Havana, during that still chaotic Summer of 1994, where strange events continue unfolding on the mysterious island of Cuba. But while earlier in our story the world witnessed something it had not seen in 35 years-Cubans openly revolting against their government-now it will be privy to something even bigger, an event it has not witnessed in 2000 years! God, the Almighty, has decided to be a father again, and this time the child will be a daughter born of a Cuban woman. This second installment of the LUZ series, Troubled Times, takes us through Clara’s pregnancy and the problems she encounters after being left on her own. The soon-to-be mother grows ever more resentful of husband Rigo who has fled to America to pursue his dreams. During the months that follow, Clara purposely cuts off all communication with him until a seemingly unrelated event makes her finally reach out: the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995. This terrorist act has taken place well outside Cuba, but it has a profound impact on Clara now that her child is weeks away from coming into the world. Meanwhile, Clara’s pushy mother insists that Rigo be told about his own child’s birth, even as Clara steadfastly refuses. In an attempt to get Mama off her back, Clara makes a costly mistake that only further complicates her life. And in LUZ-book ii: complications-this story of troubled times continues to get only more complicated and will culminate shortly after the child is born, on a celebration night in honor of new mother and daughter, when several supernatural occurrences will propel Clara to finally reveal her daughter’s identity and who her father is supposed to be, but with unanticipated consequences. Gonzalez is a strong, sometimes idiosyncratic prose-stylist particularly adept at capturing the clash of idealism and futility that marks this period of Cuban history. Kirkus Reviews
