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The Cat King of Havana
Rick Gutierrez is . . . the Cat King of Havana! A cat-video tycoon turned salsa-dancer extraordinaire, he’ll take Cuba by storm, romance the girl of his dreams, and ignite a lolcat revolution!
At least that’s the plan.
It all starts when his girlfriend dumps Rick on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom when he should be out experiencing the real world. Known as “That Cat Guy” at school, Rick isn’t cool and he knows it. He realizes it’s time for a change.
Rick decides joining a salsa class is the answer . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. Rick might be half-Cuban, but he dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.
Except Cuba isn’t all sun, salsa, and music. There’s a darker side to the island. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn’t just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it’s got sharp edges.
At least that’s the plan.
It all starts when his girlfriend dumps Rick on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom when he should be out experiencing the real world. Known as “That Cat Guy” at school, Rick isn’t cool and he knows it. He realizes it’s time for a change.
Rick decides joining a salsa class is the answer . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. Rick might be half-Cuban, but he dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.
Except Cuba isn’t all sun, salsa, and music. There’s a darker side to the island. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn’t just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it’s got sharp edges.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2016
17 people are currently reading
1229 people want to read
About the author
Tom Crosshill
31 books53 followersTom Crosshill's fiction has been nominated for the Nebula Award (thrice) as well as the Latvian Annual Literature Award. His stories have appeared in venues such as Clarkesworld, Beneath Ceaseless Skies and Lightspeed. In 2009, he won the Writers of the Future contest. After some years spent in Oregon and New York, he currently lives in his native Latvia. In the past, he has operated a nuclear reactor, translated books and worked in a zinc mine, among other things.
Tom's young adult novel "The Cat King of Havana" is forthcoming from Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins) in 2016.
Tom's young adult novel "The Cat King of Havana" is forthcoming from Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins) in 2016.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
March 4, 2020
RESEÑA COMPLETA: https://letraslibrosymas.blogspot.com...
La verdad es que al principio no tenía ni idea de que podía encontrar en este libro, me llamó la atención que los gatos, el baile y Cuba fueran parte fundamental de la trama, pues era algo diferente y que de primeras no pegaba mucho.
Reconozco que esperaba otro tipo de historia y por eso a lo mejor me ha defraudado, pero aun así la recomiendo a cualquier lector que le gusten los elementos que menciono arriba o quiera leer algo diferente.
Ambientación extraordinaria, personajes que se salen del esquema habitual, mezcla de ingredientes interesante y mucho baile, vida y autodescubrimiento.
La verdad es que al principio no tenía ni idea de que podía encontrar en este libro, me llamó la atención que los gatos, el baile y Cuba fueran parte fundamental de la trama, pues era algo diferente y que de primeras no pegaba mucho.
Reconozco que esperaba otro tipo de historia y por eso a lo mejor me ha defraudado, pero aun así la recomiendo a cualquier lector que le gusten los elementos que menciono arriba o quiera leer algo diferente.
Ambientación extraordinaria, personajes que se salen del esquema habitual, mezcla de ingredientes interesante y mucho baile, vida y autodescubrimiento.
September 5, 2016
Originally posted over at Lekeisha the Booknerd. Stop by and enter the giveaway! US only
The Cat King of Havana is full of fun, dance, culture, and love. I love the characters, and the settings of New York and Cuba just added so much to the story. Rick is one of the coolest, geekiest teens I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about. His love for cat videos is just the icing on the cake. He starts out with the plan of getting the girl, but he learns so much more about his mother’s history and the politics that shapes the lives of the people that he hardly knows anything about.
Trying to keep his deceased mother’s memory alive, Rick now runs one of the most successful cat video websites around. He’s content with his introverted ways and doesn’t think about anything else. Once his girlfriend dumps him because he is always in front of his computer, he thinks that maybe he does need to get out more. Of course, this comes after he mopes around the house and his dad suggests that he find something else to do with his time. He takes a gig with a local band, playing for a dance group. There, he sees Ana for the first time. What does he decide to do? Take dance lessons to get close enough to talk to Ana. When he tells his dad about his dancing, he also says he wants to know more about his Cuban mother’s history. And so the story takes off as Ana and Rick dance away; all the way to Cuba.
