The Ladies of Managua

by Eleni N. Gage

When Maria Vazquez returns to Nicaragua for her beloved grandfather's funeral, she brings with her a mysterious package from her grandmother's past—and a secret of her own. And she also carries the burden of her tense relationship with her mother Ninexin, once a storied revolutionary, now a tireless government employee. Between Maria and Ninexin lies a chasm created by the death of Maria’s father, who was killed during the revolution when Maria was an infant, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother Isabela as Ninexin worked to build the new Nicaragua. As Ninexin tries to reach her daughter, and Maria wrestles with her expectations for her romance with an older man, Isabela, the mourning widow, is lost in memories of attending boarding school in 1950’s New Orleans, where she loved and lost almost sixty years ago. When the three women come together to bid farewell to the man who anchored their family, they are forced to confront their complicated, passionate relationships with each other and with their country—and to reveal the secrets that each of them have worked to conceal.

Lushly evocative of Nicaragua, its tumultuous history, and vibrant present, The Ladies of Managua brings you into the lives of three strong and magnetic women, as they uncover the ramifications of the choices they made in their pasts and begin to understand the ways in which love can shape their futures.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Travel, Book Club, The Americas, Literary Fiction, Latinx

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2015

About the author

The daughter of a Greek father and a Minnesotan mother, Eleni Gage grew up in Athens, Greece, and Worcester, Massachusetts, and has always been fascinated by cultural rituals, traditions, and syncretisms. That interest led her to study Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University as an undergraduate, and, eventually, to earn an equally practical master's degree, an MFA in Creative Writing, Fiction, from Columbia University. It may have also nudged her to marry the first Nicaraguan she ever met, a coffee trader. Now the Executive Editor of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine and a freelance writer whose travel articles have appeared on the covers of Travel+Leisure, T, Budget Travel, and Town&Country Travel, Eleni has also contributed to Real Simple, the New York Times, Parade, and The American Scholar, and held staff positions at Allure, Elle, InStyle and People magazines. She is the author of the travel memoir North of Ithaka, which describes the year she spent living in a Greek mountain village overseeing the rebuilding of her grandparents house, and the novel Other Waters, which details the life of Maya Das, an Indian-American psychiatrist who thinks that her family has been cursed, as she struggles to forge a single identity while torn between two cultures. Her upcoming novel, The Ladies of Managua, follows three generations of women, each with her own secret, as they’re forced to confront their complicated relationships to each other and to their homeland, Nicaragua. Having spent much of the last decade in Greece, Nicaragua, and Miami, Eleni now lives in New York with her husband and their Greekaraguan daughter.

Reviews

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleni Gage’s The Ladies of Managua is multigenerational novel that follows the lives of grandmother, Isabela; her daughter, Ninexin; and granddaughter, Maria. Isa reflects on lost love, Ninexin on her husband’s death, and Maria on her rocky relationship with her mother. Each woman carries a secret which comes to light when they come together for Isa’s husband’s funeral in Nicaragua.
The Ladies of Managua is an enjoyable read that focuses on love, loss, and the rocky relationship between mothers and daughters.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great on location - culture, history and landscape - but a little uneven in the storytelling.

This is the tale of 3 generations of women from the same Nicaraguan family. Isabela, the matriarch, was educated in a New Orleans school for privileged girls, before returning to a life of duty with her family in Grenada. Bucking against the conservative expectations of society, her daughter Ninexin became a revolutionary, and devoted her life to rebuilding her country. This was at the expense of her daughter, Mariana/Maria, who for reasons of safety was brought up in Miami by her doting grandparents, returning to Nicaragua to see her mother infrequently.

