Evamar

by Margarita Engle

From award-winning author Margarita Engle comes an enthralling and heartrending novel in verse about first love, hidden cultures, and ancestral connections that follows a teen’s journey to uncover her late grandmother’s roots in Cuba.

Just before she was transformed
into an invisible spirit
my grandmother whispered her last wishes
into my

Sprinkle my ashes in a patch of girasoles,
wait patiently, harvest the seeds,
fly to la isla, find el jardín,
plant las semillas.
Then and only then—
read my diaries.

Evamar has arrived in Cuba with her abuela’s ashes and her mother’s Don’t talk politics, boil the tap water before you drink, y por favor absolutamente, don’t fall in love. But then she meets Río, a captivating drummer whose music and presence she can’t ignore.

Río bears his own scars, separated from his family in the United States. As their bond deepens, Evamar discovers an ancestral treasure that could change her future—and the lives of millions of Caribbeans.

Genres: Poetry, Young Adult, Young Adult Contemporary

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2026

About the author

Margarita Engle is a Cuban-American poet, novelist, and journalist whose work has been published in many countries. She lives with her husband in northern California.

Reviews

[callistoscalling]

Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy; all thoughts are my own.

📖 Book Review 📖 Sometimes grief unfurls into a journey that is best told in prose. Margarita Engle brings Cuban culture to young adult readers - and beyond - in her beautiful new book. Evamar explores themes of how multiple generations of the same family adapted to new customs and lifestyles as exiles from their homeland, testing their faith and fortitude. This story is raw and real and touches on so many emotions that we can all relate to. In the throes of loss and grief, love abounds and creates new memories. In a time where so many seem to have forgotten that humanity is not defined by borders, Evamar resounds with beauty and light.

[Eden]

DNF @12%

I could not tell you a single side character’s name. In my opinion, the novel-in-verse format doesn’t work for the story the author is trying to tell. I was just confused and didn’t care enough to try and figure out what was going on.

[Heidi]

Excellent research and exposition on the Taino language. The verse format conveyed the plot and characterization in a dynamic way.

[yours in yellow 💛]

4 ⭐️

What a sorrowfully beautiful book! Just from the first few pages, I immediately thought, “This is already so incredibly powerful.” 🫶

No history class I’ve ever taken was as educational as EVAMAR was on Cuban history and the Taíno (which only speaks to the matter of foreign occupation explored throughout the book). It was absolutely compelling, impactful, and insightful!

I may not be Cuban, but as someone from the Philippines, so much of Evamar’s sentiments hit close to home. She was able to translate feelings into words that I wouldn’t have been able to—a sense of homesickness for people & a place, the impression of belonging or lack thereof, and this flood of guilt knowing that your people live in inhospitable conditions compared to your life in the US. Engle handled these sensitive themes gracefully. <3

This was my first time reading a novel in verse, and I’m very happy that it was EVAMAR! The poetry was uncomplicated yet full of depth, allowing us to follow along the story easily. I especially love how the audience is given some freedom to interpret what happens and exactly how it happens beyond what’s explicitly written! I look forward to reading more novels in verse because of how lovely this one was 🤗

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for the opportunity to read this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review! #SimonTeenInfluencer #EvamarBook

Yours in Yellow,
T 💛

[MrsReganReads]

Great novel in verse set in Cuba. I loved the grandmothers story, the mythology woven in, and the discussion about ‘extinct’ languages. Dog-eared a few pages with great language!
The romance didn’t hit for me, and the end was too rushed, and I wanted more of the family angle - but a solid overall story.

[Erika]

A world of dreaming in verse. This is a tale of discovered ancestors, language, and love.

I love books in verse! Telling a whole story through poetry such that it builds and builds, sometimes with the words structured to mimic the things they describe. It’s absolutely brilliant. This book in verse is even more special for also deftly providing a window to finding oneself and young love, rediscovering family roots and culture, and demonstrating the contradictions and hardships of Cuban-American relations.

Seventeen-year-old Evamar journeys to Cuba on a quest to better know her recently deceased grandmother and spread her ashes. The sunflowers that grow and the relationships she builds are sure to stay with her beyond what’s shared in this beautiful book in verse. This young adult novel from award-winning author Margarita Engle is both beautiful and eye-opening. Highly recommend, especially if you enjoy novels in verse and/or the human side of Latin American relations. Do note though that there is Spanish peppered throughout the book. These words and phrases are usually cleverly translated, and always adds to the story, but could be challenging for those not already familiar with Spanish.

Read EVAMAR for
📚 Third-gen insights
💕 Coming of age
🎙️ Novel in verse
🌻 Inherited memories
😍 Young love
😴 Sleeping and reawakening languages
🪘 Undocumented dreams
🇨🇺 Cuban politics
😬 Family turmoil
✌️ Dual POV

🥰 Thanks to SimonTeen for the gifted physical and digital advance reader copies (ARC) of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Sacha]

3 stars

Unfortunately, this was part of a collection of disappointing weekend reads. While I've enjoyed many books by this author, I had a hard time really connecting with these characters. The book moves fast, but is so short that it felt a bit lacking in substance.

My favorite aspect of this book is two-fold: Engle's characteristically excellent use of verse and the discussion of language and how language shapes us. While I can draw on motif and style, there's just not enough depth here. Again, I'm shocked to be writing this since this is an experience I've not previously had with this author.