Grief comes in many forms, so I can’t judge Rick’s dad for his distant behavior. I’m sure the loss of his wife was heartbreaking. Rick tries to remember her by looking at cat videos; something his mother loved before she died. They coped in their own ways, and I can respect that. The salsa dancing is something I haven’t come across in YA books (maybe I need to up my game), but it was a nice touch. I love the rhythm of the story as the characters danced to the music. The Spanish slang throughout made the dancing and music much more real, so it was easy to picture these characters going through the motions.
The Havana setting was so needed here. It wasn’t just about a half-Cuban teen trying to impress a girl. It was about the history of Cuba and its culture. I think the author did an amazing job of exploring this side of Rick’s family. I love even more how it ended, despite what transpired this tale in the first place.
Overall, an enjoyable read filled with laughs, dancing, music and culture. I definitely recommend this one to fans who want something different in their young adult contemporary reading. The love, family, and friendships in this book are very well done and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
The Cat King of Havana is full of fun, dance, culture, and love. I love the characters, and the settings of New York and Cuba just added so much to the story. Rick is one of the coolest, geekiest teens I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading about. His love for cat videos is just the icing on the cake. He starts out with the plan of getting the girl, but he learns so much more about his mother’s history and the politics that shapes the lives of the people that he hardly knows anything about.
Trying to keep his deceased mother’s memory alive, Rick now runs one of the most successful cat video websites around. He’s content with his introverted ways and doesn’t think about anything else. Once his girlfriend dumps him because he is always in front of his computer, he thinks that maybe he does need to get out more. Of course, this comes after he mopes around the house and his dad suggests that he find something else to do with his time. He takes a gig with a local band, playing for a dance group. There, he sees Ana for the first time. What does he decide to do? Take dance lessons to get close enough to talk to Ana. When he tells his dad about his dancing, he also says he wants to know more about his Cuban mother’s history. And so the story takes off as Ana and Rick dance away; all the way to Cuba.
Grief comes in many forms, so I can’t judge Rick’s dad for his distant behavior. I’m sure the loss of his wife was heartbreaking. Rick tries to remember her by looking at cat videos; something his mother loved before she died. They coped in their own ways, and I can respect that. The salsa dancing is something I haven’t come across in YA books (maybe I need to up my game), but it was a nice touch. I love the rhythm of the story as the characters danced to the music. The Spanish slang throughout made the dancing and music much more real, so it was easy to picture these characters going through the motions.
The Havana setting was so needed here. It wasn’t just about a half-Cuban teen trying to impress a girl. It was about the history of Cuba and its culture. I think the author did an amazing job of exploring this side of Rick’s family. I love even more how it ended, despite what transpired this tale in the first place.
Overall, an enjoyable read filled with laughs, dancing, music and culture. I definitely recommend this one to fans who want something different in their young adult contemporary reading. The love, family, and friendships in this book are very well done and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
April 14, 2016
A nonstop celebration of life, love, family, Cuba...and dance!
I read this quirky, hilarious, moving and perceptive book on an ARC tour, and now I find that I'm extremely reluctant to send the book to the next person on the list.
I just don't want to let it go.
I want to delve again and again into its pages, to re-read my favorite scenes. Some of them made me laugh so hard, I had to read them aloud to my amused (and probably annoyed) family. Others were chilling. Still others made me stop and think deeply.
Protagonist Rick Gutierrez is a hero with such a wry view of the world and of himself, the reader can't help rooting for him as he gets knocked down by challenges big and small. His mother died not too long ago, and his skills at maintaining a popular cat video website aren't enough to earn him respect at school or success in romance. He stumbles into dance via an unrequited crush on a young woman who's an accomplished salsa dancer. Somehow the two of them end up traveling to Havana together, to find out the truth about Rick's mother's family in Cuba--and why she left for the US, alone, many years ago.
What they discover down there will test not only their courage and compassion, but their dancing mojo and their friendship. They will explore the gap between sugarcoated fantasy and bitter reality that can be deep enough to swallow up a relationship...or even an entire country.
The author is clearly a dancer himself, as the entire book is permeated by the rhythms and vibrancy of Salsa in all its expressive forms. But you don't have to be a dancer to appreciate it; the spirit of it lifts you up and teaches you something truly special by the end.
This is an unusual, smart, satisfying wonder of a book--I can't recommend it highly enough!
I read this quirky, hilarious, moving and perceptive book on an ARC tour, and now I find that I'm extremely reluctant to send the book to the next person on the list.
I just don't want to let it go.