When the story takes place, Isabela's husband has just died. Ninexin is a hot-shot government minister, who barely has time to grieve for her father. Mariana has been living in New York, trying to get some indication of commitment from her much older lover, but she drops everything to return to Nicaragua for the funerary rites. The three women are rarely in such close proximity these days, so when Mariana disappears from her Abuelo's funeral, the hurts and secrets that the three of them harbour, rise to the surface.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book where the characters were being established. However, the second half turned more to plot and there were times when it just couldn't hold my interest. Of course I still wanted to know what would happen to these wonderful women; it just took me a long time to get there. Still, it was a great choice to read for Nicaragua.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in the first person, from the viewpoint of three women, Isabela, Ninexin, and Maria. Isabela is 78 years old and mother to Celia and Ninexin. She and her husband Ignacio raised Maria, because Ninexin was a freedom fighter in the Nicaraguan revolution and then became a government minister too busy to raise a child by herself. Ninexin's husband Manuel died in the revolution.
Maria is now manager of an art gallery in New York city and living with Allen, a painter who is more interested in his paintings than Ninexin. Ignacio dies and all three women come together for his funeral. There is a lot of emotion between the three women and I could not read more than 10-15 pages a day, because it was such an emotional book. I even stopped reading it for a few days to give my brain a rest. Think of the movie "Terms of Endearment" with its mother daughter issues. Isabela also pines for the man, Mauricio, that she wanted to marry but was stopped at the altar by her parents.
Some quotes: Ninexin on her relationship with Maria(Mariana) "I lose Mariana again every time I see her and I never seem to get any better at it."
Maria talking about her grandfather: "...whose soul, Dona Olga said, is supposed to be hovering for the next forty days."
Isabela:...if you live long enough, you start to lose the need to please everyone else all of the time."
I liked the descriptive Nicaraguan atmosphere--myths, description of wildlife, colorful houses and kind people.
The healing process begins about 2/3rds of the way in and by the end, there is peace for all three women. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if it was not so far out of my usual reading genres--mystery/biography/history. I would classify this book as women's fiction.
Isabela has some laugh out lines in the final third of the book.
I rate it 3.5 stars(rounded up to4) out of 5 stars.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program.
My wife just read this book and she rates it a solid 4 stars.

[Jessica - How Jessica Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I'm honest, and I was judging books by their covers, I never would have picked up The Ladies of Managua. But Shelf Awareness sent it to me for review, and I REALLY enjoyed it! It's a family saga set in Nicaragua, telling the story of 3 women.

1. Isabela, the grandmother & high society lady. 2. Ninexin, the mother, former Sandinista revolutionary, current government minister. 3. Maria, the daughter, a would-be artist who has escaped her family's tangled history to live in NYC, until her grandfather's death calls her back to Managua. ‪

Full review for Shelf Awareness soon.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story.

Three generations of women meet at Abuelo´s (Ignacio) funeral in Granada, Nicaragua. There´s Isabela, the grandmother & widow of Ignacio, Ninexin, their daughter who is a Sandinista and current government official, and Mariana (or Maria, for short) who is the third generation and Ninexin´s grown daughter. Each women has a secret that is revealed during their reunion.

Isabela´s great love was not her husband, but Mauricio whom she met while in high school at Sacred Heart in New Orleans. They had planned to elope but her father found out about the wedding and stopped it. She returned to Nicaragua and eventually marrying Ignacio.

Ninexin was a Sandanista revolutionary whose husband, Manuel, was also a revolutionary. He was shot and killed on mission during the war. Ninexin had her baby, Mariana, shortly before the shootout. For her daughters safety, she allowed her parents to take Mariana to Miami to raise her. She has never felt close to her daughter and is jealous of the closeness between Isabela and Mariana.

Maria (as she goes by now) is an artist working in an art gallery in NYC. She has a boyfried, Allan, who followed her to Nicaragua much to the surprise of everyone. She is also pregnant.

This novel is told through the eyes and thoughts of all three women. Each chapter is named for one of them and the story progresses through her.

