The Tilting House

by Ivonne Lamazares

Two estranged sisters with a complicated past and an acrimonious present reunite in 1990s Cuba to confront the riddle of family amid the scars of political upheaval

In the summer of 1993, Yuri, a teenage orphan, is living with her strict, religious aunt Ruth in a Havana suburb when Mariela, a thirty-four-year-old artist, arrives from the United States with a shocking revelation. She claims to be Yuri's sister, insisting that she and Yuri share a mother, and that Ruth essentially kidnapped her when she sent her into exile against her will through Operation Pedro Pan. Forced to grow up in orphanages, Mariela spent the past three decades in the United States and has returned to Cuba to reclaim her roots, make art, and perhaps seek vengeance on Ruth. Yuri is both fascinated and repulsed by the young, glamorous, and aggrieved Mariela. When Ruth is jailed for unknown charges, Yuri falls further into Mariela’s mercurial orbit.

Spanning two countries and three decades, The Tilting House explores identity and family loyalty, the effects of losing one’s mother and motherland, the scars of political and historical upheaval, and an immigrant’s complex quest both to return “home” and to be free from the past. Through her long journey, Yuri comes to understand that the past cannot be fully recovered, or fully escaped, even as she approaches the possibility of compassion for Mariela, for Ruth, for others, and for herself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Literary Fiction, Drama, Hispanic

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2025

Reviews

[Kyla Smet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Tilting House presents a compelling premise: two estranged sisters reuniting in 1990s Cuba amidst political upheaval. However, despite the intriguing setup, the execution felt somewhat uneven. I found the storyline hard to follow at times, and it was challenging to keep all the characters straight, which detracted from fully immersing myself in their journeys. There were moments where the narrative seemed to be building to something significant, but then it never quite delivered on that promise, leaving a sense of unfulfilled potential.

Overall, the book fell a bit flat for me, and it often seemed like the author did more telling rather than showing, which made it difficult to truly connect with the characters' emotions and motivations. While the themes of identity, family loyalty, and the scars of history are certainly present, they don't always land with the impact they could have. It's a readable book with some strong atmospheric elements, but it ultimately left me wishing for a clearer narrative and deeper character development.

Thank you to Goodreads and Counterpoint Press for the complimentary copy of the book.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very different. Allegorical?
Complex, thoughtful story of 2 sisters, (both orphans) united--to a degree--late in life.
Yuri, the teenage narrator, lives in a sketchy Havana suburb (where everybody is seemingly corrupt just to get by) with her Aunt Ruth.

When 30-something glamorous artist Mariela arrives from the States, she shockingly claims that Yuri is her sister, and Yuri's presumed Aunt Ruth is really their mother--a revelation Yuri cannot accept.
Mariela has supposedly returned to Cuba to claim her roots and honor the country of her birth with her unconventional art.

Who is Yuri really? To whom does she "belong"? What does she owe to herself, her "Aunt" Ruth, Mariela, her friends and family, and her country?

From that point, the story progresses over some 30 years regarding personal and cultural identity and betrayal within the context of Castro's Cuba of the 50's to the present. Can Yuri reconcile her deserting her roots and immigrating to the States? So many parallels in the relationship between Yuri and Mariela to Cuban politics and identity post revolution Cuba.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book snuck up on me. It’s propelled by voice: Yuri, its narrator, takes us around 1990s Cuba after the return of her American-raised sister and the changes it brings to her and her aunt’s life. A teenager for most the novel, Yuri struggles to understand the complex trades of morality, survival, bribes, and alliances that keep the neighborhood moving. After her aunt is detained, she’s at the whims of her sister, an artists claiming to reconnect with her homeland. There’s a rich history embedded in Yuri’s voice, which sometimes asks the reader to read between the lines, to bring the reflective perspective before she comes to the revelations herself. It’s heavy in all its all trying to say about the intersections of family and politics and migration and class stratification, and in many places it succeeds.

[E Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a neat little Hallmark-movie of a book, The Tilting House is not for you. But if you want a beautifully written novel that explores, while following the plot of the complicated relationship of the two sisters, (if they are actually sisters...), the complexities of power differentials (both governmental and personal), including the corruptions of the communist dictatorship (you can very much feel what it's like to be in Cuba in the 90s), and also the cruelties of capitalism; the difficulties (and absurdities) of making art; as well as what it means to be an immigrant - both literally and metaphorically (ie, what constitutes a home, a self) you’ll relish this quietly big and encompassing novel. A brilliant read. 

[maxwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

unfortunately just didn't love this book and forced my way through it

[Agnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to start this book - the cover and description sold it as something I usually love - but this was such a painful miss.

I know this book should make me think about the nature of human decisions, and the relativity of good, bad and guilty in hard times of survival but... I got none of the deep feels I feel like I should have... the main character is so passive (even for a teenager) it is painful and all the others are so plain their actions have no toll on my opinion on them.

I feel like this book wanted to work me hard but didn't even get to touch me. I'm not even angry... all I feel is..."meh" which is the worst possible thing.

[Nish · Rating 2 out of 5]

hmm.. i really liked the premise, but I don't think it delivered for me. There were so many aspects and things that happened that had potential, but didn't amount to much in the book.
Also, I entirely did not understand Mariela.
The only thing I enjoyed was the insight into the situation in Cuba and the turmoil that occurred for the people (who stayed and left) during that time.

[Elena L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ 3.5/5 stars ]

1993 Havana - Yuri is a teenage orphan who lives with her religious aunt Ruth when Mariela, a thirty-four-year-old artist, arrives from the US claiming to be Yuri's sister. This novel follows the way a family and the people surrounding them are impacted by the revolution. When fake memories can become real ones, the story is as chaotic as it should be amidst political upheaval. Despite the lack of deeper emotional resonance, I appreciate the glimpse of the Cuban community, anchored by a bit of family drama and messiness while also brimming with (undeniable) bonds, joys and dreams. THE TILTING HOUSE is very Latinx and I yearned for more.

[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Counterpoint press . All opinions are my own ]

[Chelsea Cauley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had such a compelling premise two estranged sisters reconnecting in 1990s Cuba during a time of political and personal upheaval but the execution didn’t fully land for me.

While the setting was vivid the story was often hard to follow and I struggled to keep track of the characters.

I found it difficult to connect emotionally with the characters or their journeys. The plot built toward moments that never fully delivered.

There were strong atmospheric elements, but overall, I found myself wishing for more clarity and deeper development.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book really fell flat for me. I almost DNF it several times but I ended up finishing it since it was less than 300 pages.

I didn't feel connected to any of the characters. Mariela was confusing. Yuri lacked agency for her age. Each part of the storyline that seemed really important never really came to fruition in the end. Things just felt a little too random.

[Mummi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughtful prose, I appreciated the descriptive mood board of life in Cuba. However, the story itself did not hold my interest. The characters were frustrating, inconsistent and ambiguous. The plot felt scattered, repetitive and by the end, I just wanted to be done.

[Kai · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10

[Cake2go · Rating 1 out of 5]

A historical fiction is supposed to transport you to a time and place you can no longer visit…. This book did NOT accomplish that.

It was in a word DISSAPOINTING

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow such an amazing read. Expertly captures the complexity and tragedy of 90s cuba through a naive young teen Yuri and her troubled older sister Mariela. The Peter Pan project, revolution, the special period........mountains and mountains of corruption. Highly recommend reading this