I want to delve again and again into its pages, to re-read my favorite scenes. Some of them made me laugh so hard, I had to read them aloud to my amused (and probably annoyed) family. Others were chilling. Still others made me stop and think deeply.
Protagonist Rick Gutierrez is a hero with such a wry view of the world and of himself, the reader can't help rooting for him as he gets knocked down by challenges big and small. His mother died not too long ago, and his skills at maintaining a popular cat video website aren't enough to earn him respect at school or success in romance. He stumbles into dance via an unrequited crush on a young woman who's an accomplished salsa dancer. Somehow the two of them end up traveling to Havana together, to find out the truth about Rick's mother's family in Cuba--and why she left for the US, alone, many years ago.
What they discover down there will test not only their courage and compassion, but their dancing mojo and their friendship. They will explore the gap between sugarcoated fantasy and bitter reality that can be deep enough to swallow up a relationship...or even an entire country.
The author is clearly a dancer himself, as the entire book is permeated by the rhythms and vibrancy of Salsa in all its expressive forms. But you don't have to be a dancer to appreciate it; the spirit of it lifts you up and teaches you something truly special by the end.
This is an unusual, smart, satisfying wonder of a book--I can't recommend it highly enough!
July 12, 2016
Such a fun, vivid, and fresh novel. I can honestly say that I never expected to read a novel about salsa dancing, Cuba, and funny cat videos (and I didn't know how much I wanted that until I started reading!). My favorite books are the ones that blend humor and sadness, and this book does that so skillfully. This is a book that reads like a really great vacation, with a few disasters and surprises along the way. Highly recommended!
May 20, 2016
A saucy, compelling, altogether satisfying read that will appeal to teens and adults. Rick is a cat-video enthusiast who just can't seem to catch a break, until he starts salsa dancing and meets Ana. This is a fast-paced, often very funny book with dark undertones about politics, grief, and heartbreak.
November 1, 2019
Kaut kas man šajā grāmatā patika. Vairāki jau ir teikuši, ka šī grāmata ir ne tikai pusaudžiem, un es pat nezinu – varbūt tieši ne pusaudžiem. Bet varbūt es par pusaudžiem vienkārši pārāk maz zinu.
Man patika, ka romantikas līnija nebija pārspīlēta un nebija iztaisīta par un viņi dzīvoja laimīgi līdz mūža galam. Man patika (dažu) varoņu spēja saprast, kad viņi ir "krāni". Bet visvairāk man patika Kubas raksturojums – ar vieglumu, bet arī ar iedziļināšanos, ar sirsnību, bet bez izskaistinājuma. Un visam pāri jauneklīgā gatavība iet uz visu banku. Šī grāmata lasītāju nesagruzī un negarlaiko. Un ja tāpēc, ka tas man patīk, es tiktu pieskaitīta pie virspusīgiem plebejiem, – lai tā būtu!
Man patika, ka romantikas līnija nebija pārspīlēta un nebija iztaisīta par un viņi dzīvoja laimīgi līdz mūža galam. Man patika (dažu) varoņu spēja saprast, kad viņi ir "krāni". Bet visvairāk man patika Kubas raksturojums – ar vieglumu, bet arī ar iedziļināšanos, ar sirsnību, bet bez izskaistinājuma. Un visam pāri jauneklīgā gatavība iet uz visu banku. Šī grāmata lasītāju nesagruzī un negarlaiko. Un ja tāpēc, ka tas man patīk, es tiktu pieskaitīta pie virspusīgiem plebejiem, – lai tā būtu!
August 6, 2019
Neļaujieties maldināties, šī grāmata nav par kaķiem, bet par Havanu un Kubu gan tur ir ļoti daudz, turklāt no autora paša pieredzes. It kā jauniešiem, bet domāju, ka daudzi tur atradīs sev ko interesantu. Paņem ātri, liek pat pasmieties un noteikti jāsagatavo savs youtube konts fona mūzikas meklēšanai.
Plašāk blogā:
https://lalksne.blogspot.com/2019/08/...
Plašāk blogā:
https://lalksne.blogspot.com/2019/08/...
October 27, 2019
Toms Kreicbergs ir mans pozitīvais atklājums ar šo grāmatu, kuras nosaukums maldinoši liek domāt par kaķiem, bet izrādās stāsts ir par Kubu, salsu un protams mīlestību. Mani aizrāva tik ļoti, ka fonā klausījos arī Kubas mūziku, kas pastiprināja sajūtas par šo tālo zemi.
