The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

A boy and his family must decide whether to remain in Cuba under a repressive government or risk everything for the chance of a new beginning in this gripping story from the award-winning author of The Red Umbrella.

There are two versions of Hector- the public and the private. It's the only way to survive in communist Cuba-especially when your father was exiled to the U.S. and labeled an enemy of the people. Hector must always be seen as a fierce supporter of the regime, even if that means loudly rejecting the father he still loves.

But in the summer of 1980, those two versions are hard to keep separate. No longer able to suppress a public uprising, the Cuban government says it will open the port of Mariel to all who wish to leave the country-if they can find a boat. But choosing to leave comes with a price. Those who want to flee are denounced as traitors by family and friends. There are violent acts of repudiation, and no one knows if they will truly be allowed to leave the country or not.

So when Hector's mother announces that she wants the family to risk everything to go to the United States, he is torn. He misses his father, but Cuba is the only home he has ever known. All his dreams and plans require him to stay. Can he leave everything behind for an unknown future?

In a summer of heat and upheaval, danger and deadly consequences, Hector's two worlds are on a collision course. Will the impact destroy him and everything he loves?

Christina Diaz Gonzalez's great-grandmother, great-uncle, and extended family came to the U.S. through the Mariel boatlift. She vividly remembers meeting them all for the first time in the summer of 1980 and is proud to share this part of her family's history.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez based this moving novel on her parents' lives, as well as the experiences of the more than 14,000 other unaccompanied adolescents who arrived in the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan. This vast migration of children is a little-known but interesting chapter in history, and Gonzalez has written a compelling drama that vividly brings it to life. Gonzalez worked as a lawyer for a while before returning to her early love of stories and writing. Her debut novel is The Red Umbrella. Christina Diaz Gonzalez, her husband, and their two sons live in Miami, Florida. Visit www.christinagonzalez.com to learn more about her.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780593372791
ISBN 10	0593372794
Title	The Bluest Sky
Author	Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2022-09-06
Number of pages	320
Prizes	Winner of Florida Book Award., Winner of Latino Book Award 2023, Nominated for Utah Beehive Book Award 2024
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.