Havana Black
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Review
"Padura's powerful writing creates an atmospheric picture of a turbulent city, illuminated by Conde's sardonic commentary." Sunday Telegraph Conde is thrown into the thick of a tangled web of mysticism, politics and subversive activity. The subterfuges adopted by people in everyday life, particularly in a climate of repression, are captured perfectly in Padura's seamy, heat-soaked pages and Conde's mask of "fears, wariness and lies" lends him mystique". Guardian "A scorching novel from a star of Cuban fiction. Conde's quest follows the basic rhythm of the whodunit, but Padura syncopates it with brilliant literary riffs on Cuban sex, society, religion, even food" Independent "Nothing is what it seems in this case, which has less to do with crime than with the struggle for identity in a corrupt society where outsiders are exiled in their own country. This prize-winning crime noir is the first of a quartet by Cuba's celebrated writer to be translated into English." Daily Mail"
Product Description
A brutally mutilated body is discovered washed up in the bay of Havana. The body of Miguel Forcade Mier, head smashed in by a baseball bat, genitals cut off by a dull knife. Forcade, once an official in the Cuban government responsible for the confiscation of the belongings of the bourgeoisie fleeing the revolution, was an exile in Miami. Had he really returned to Havana just to visit his ailing father? Conde immerses himself in the dark history of expropriations of works of art, paintings that have vanished without trace, corrupt civil servants and old families that lost much, but not everything. Here is the disillusion of Padura's generation, many of them veterans of the war in Angola, dealing with the catastrophe that followed the collapse of Russian aide in the 1990's and now discovering the corruption of those that preceded them. Yet a eulogy of Cuba, its life of music, sex and the great friendships of those who elected to stay and fight for survival.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
On a summer's day I was walking through Waterstones and had a look at this little beauty. The synopsis sounded really good, an intriguing tale of 'Murder/Mystery' on the Island of Cuba - it even quotes that there is "Brilliant literary riffs on Cuban Sex, Society, Religion and even food"...
I have to say, being brutally honest, this book is very very average. It is written in a very limited way, and even has spelling mistakes all the way through it (I know this was translated from Spanish, but still??). The writer is constantly 'leading up' to the crescendo of solving the mystery... but when it comes round, it is lame.
I would suggest that if you want to read something entertaining about Cuban culture, look out for "Dirty Havana Trilogies". Although it isn't a Murder/Mystery - it is a damn fine read. If the crime fiction is your thing, I would suggest sticking to the Walter Mosley and James Lee Burke's of this world.
I have to say, being brutally honest, this book is very very average. It is written in a very limited way, and even has spelling mistakes all the way through it (I know this was translated from Spanish, but still??). The writer is constantly 'leading up' to the crescendo of solving the mystery... but when it comes round, it is lame.
I would suggest that if you want to read something entertaining about Cuban culture, look out for "Dirty Havana Trilogies". Although it isn't a Murder/Mystery - it is a damn fine read. If the crime fiction is your thing, I would suggest sticking to the Walter Mosley and James Lee Burke's of this world.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
excellent Cuban police procedural
25 May 2006
Format:Paperback
Havana Police Lieutenant Mario Conde just wants to do the right thing on the job though the Party makes that difficult. However, he is irate and bitter over the forced replacement of his professional supervisor by a party hack; he deems the job is not worth the political correctness that previously was overwhelming, but now is impossible to navigate without connections. This Conde decides to join many other professionals by hiding behind rum and cigarettes, preferably imported from another Caribbean island or the States.
However, a fascinating case comes his way so he agrees to put aside the rum, but not the cigarettes to investigate the homicide of a former minister whose job was to seize pre-revolutionary art. The victim was castrated before he had his head smashed to smithereens. Besides the violence, Conde wonders why someone living safely in a relatively luxurious lifestyle in Florida would return to Cuba where he had many enemies. Conde assumes if he can learn that he can figure out the motivation and consequently identify the culprit though a Communist hack accompanies him to insure he investigates in accordance with State policy as the unwritten ones arehe most dangerous all before a hurricane hits.
HAVANA BLACK, the sequel to the superb HAVANA RED, is an excellent Cuban police procedural that provides readers with a terrific investigation while guiding the audience around Havana three decades after the Communist revolution. The case is top rate as it provides insight into the Florida exile community, the impoverish masses left behind on the island, and the Party hacks. Few writers can paint a picture of optimism and pessimism with the same stroke as Leonard Padura does through his hero. The Two colorful Havana tales are winners worth reading unless you are an exile or a Fidel-phile.
Harriet Klausner
However, a fascinating case comes his way so he agrees to put aside the rum, but not the cigarettes to investigate the homicide of a former minister whose job was to seize pre-revolutionary art. The victim was castrated before he had his head smashed to smithereens. Besides the violence, Conde wonders why someone living safely in a relatively luxurious lifestyle in Florida would return to Cuba where he had many enemies. Conde assumes if he can learn that he can figure out the motivation and consequently identify the culprit though a Communist hack accompanies him to insure he investigates in accordance with State policy as the unwritten ones arehe most dangerous all before a hurricane hits.