October 27, 2019
Ieteicama jauniešu literatūra - ar daudzslāņainu saturu, trāpīgiem/smieklīgiem izteicieniem, ne-salkanām attiecībām un iedvesmojošu autora pēcvārdu.
September 12, 2025
Brīnišķīga atvaļinājuma grāmata
July 17, 2016
THE CAT KING OF HAVANA is a thoroughly charming, funny, and thoughtful coming-of-age novel. With a unique setting, and a plot that takes a number of welcome and unexpected turns, it reads like John Green meets Strictly Ballroom by way of Joseph Kanon - a fascinating blend of self-exploration, the art of dance, and even some political intrigue thrown in for good measure. It's an ambitious array of themes, and it's a credit to Tom Crosshill's talent that he is able to balance them so well in a read that goes by quicker than you'd think.
In honest, witty, and self-deprecating Rick Gutierrez, Crosshill has created a narrator with a pitch-perfect voice - one that had me laughing out loud on every page. Rick isn't perfect, but his struggle to better himself (and the frankness with which he confronts his own mistakes) makes him a character you both love and root for throughout. And the enthusiasm with which Crosshill describes salsa dance and music, and the people and culture of Cuba, is infectious; he clearly knows his stuff, and the vibrant way these elements come to life on the page is enthralling.
Another thing I cannot praise enough is the way that the relationship between Rick and the girl he yearns for is handled. I think a lot of teenage boys will learn something significant from reading this.
THE CAT KING OF HAVANA is fun, introspective, and unconventional, and I loved every minute of the time I spent with it.
In honest, witty, and self-deprecating Rick Gutierrez, Crosshill has created a narrator with a pitch-perfect voice - one that had me laughing out loud on every page. Rick isn't perfect, but his struggle to better himself (and the frankness with which he confronts his own mistakes) makes him a character you both love and root for throughout. And the enthusiasm with which Crosshill describes salsa dance and music, and the people and culture of Cuba, is infectious; he clearly knows his stuff, and the vibrant way these elements come to life on the page is enthralling.
Another thing I cannot praise enough is the way that the relationship between Rick and the girl he yearns for is handled. I think a lot of teenage boys will learn something significant from reading this.
THE CAT KING OF HAVANA is fun, introspective, and unconventional, and I loved every minute of the time I spent with it.
February 7, 2024
Grāmata atstāja gaišu noskaņu, ik pa laikam arī uzliku kādu no pieminētajām dziesmām, kas paspilgtināja to. Galvenais varonis Riks, kopā ar labu draudzeni Anu, dodas uz Kubu, no kuras cēlusies viņa mamma, lai visu vasaru dejotu salsu un iepazītu ģimeni. Spēju noticēt varoņa izaugsmei un pilnīgi noteikti iegūtajai kaislībai uz dejām.
August 2, 2016
Rick is good at one thing: posting lolcats on the internet.
But when his girlfriend breaks up with him, he realizes that maybe he needs other things in his life. Salsa dancing seems to be the solution, even if maybe he came to that decision after meeting Ana and seeing her dance.
To impress her, he invites her to Cuba for the summer, hoping he can get closer to her, but also hoping he can learn more about his late mother's family and why she left Cuba.
But getting close to Ana is as hard as prying free family secrets, and Cuba has its dark edges as well.
This book will make you want to learn all about salsa dancing and Cuba. In a good way! Rick and Ana are so well-developed and three dimensional. Neither of them are perfect or always nice or even do the right things all the time, but they feel so believable and you root for them the entire time, whether they're dancing, or doing something that could get them in a lot of international trouble if they're caught.
I read the last 150 pages in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen, how they were going to get out of the messes they had created, and whether they actually were going to become great dancers. I was super invested in the outcome.
I received this book as an arc from a goodreads giveaway.
But when his girlfriend breaks up with him, he realizes that maybe he needs other things in his life. Salsa dancing seems to be the solution, even if maybe he came to that decision after meeting Ana and seeing her dance.
To impress her, he invites her to Cuba for the summer, hoping he can get closer to her, but also hoping he can learn more about his late mother's family and why she left Cuba.
But getting close to Ana is as hard as prying free family secrets, and Cuba has its dark edges as well.
This book will make you want to learn all about salsa dancing and Cuba. In a good way! Rick and Ana are so well-developed and three dimensional. Neither of them are perfect or always nice or even do the right things all the time, but they feel so believable and you root for them the entire time, whether they're dancing, or doing something that could get them in a lot of international trouble if they're caught.