Great story of "the one great love" in our lives and the love shared between mothers/daughters/grandmothers. Wonderful story. I didn´t care too much for the ending but I see a sequel in the making.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me from the start. The story of Isabel and her daughters, seemingly opposite personalities come together for their father's funeral. But the part I enjoyed the most was Isabel's descriptions of her childhood and then as a young adult. All of the places, from boarding school in New Orleans to the Nicaragua of her youth and of today, give the reader a real sense of belonging. So very descriptive and inviting. I would highly recommend this and think it will make a good book club selection, probably when it is out in paperback. thank you netgalley for letting me review this galley.

[Melissa Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! Told from the perspective of three different generations, the novel centers around the complicated family relationships that make for great reading experiences. Each chapter allows readers to hear from the voices of a grandmother, daughter, and grand-daughter as they meet together for the funeral of the husband/father/grandfather. Present quickly turns to history as we learn how these women have come to their present condition of consistently disappointing each other in their attempts to show love to each other. The book is filled with insights about family dynamics and how difficult it can be for someone to be a mother, daughter, and independent person.

The characters are interesting and the setting is fantastic. Readers have the opportunity to move into the elite circles of wealthy Nicaraguan families, presenting a view of this society that I have often been curious about. I had the pleasure of visiting Nicaragua last summer and the people completely stole my heart. I saw a completely different Nicaragua than the one portrayed in this book, again showing me the danger of a single story. At the same time, the challenges these women faced in understanding one another are common to most anyone and I think many readers will be enchanted by this story.

And for my friends who love Nicaragua as much as I do, this is a highly recommended read.

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel set in Nicaragua (a glimpse of the landscape and the history of Nicaragua)

When Maria Vasquez returns to Nicaragua to attend the funeral of her much loved grandfather, bringing a mysterious package for her grandmother, she steps straight back into the tensions that have always existed in her relationship with her mother, Ninexin, who had been a famous revolutionary, instrumental in helping to create the new Nicaragua. Maria has secrets and troubles of her own in the form of a reluctant-to-commit older boyfriend, who is so absorbed in his burgeoning career as an artist that he is barely aware of Maria’s existence. In fact, invisibility seems to have been Maria’s fate for much of her life – her mother was too busy fighting and then rebuilding the country to have any time for her and her father died when she was a baby, gunned down in somewhat suspicious circumstances that are never explained to Maria. The infant Maria was raised by her doting grandmother, Isabella, who nurses secrets of her own. When Maria tried to ask questions about her father, all she is given is the rather enigmatic reply “Revolutionaries make bad husbands.”

This very well crafted novel has three narrators, the three ladies of the title, Maria, Ninexin and Isabella and the story moves between the three voices and time scales seemingly effortlessly, unfolding in a leisurely manner through these three different viewpoints. The first half of the book is taken up with each woman’s private thoughts: Maria’s anxiety about her relationship and resentment of her mother; Ninexin’s guilt at her abandonment of her daughter; and Isabella’s obsession over a long-ago love affair. The novel really leaps to life, however, when the secrets begin to be revealed, which coincides with the arrival of Maria’s boyfriend, Allen, who has come hot foot in pursuit of her. Over the rest of the book, Maria gets some answers to her questions, particularly the one about revolutionaries making bad husbands.

It requires real skill on the part of a writer to create such different voices for each of the three characters, but surely the most beguiling has got to be Isabella as she takes us back to her girlhood in 1950’s New Orleans. Gage tells us in her acknowledgements that the character is based on her husband’s grandmother and it’s easy to believe. There is real truth in this character and in her story. Isabella is fascinating and infuriating in equal measure, but you never tire of hearing her talk, particularly when she is addressing and putting in his place the rather hapless Allen.