HAVANA BLACK, the sequel to the superb HAVANA RED, is an excellent Cuban police procedural that provides readers with a terrific investigation while guiding the audience around Havana three decades after the Communist revolution. The case is top rate as it provides insight into the Florida exile community, the impoverish masses left behind on the island, and the Party hacks. Few writers can paint a picture of optimism and pessimism with the same stroke as Leonard Padura does through his hero. The Two colorful Havana tales are winners worth reading unless you are an exile or a Fidel-phile.
Harriet Klausner
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Reviewed by Barb Radmore
25 Jan 2007
Format:Paperback
After the dismissal of his boss from the police Mario Conde hands in his resignation also. He is frustrated by the wave of corruption uncovered within the force and the blame directed at this long time mentor. But his letter of resignation is not accepted by the new Police Chief. In order for Mario to earn it he must solve the murder of a recently discovered corpse. If he can find the murderer within three days he can retire from the job for which he has lost his taste. The corpse of Miguel Forcade was found on a Havana Beach, killed by a blow to the head but also with his genitals cut off. After defecting from Cuba this is the first time Forcade had returned to his parent's house. Mario must sort through the history of stolen and confiscated artwork and Forcade's reticent family members to discover the truth.
As Hurricane Felix approaches the island of Cuba, building in speed and strength so does the pace of the story build and expand. It is an impending storm that mimics the suspense of the story, from the case to the anticipated retirement of Mario from the police force to his up coming 36th birthday. The hurricane is not only Mario's fixation, it is the winds of time approaching the shores of modern Cuba. The hurricane becomes a main character of this mystery, waiting in the wings to make a sweeping entrance, perhaps wiping clean both the murder and the corruption of the times.
This is a detective story for the senses, a tale that unfolds by sights, sounds and smell. The land of Cuba, its people and its history are seen and felt through the descriptive prose of Padura. With sentences that extend 18 lines or more, Peter Black has been able to translate the Spanish phrasing into masterful English. The prose is not for those looking for an easy to read, common crime noir but for those seeking a uncommon piece of literature.
As Hurricane Felix approaches the island of Cuba, building in speed and strength so does the pace of the story build and expand. It is an impending storm that mimics the suspense of the story, from the case to the anticipated retirement of Mario from the police force to his up coming 36th birthday. The hurricane is not only Mario's fixation, it is the winds of time approaching the shores of modern Cuba. The hurricane becomes a main character of this mystery, waiting in the wings to make a sweeping entrance, perhaps wiping clean both the murder and the corruption of the times.
This is a detective story for the senses, a tale that unfolds by sights, sounds and smell. The land of Cuba, its people and its history are seen and felt through the descriptive prose of Padura. With sentences that extend 18 lines or more, Peter Black has been able to translate the Spanish phrasing into masterful English. The prose is not for those looking for an easy to read, common crime noir but for those seeking a uncommon piece of literature.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Not detestable
27 April 2010
Format:Paperback
Leonardo Padura's "Havana Black" is set in post-revolution Cuba and follows a thirty-something police detective, Mario Conde, who has an affinity for cigarettes and rum. While awaiting the onslaught of hurricane Felix, Conde must solve a high-profile murder involving a returning revolutionary defect or he will not be granted permission to leave the force to pursue his true passion - writing.
Lovers of formulaic detective stories may find this book disappointing. The plot places the emphasis on Conde's personal life, as well as the personal lives as his friends, rather than on the resolution of the crime committed. While this may be attractive to those who have read the entire series, I found this aspect perturbing for a stand-alone work. Luckily, the emphasis on characters' personal lives does redeem itself in that it allows for an interesting examination of Cuban society, and those cubanos who grew up after the revolution. However, the book may annoy those who enjoy attempting to solve the crime as the novel possesses, because Padura does not offer enough clues, and therefore cheats the reader out of this mental game.
Overall, "Havana Black" is an easy and not completely un-enjoyable read, but disappoints if you are looking for a straight up and stand alone detective story.
Lovers of formulaic detective stories may find this book disappointing. The plot places the emphasis on Conde's personal life, as well as the personal lives as his friends, rather than on the resolution of the crime committed. While this may be attractive to those who have read the entire series, I found this aspect perturbing for a stand-alone work. Luckily, the emphasis on characters' personal lives does redeem itself in that it allows for an interesting examination of Cuban society, and those cubanos who grew up after the revolution. However, the book may annoy those who enjoy attempting to solve the crime as the novel possesses, because Padura does not offer enough clues, and therefore cheats the reader out of this mental game.
Overall, "Havana Black" is an easy and not completely un-enjoyable read, but disappoints if you are looking for a straight up and stand alone detective story.
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