Let me state right up front that I’m not a romantic person; I don’t like love stories, and I tend to avoid any books or films that might contain too much “mushy stuff.” And if a book has the word love in the title, you can bet I’ll usually be avoiding it like the bird flu (more later about bird flu). But this book, which had the word love in the title, also had my name (yes, Che is my real name) on it.
I enjoy seeing my name on the covers of books, and though I’d prefer to see it listed as author, I’ll happily settle for showing up in the title once in a while. Sure, yeah, I know. Any book with my name in the title isn’t about me, it's about that other Che; you know which one I'm talking about. One day perhaps I will be as famous as he, though likely not for the same things.
So, because my name was in the title, and because I figured you can’t get much weirder than a love story about Che Guevera, I grabbed this book from my local library shelf, brought it home, and read it in one sitting. Thankfully, it turned out to be much more than just a romance.
Loving Che, by Ana Menendez, is the story of a young woman raised by her grandfather in Miami, having been brought by him to the US from Havana in the 1960s. She never knew her mother, Teresa, who remained behind. After her grandfather’s death, the nameless main character goes to Cuba in search of her mother. On the verge of giving up, she receives a parcel in the mail. Inside are letters from her mother, detailing Teresa’s life in Cuba, her marriage to a kind academic, her work as an artist, and her forbidden but passionate love affair with Che Guevera. Our main character’s interest in her mother is rekindled, and she again returns to Havana, seeking not only her mother, but the truth about Che, the man who may be her father.
The first and last parts of the book are told from the point of view of the nameless main character, whereas the middle is told in short chapters that represent the letters of Teresa. These chapters are snippets of memory, in no particular order, snapshots of places, people and moments in the life of a woman who has nothing left but her memories. These chapters are especially beautifully written, poignant and poetic, and they are frequently punctuated by photographs of Che.
Article comments
1 - Matthew Bright
It has been verified by numerous sources that Che Guevera walked into a prison courtyard shortly after the "Revolution" and personally executed a 14 year old boy with a pistol shot to the head, after harangueing him about "socialist ideals" and the "crimes of the bourgesie."
As far as I'm concerned, it's like a love story featuring Beria or Himmler. Quite perverse, if you're into that sort of thing.
2 - Che
Unfortunately, I can't reply to your comment without giving the end of the book away, which I never do in reviews. But I can say the following:
The book is fiction, and it is about people, a very personal story, not a political one. It doesn't glorify any political figures nor does it glorify any particular political affiliation. It does portray a very honest reaction of people to the turmoil around them. Though the affair with Guevara forms a surreal focus of the book, in the end, the novel - as I said in the review - is about the gifts that flow down the course of generations. Its more about the gifts a mother can give a daughter whom she has never seen.
Thank you for commenting.
3 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
4 - Che
Thanks Natalie
5 - Ana Menendez
No, I am not the author, but, I am a Cuban who was exiled to this wonderful country, USA. No matter what, Che was a sadistic murderer whose only interest in life was torture, lies and communism. I am proud to be a Cuban, one who believes in democracy and doesn't glorify or revere people who are worthless.
6 - Maricel Peon-Farrell
While, I have not read Ms. Menendez' book, I know the premise and have read many reviews. I guess I just find it hard (and disturbing) to imagine anyone falling in love with a sadistic, ruthless murderer - a communist responsible for the deaths of so many people. To my amazement, Che Guevara continues to be glorified and admired by many intellectuals. Most of whom pride themselves in being outspoken and critical of their government. My question to all you Che-lovers is the following: Do you realize that you are exactly the kind of person that would have been imprisoned, tortured and executed by your hero?