addition to appreciating the book's veracity, I greatly appreciate the tone. A narrative that could easily have been condemning and melodramatic, was presented with humor, warmth, and compassion.