I read the last 150 pages in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen, how they were going to get out of the messes they had created, and whether they actually were going to become great dancers. I was super invested in the outcome.
I received this book as an arc from a goodreads giveaway.
January 27, 2020
Ne mana mīļākā grāmata, bet tik lieliski uzrakstīta, ka nevar likt mazāk par piecām zvaigznēm.
Vēl viena lieliska pēcrevolūcijas matemātikas grāmata. Pilnīgi atšķirīga no Tie bijām mēs, bet abas grāmatas manī sasēja jautājums par revolucionāriem tajos vēstures notikumos, kur rezultāts nav tik spožs un cēls, par kādu viņi cīnījās. Protams, grāmata nav vēsturisks romāns. Tā arī nav tīņu mīlas stāsts (varbūt vienīgi ne-mīlas stāsts). Tai nedaudz arī pietrūkst līdz "oda salsai" titulam. Kas tad ir šis darbs?
Šis darbs ir 21. gadsimts - kaķi iekaro pasauli (vismaz virtuālo), ir jaunieši, kas to tik vien dara kā drāžas, ir jaunieši, kam galīgi nesanāk drāzties, ir veselīgi hobiji, caur ko var atklāt jaunas valstis, ir nežēlīga, valsts veicināta nabadzība un līdz kaulam (arī manam) ieēdušies stereotipi.
Holivudiskās beigas šito visu novelk uz 4.5 (nu pārāk salda tā sagaidīšana, kā arī autora pēcvārda pēdējā rindkopa ar karotīti sabāž visu mutē), bet iesaku gan jauniešiem, gan jebkura cita vecuma pārstāvjiem, kurus atbaida salsa, romantika un podi bez "brilles".
Vēl viena lieliska pēcrevolūcijas matemātikas grāmata. Pilnīgi atšķirīga no Tie bijām mēs, bet abas grāmatas manī sasēja jautājums par revolucionāriem tajos vēstures notikumos, kur rezultāts nav tik spožs un cēls, par kādu viņi cīnījās. Protams, grāmata nav vēsturisks romāns. Tā arī nav tīņu mīlas stāsts (varbūt vienīgi ne-mīlas stāsts). Tai nedaudz arī pietrūkst līdz "oda salsai" titulam. Kas tad ir šis darbs?
Šis darbs ir 21. gadsimts - kaķi iekaro pasauli (vismaz virtuālo), ir jaunieši, kas to tik vien dara kā drāžas, ir jaunieši, kam galīgi nesanāk drāzties, ir veselīgi hobiji, caur ko var atklāt jaunas valstis, ir nežēlīga, valsts veicināta nabadzība un līdz kaulam (arī manam) ieēdušies stereotipi.
Holivudiskās beigas šito visu novelk uz 4.5 (nu pārāk salda tā sagaidīšana, kā arī autora pēcvārda pēdējā rindkopa ar karotīti sabāž visu mutē), bet iesaku gan jauniešiem, gan jebkura cita vecuma pārstāvjiem, kurus atbaida salsa, romantika un podi bez "brilles".
July 19, 2019
Svārstoties starp 4* un 5*, es tomēr "Havanas kaķu karalim" latviešu valodas izdevumā iedevu piecas zvaigznītes. Kāpēc? Jo šī bija grāmata, kas lika man smaidīt! Mazliet kā atgriešanās savos "saldajos sešpadsmit", kad jaukākā filma šķita "Netīrās dejas", mazliet kā tauriņi vēderā, mazliet naivums. Tomam Kreicbergam ir izdevies jauniešu romānā savīt ne tikai aktuālo tehnoloģiju pasaulē - hei, vai tikai stāsta popularitāti negarantē tas, ka galvenais varonis Riks aizraujas ar kaķu video? -, bet arī spēju Kubas vēsturi izstāstīt no dažādiem skatpunktiem. Šī ir grāmata, kas rada vēlēšanos apgūt salsas soļus un savām acīm skatīt Kubu. Iesaku izlasīt ne tikai tīņiem, kam patiesībā ir domāts šis darbs, bet arī tiem, kuri varbūt netic, kāpēc "Havanas kaķu karalis" oriģinālā vispirms ir rakstīts angliski un izdots ASV. Toms Kreicbergs ar šādu rakstības stilu droši var stāties līdzās Džonam Grīnam un jebkuram citam YA rakstniekam!