I loved this book, loved the glimpse into such different and differing lives, but what is perhaps best of all about it is the view it gives you of the landscape and the history of Nicaragua, both past and present. Nicaragua, I am told, is one of the really up-and-coming travel destinations and, reading this novel, it isn’t hard to see why.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets. Love. Loss. Passion. This richly-drawn novel weaves the life stories of three generations Nicaraguan women -- Isabella, a grandmother mourning the loss of her husband; her daughter Ninexin, the revolutionary turned stoic government official; and her grand-daughter Maria, an artist living in New York City trying to navigate her own complicated life. Each chapter is told in the first person from an alternating point of view, unfolding the story of the complex family dynamics between these three women. (Note: I found this alternating first person a bit confusing at first and it took me awhile to figure out who was who. I finally stopped at Chapter 3, and wrote out everyone's name, multiple nicknames and relationship to each other. Once I'd done this reading the story became much easier.)

Overall the characters were well developed, especially Isabella and Maria. I found it harder to relate to Ninexin as she seemed stilted and some of her behaviors incongruent. While all the men in the book take supporting roles, they present an interesting character study as they are vastly different from each other.

If you enjoy a good family drama, you will like this book and won't be disappointed.

Note to Boston-area friends, author Eleni Gage will have a book reading/signing for "The Ladies of Managua" at 7 p.m. at Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard St. in Brookline. on Thursday, May 7.

Thank you to NetGally and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Elise Noorda · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Flirting with five stars here) Beautiful, evocative writing - complex and heartrending relationships - history and flavor of Nicaragua. I sought out a book about Nicaragua (because I'm hoping to visit soon) and this gave me a delicious taste of the country, but a wonderful story as well.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three generations of women. Each chapter in the voice of one of them, alternating between them. So full of emotion. The ties that bind the three are so strong even through the secrets they carried and the misunderstandings. I really enjoyed this book.

[Lynne Spreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I can't believe how much work this author did to bring us this story. The Ladies of Managua is written in three voices, three generations of women - grandmother, mother, and daughter - all who are trying to find their way in the present, all weighted down by the past. But what a past!

The central figure for me is Ninexin, the middle-generation woman (named after an Aztec warrior) who was a guerrilla fighter in the Sandinista army of Nicaragua. Now she's a powerful governmental figure, but also she's just a mother whose relationship with her daughter is possibly damaged beyond repair. This is because, during the war, Ninexin leaves her daughter to be raised by the grandmother. All three must figure out who they are now, who they are in relation to each other, and where love fits in relation to their hard-won sense of self.

But beyond this, which I've described badly and made to sound pedestrian, are the settings. From author Gage, who as she said in the afterword married not just a man but his family and his country, we learn about the history and customs of Nicaragua. This by itself was almost worth the read, but also entrancing was the depiction of the life of a privileged young woman (the grandmother) who, in 1951, attends a Catholic girls' school in New Orleans. The descriptions are so rich, I'm amazed at the tenacity and imagination of the author.

The only negative about the story was that the introspection of each of the three characters, the internal monologues, went on too long. In my opinion, the book could have been slightly shorter and the pace enhanced in this way. However, it's such an enveloping read, one immerses oneself in it and enjoys the experience, regardless. Having read it on Kindle, I may buy it in paperback just for the pleasure of having it to read at my leisure for years to come.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting enough book, but I thought there was too much telling and too little showing. There was very little scene setting; I was looking to get a feel for Nicaragua, but I could never get a sense for the landscape or the culture.

Three generations of Nicaraguan women join together for the grandfather's funeral. Bella, the grandmother, was of course saddened by the death of her long-time spouse, Ignacio, but she had always loved Mauricio, who her family didn't allow her to marry. Ninexin, Bella's daughter, was married to Manuel, and together they had been revolutionaries with the Sandinistas. Manuel was killed in 1985 in the siege of a Christmas party being held by the Somoza government's elite. Mariana, the granddaughter, who is in her 30s in the book, resents her mother for being so involved in the revolution and her current government position that she neglected her daughter. In fact, she left most of Mariana's raising to be done by Isabella and Ignacio. Mariana has her own frustrating love affair, but she feels neglected by her lover, a talented painter.

