Days of Awe
Days of Awe
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1994
Book Brief
400
Novel • Fiction
Cuba • 1990s
1994
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Days of Awe by Achy Obejas is a fictional memoir narrated by Alejandra "Ale" San José, a translator from Chicago, who learns surprising truths about her family's history during a trip to Cuba. As Ale navigates between her Catholic upbringing and newfound Jewish heritage, she contemplates identity through a narrative jumping between modern times and 1897, uncovering family secrets of exile and religious conversion. Issues of religious persecution and cultural displacement appear in the novel.
Mysterious
Melancholic
Nostalgic
Bittersweet
Challenging
Reviews & Readership
334 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
In Days of Awe, Achy Obejas crafts a poignant narrative that blends Cuban-American cultural intricacies with a deep exploration of identity and history. Critics praise her lyrical prose and complex characters, though some feel the pacing can be uneven at times. Overall, it's a richly textured novel that resonates with emotional authenticity and depth.
Who Should Read Days of Awe?
A reader who would enjoy Days of Awe by Achy Obejas is likely interested in complex narratives that explore identity, history, and cultural intersections. Fans of Julia Alvarez’s How the García Girls Lost Their Accents and Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street will appreciate the rich, layered storytelling and exploration of diaspora and heritage.
334 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
400
Novel • Fiction
Cuba • 1990s
1994
Adult
18+ years
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