Plot summary, “Days of Awe” by Achy Obejas in 5 Minutes - Book Review
0"Days of Awe" follows the journey of Alejandra "Ale" San José, a young translator from Chicago with Cuban ancestry, as she embarks on a trip to her family's purported homeland, Cuba. Alejandra's story is a fictional memoir narrated from her point of view.
Alejandra's parents fled Cuba for America on the day of the Bay of Pigs, seeking refuge from the impending political turmoil. Raised in Chicago, Alejandra becomes a translator like her father, Enrique, who is renowned in the field. Despite her fascination with Cuba during her childhood, Alejandra's interest wanes as she grows older.
Her opportunity to travel to Cuba for work arises, but Alejandra approaches the trip with skepticism and a sense of detachment. However, her journey takes a significant turn when she reconnects with old family friends, the Menachs, and discovers a shocking revelation about her family's history.
Alejandra learns that her family, previously thought to be devout Catholics, are actually conversos—Jews who converted to Christianity during the Spanish Inquisition to escape persecution. Her father is the grandson of a prominent Jewish war hero from the Cuban war of independence. As Alejandra delves deeper into her heritage, she also discovers Jewish roots on her mother's side.
Amid her exploration of identity, Alejandra forms a close connection with Orlando, a member of the Menach family, who introduces her to modern Cuba. She also learns that her father has secretly practiced his Jewish faith for years. The novel follows Alejandra's journey to reconcile her newfound knowledge with her sense of self, family, and cultural heritage.
"Days of Awe" is an exploration of the complexities of identity, heritage, and self-discovery. It defies traditional narrative structures and delves into philosophical reflections on these themes, using Alejandra's experiences to challenge conventional storytelling.
Throughout the novel, Alejandra navigates the diverse threads of her identity—Cuban, Jewish, Exile, Converso—and seeks to incorporate these various aspects into a coherent understanding of herself. The novel's narrative style mirrors the intricate nature of identity, weaving historical narratives and present-day events to paint a vivid picture of Alejandra's personal and cultural journey.