While this is not a bad book, it's not Engle's best, and there are many other wonderful options from which to choose.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Halcyon]

Evamar is a very well-thought out novel, written in a beautifully poetic way, telling the story of a girl uncovering her ancestral roots in Cuba. She goes on a journey to spread her grandmother’s ashes, connect with her culture, and meet a boy.

This was a very different read for me, in the aspect of the story and the way it was written. It’s very poetic, but written like journal entries (which means there’s no dialogue between any of the characters).

I don’t think I would’ve picked up this book if I wasn’t given an eARC, but it’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it! Overall, I thought it was a heartwarming and inspirational read.

Thanks, Simon Teen, for the eARC!

[Elisa]

Evermar is a beautifully written novel in verse that I flew through in one sitting. The format made it incredibly accessible while still packing an emotional punch.
I really appreciated how thoughtfully it explored grief, healing, and the importance of preserving language and cultural identity. Those themes felt authentic and added so much heart to the story.
It was sweet, but I wish the relationship had been given more time to develop so I could feel more invested in it.
Overall, this was a heartfelt, meaningful read that blends beautiful prose with important conversations, and I'm glad I picked it up.

[Michelle Tuite]

Reading 2026
Book 198: Evamar by Margarita Engle

Book 5 of #30booksin30days is a YA book in verse I got from #NetGalley in exchange for my review. Read the book on my Kindle.

Quick Take: The verse in the book was well done and I will seek out more books by Engle. The main character’s journey to connect with her Cuban roots was great. The side romance was meh, it detracted from the rest of the dynamic plot. My rating 3.5⭐️

[Lauren Bayne]

A beautiful use of verse imagery, but the switching in POVs was not at all balanced and did the narrative no favors. It's an interesting topic for sure, though the constant switching meant that no issue (nor romance) was explored in depth. Alas.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[yashelf]

This is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read this year. And when I say beautiful, I mean the writing style, the gorgeous choice of words, and the entire story itself. I can’t even describe the feeling I had while reading it. Truly breathtaking.

[Cheyenne Mcdonald]

While I enjoyed the story or what part of the story I understood, I think it being written in verses, takes a way from the beauty.

It was really hard trying to grasp what was going on because I couldn’t focus on how it was written.

[Sarah]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This takes place in Cuba, when Evamar travels there to help memorialize and honor her late grandmother. Like other books by this author, I enjoy learning about different times and places through her storytelling.

[Engel Dreizehn]

ARC Copy...Beautiful verse imagery and weaving that involves three languages to paint the narrative.

[Ms. Yingling]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[Raine Dedominici]

Gorgeous verse, but the focus on romance, especially the swapping POVs, completely detracted from the very interesting plot about Evamar's heritage and the intricacies of Cuban life.

[⟢₊ ᴀɴᴀ ₊⟢]

Overall this was a solid read! It’s beautifully written in verse and very easy to get through. It discusses some topics that are incredibly important to learn about, like grief and the importance of preserving language and cultural identity.

I would definitely recommend it, especially to a YA audience. My only complaint is that I wish the romance had a bit more depth!!

It does discuss a few heavy topics as well, so make sure to check the trigger warnings before diving in🩶

Thank you to the publisher, for the ARC!!

[Nicole]

I loved it! Full of adventure, cultural insights, sweet romance and so much more.

[TheNextGenLibrarian]

“If only Cuba and the United States/
would stop thinking of each other as enemies”
🇨🇺
After her grandmother’s death, Evamar travels to Cuba carrying her abuela’s ashes and a final set of mysterious instructions tied to hidden diaries and sunflower seeds. While navigating family history and the complexities of life in Cuba, she meets Río, a talented drummer with struggles of his own. As their connection grows, Evamar uncovers a powerful ancestral secret that could shape both her future and the future of the Caribbean.
🇨🇺
So 👏 much 👏 Spanish! As well as other languages too! I cannot wait to get this YA novel-in-verse into my high school library. A fantastic story about first love, grief, family traditions, and the importance of preserving language and cultural identity. Emotional, lyrical, and full of heart. This book by @engle.margarita releases July 28!

CW: war, abandonment, grief, death, immigration, homelessness, poverty, classism

If found the romance to not include enough depth or connection between the characters. I would market this more as a bildungsroman than a YA romance.

[Lisa]

My starred review in July 2026 Booklist:

Evamar’s grandmother passed away, leaving instructions to sprinkle her ashes among the sunflowers, harvest the seeds, and take them to their ancestral land in Cuba to plant. Abuela directed Evamar to Soledad, a plantation operated by the toil of enslaved people before it was transformed into Harvard University’s scientific-experiment station. Cuban children, including Evamar’s abuela, were used as guinea pigs for studies of global plants regarding toxicity, while hunger is currently weaponized. Big brother Cedro accompanies Evamar on the journey. An unexpected revelation requires him to fly back home, leaving Evamar on her own and falling for Río, an Indigenous teen trying to reunite with his family in the U.S. Once the first tasks are completed, Evamar reads the journals Abuela left for her, which contain ancestral secrets and treasure. Engle deftly captures the atmospheric setting with imagery. The familial spirit of both Evamar’s and Río’s families is portrayed authentically, and the teens’ relationship is sweet, with some heart-racing romantic tension. Río’s drumming is a metaphorical nod to the rhythmic beat of poetry. Word flow is polished, including fluid contrapuntal and concrete poetry. Words from Taíno, Spanish, and English are presented in creative ways that cherish the Indigenous language in particular. Engle proves once again her mastery of the verse novel. A stunning, sensory work.

—Lisa Krok