There's a lot of backstory-telling and little immediacy to the scenes. The book could have been more satisfying with an evocative attention to setting and more showing and not telling.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicaragua is such a colorful place. The bright tropics, beaches, jungles mix with the First Lady's penchant for bright pastels on public signage and billboards. The people and history are vibrant too, fraught with resilience, repression, revolution, and war. Those layers of culture, geography, and history can overwhelm the senses at times, and it can be difficult to step back and appreciate each in turn, to find common patterns or narratives without reducionism.

The cover of this novel aptly symbolizes this sentiment, and (more importantly) Eleni Gage's writing beautifully conveys this reality in modern Nicaragua. Using creative narration, excellent pacing, and a genuine respect for the country's complexity, the author successfully weaves together a story that is both personal and national. This is not intended to be historical fiction nor does it cover a long dramatic arc of action; rather, the power of this book is in showing how the dramatic arch of history reverberates in personal lives in unexpected ways.

Read more at http://znovels.blogspot.com/2016/08/t...

[Shana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks, Goodreads!

The Ladies of Managua tells the life stories of Isabela, Ninexin and Mariana: grandmother, daughter and granddaughter through flashbacks and storytelling, all in the few days around Isabela's husband's death. Mariana was basically raised by Isabela because Ninexin was working in the revolution in Nicaragua. Thus, Mariana and Isabela are much closer that Ninexin and Marian, or Ninexin and Isabela, for that matter.

Each woman has more backstory than she shares with the others. It is these secrets that cause problems and resentments. Through the stress of these few short days and a few external triggers, the women finally start telling their stories.

The backstories were what made the book engaging. The secrets and the inability to open up and be close, as they all desired, was frustrating to read, but not unrealistic. I was especially captivated by Isabela's story and how it resolved. While perhaps not realistic, it was nonetheless heartwarming and hopeful.

[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am delighted to have been the recipient of The Ladies of Managua through a Goodreads giveaway.

This wonderful novel delves into the lives of three strong women, mother, daughter, and granddaughter who all harbor a secret which is revealed in the end. The way the story unfolds, each chapter written from the perspective of each women, is marvelously related. My favorite character is Isabel, the grandmother who made sacrifices for her family; Ninexin, the strong revolutionary mother, is fascinating; the granddaughter, nursing anger and bitterness, grows annoying, but redeems herself as her issues are resolved.

Altogether this is a novel well worth reading, rich in detail, totally relatable, and sensitively written with moments of humor and marvelous depiction of the relationship among these three women.

[Shirley Hilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Masterfully written.
The story is told in the voices of 3 generations - the grandmother Isabela, the mother Ninexin, and the (grand)daughter Mariana. The grandmother and granddaughter have a strong foothold in two cultures/countries - Nicaragua and the U.S. The mother Ninexin has been intimately involved with politics and revolution in Nicaragua her entire life, which has created a divide between her and her daughter Mariana (Maria). Mariana has mostly been raised by her grandmother, resents her mother's long absences, and is struggling to forge her own way in the world. The narrative beautifully illustrates the complexity of love and family, and the way we struggle with the consequences of our decisions.
Strong character development. The individual stories are complex, and each character's dilemma is resolved in surprising and satisfying ways. I couldn't put it down!

[Sharon Boorstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel because it is set in present-day Nicaragua, a country where I spent seven years doing PR for the Nicaraguan Tourism Board and a couple of resorts. Written by an American magazine editor whose husband has family roots in Nicaragua, the story references many of the cities and hotels that I know, and the heroine takes a trip to the exotic Solentiname Islands in Lake Nicaragua, a place I have always wanted to visit.

The story itself is simple -- a young Nicaraguan woman living in NY gets pg by her older lover and travels to Nicaragua, where we learn resonating stories about her mom and grandma and their lovers. Easy reading, nothing profound, but good for anyone who likes Chick Lit and/or is interested, as I am, in Nicaragua.

