It's 1959 and Emma Gant has just graduated college and is determined to get out of her little town, escape her abusive stepfather and make her mark as a reporter for the Miami Star newspaper.
As she settles in at the Julia Tuttle Hotel, now home to many of Cuba's wealthy exiles, she looks forward to calls from her married lover, Paul, the occasional dinner out with her aunt Tess and sharpening her observation skills as she meets many Cuban families, some who work at the hotel and others who are just waiting for the collapse of Fidel Castro's government.
Despite Emma's savvy she still has to earn her place at the newspaper and her first assignments cover the obituary pages. It's hard for Emma not to feel envious of other reporters who are the stars and get the front page news but she goes to the newspaper morgue to study their writing, and most important Emma doesn't sit and wait for news to happen she is constantly thinking of how to turn a brief item into a story.
In only a short time in Miami, Emma will meet many people either through her work or because of where she lives but two will stand out among all others. She befriends a young Cuban man who is forming part of an anti-Castro movement, and she meets a former madam who becomes sort of an obsession for Emma who longs to write her story.
Peppered with Spanish words and descriptions of food and people, Gail Godwin captures the atmosphere of Miami. I really enjoyed Emma's inner dialogue and her determination. Something else I wouldn't normally comment on but I highly recommend reading the Afterword from the author. It gives the reader more insight into Emma and the ambitions of a young writer.
This was a very enjoyable novel and one that's made me want to look for other novels by Gail Godwin.
Additional Resources:
Author's Web Site
Added 03/07