Carlos Acosta (1) (1973–)

Engrossing book with a twisted plot ending which is somewhat of a cop out. This is the story of Oscar Mandingo,a fourth generation descendant of the founders of the town of Pata de Puerco and the bearer of a magical pig's foot amulet. All alone, Oscar goes in search of his heritage based on what his grandfather, Benicio Mandinga always told him, "No man knows who he is until he knows his past, his history, the history of his country". Even with the last second plot twist, the story is still engaging.… (mehr)

Rather mediocre Cuban novel
By sally tarbox on 21 September 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
Picked this as my choice for Cuba in my round-the-world reading challenge. But only managed about 60 pages before deciding life was too short.
Narrated by a troubled youth who's been brought up by his grandparents, he describes/ imagines his forebears' life in a remote village called Pig's Foot. This is the era of slavery - and of slaughter of the whites by their oppressed black workers. It's a brutish life that leaves the narrator's black great-grandfather a seriously damaged man.
And events unfold and I found I just didn't care. It's all tinged with typical South American magic realism - but this is not to be compared with the superb Garcia Marquez. It's just a bit flat and lacks something.… (mehr)