[Marisa Gonzalez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Three generations of women come together for the funeral of the patriarch of the family in Nicaragua. Each one is different - the grandmother was a woman who was forced to live a traditional life and regrets it - the mother who became a Sandinista revolutionary at the expense of raising her daughter and the daughter who felt abandoned by her mother and how she is dealing with a relationship to an older man. This was a typical chick-lit book. It is NOT a book about Latinas in that other than descriptions of places in Nicaragua it gives no insight to life and customs in Nicaragua and has virtually no Spanish dialog which made it inauthentic.

[Garryvivianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three generations of women from Managua Nicaragua, the matriarch, the revolutionist daughter & her daughter. Told by each women, the story tells of the grandmother's life growing up, her daughter who was a revolutionist in the Sandinista movement & her daughter raised by her grandparents, and now an artist in New York City.

They meet up again when the father/grandfather dies. There are secrets, dreams, memories. Written really well, each chapter dedicated to each woman, each has their stories about their lives, each one has their own secrets.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dynamics of daughters-mothers-grandmothers and how the men in each of their lives impacts each other was very interesting and far more dramatic than my own life. I felt that Nicaragua itself played a minor role; could have been just about any country/culture/priority that divides attention from parenthood, especially in the eyes of a young child.

[Ayannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

i don’t remember what made me buy this book, i’ve had it for about five years now and i wouldn’t have got it if i knew it was written by a white woman because it shows. the book is based on the author’s mother in law but the isabela character felt like a caricature at time and the depictions of Central American felt like those of a tourist.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as a galley from the publisher. I loved this book. This is a passionate and vibrate story of three incredible women. I was engrossed from page one. I loved the Nicaraguan landscape. This is delightful and will stick with you for a while after reading. Highly recommend.

[Erica]

I received this book for free through the Goodreads' First Reads program. I began reading it last night, and so far I am intrigued. Looking forward to delving into this book and seeing how things turn out!

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in the First Reads drawing. It has a great story of three generations of women getting back together after living separate lives for a while. For me it was just a bit of a slow read. I finished it but I was glad when it was over :/

[Melissa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and the relationships. I would recommend this book, it's pretty long, and it took me a while to get into it, the 2nd half was good. Goodreads Giveaway.

[TJ]

Started the book but gave up early on- written by a Greek American woman. There are better written stories written by Central American women

[Dani C M · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Nicaraguan specifically from Managua, I think I’m entitled to be baffled by the contents of this book. They barely spend any time in Managua, and only one of them can really be called “of” Managua. There were strange inaccuracies, such as misnaming the funeral home. And of course, so many Latino cliches.

There was no meaningful description of the city or of any other part of the country. Granada was alright, which makes sense, if the author lived there. There was so much internal thought, especially at the beginning, that it drove me crazy. So much telling that could’ve been showing.

The politics in this book are both superficial and delusional. Who thought it was a good idea for one of the characters to offer to introduce her daughter and mother to Fidel Castro? To joke about flirting with him? To laugh at the fact that her mother is dating a Cuban who’s anti-Castro?

The relationships and conflicts between a three women were the least objectionable parts, and each of their arcs was okay. Despite that, I felt the setting and context were simply used (derogatory), and it did not feel good.

[Cindy Lakatos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story about three Nicaraguan women, Isabela (the grandma), Ninexin (the mom), and Mariana (the daughter). Ninexin has passionately committed her life to the improvement of Nicaragua by being a revolutionist. She is brave and beautiful, but also guilt ridden due to the circumstances of her husband’s death and the fact that she allowed her daughter to be raised by her parents. Mariana has grown up with resentment due to the absence of her patents. It doesn’t matter how famous or what good you are doing. If you aren’t there for your children, you are causing hurt. And then there’s Isabela - her story was my favorite- a long lost true love with the hope of rekindle while coming to terms with the beauty of her marriage to a man she loved, although he wasn’t “the one.” This story showed “tenderness and bravery” and illustrated how “all anyone really wants is comfort, safety and affection.”