Read
April 13, 2016This is a fun, and timely, YA novel. NYC teenager Rick is the son of a German father and a (deceased) Cuban mother. Rick is a geeky computer nerd who has made a bit of name, and some money, creating a website of cat videos. Rick is challenged to try salsa dancing where he meets Ana - another NY teen, this one actually talented in the salsa department, who also has a complicated life. The two end up on a summer trip to Cuba to meet Rick's relatives and get better at salsa dancing. The pair learn more than they bargained for - about themselves and about life in Cuba - for better and for worse. The author has spent more than a year total in Cuba and he does a good job weaving the bad and good of both Cuba and the US into the story.
July 10, 2016
What a beautiful, brilliant book about two things I knew very little about (Cuba and Salsa) and now know a little more about. While I think TCKOH may have tried to tackle a few too many things in its salsa-brisk pages, I think everything was handled with great grayness... things that seemed black and white evolved into that true gray mess of politics and humanity... but all that's secondary to the characters... richly developed, painfully human... a beautiful romance that goes in a more realistic, less fairy-tale way that I greatly appreciated... A wonderful book about breaking out of comfort zones, about growth and understanding... about what it means to become alive.
And very funny, too =)
And very funny, too =)
July 19, 2019
Paldies par ceļojumu!
Jau tādu brīdi mocījos ar nespēju lasīt. Ņēmu vienu grāmatu pēc otras un tās visas puslasītas krājās kaudzē. Nesaistīja. Neinteresēja.
'Havanas Kaķu Karalis' ir pārrāvis šo manu nelasīšanas lāstu. Jo bija viegli lasāms, interesants, mūsdienīgs. Bez tam! Aj, dejas! Arī es sevi dejā atradu krietni pavēlu. Kad lielam vairumam cilvēku jau labpatīkas mest ar roku un teju vai pie deniņiem paurķērt ar pirkstu, lai parādītu, ko domā par mani un manu aizraušanos ar ... baleta dejošanu.
Paldies autoram par iespēju ieskatīties Kubā no iekšpuses. Paldies par izstāstīto mīlestību pret deju.
Man patika.
Jau tādu brīdi mocījos ar nespēju lasīt. Ņēmu vienu grāmatu pēc otras un tās visas puslasītas krājās kaudzē. Nesaistīja. Neinteresēja.
'Havanas Kaķu Karalis' ir pārrāvis šo manu nelasīšanas lāstu. Jo bija viegli lasāms, interesants, mūsdienīgs. Bez tam! Aj, dejas! Arī es sevi dejā atradu krietni pavēlu. Kad lielam vairumam cilvēku jau labpatīkas mest ar roku un teju vai pie deniņiem paurķērt ar pirkstu, lai parādītu, ko domā par mani un manu aizraušanos ar ... baleta dejošanu.
Paldies autoram par iespēju ieskatīties Kubā no iekšpuses. Paldies par izstāstīto mīlestību pret deju.
Man patika.
June 28, 2016
Sixteen-year-old Rick Gutierrez joins a salsa class to impress his crush Ana Cabrera. Even though she makes it clear that she has no romantic interest in her, Rick plans a trip to Cuba with Ana ostensibly so that they can visit his family and experience 'authentic salsa.' He is hoping to change her mind about him. What Rick does not expect is that they would wind up embroiled in dangerous political machinations. This enjoyable book is rich in cultural details and romantic entanglements. Such fun!!
April 18, 2017
FANTASTIC. Diverse, accurate, inspiring, funny & holy crap. A YA book about Cuban salsa. This is needed. Review to come next week.
March 27, 2017
#LolcatsForTheRevolution
Well… this was interesting.
Šis ir stāsts par kaķīšiem, salsu, ģimenes saknēm un revolūciju. Autoram ir ļoti patīkams rakstības stils. Nekad neesmu bijusi Kubā, bet lasot man bija sajūta, ka es vismaz mazliet ieelpoju to gaisu.
Viss stāsts sākas ar to, ka Riks pievēršas salsas dejošanai. Likās jau, ka viss būs superīīīīgi un nu tikai viņš dejos, nu tikai būs...
Bet nu reality...:
Nu, un tad viņš nonāk Havannā, kopā ar deju partneri Annu, par kuru viņam ir romantiska interese. OKay, sākumā tas nebija nekas besīgs – Riks ieraudzīja meiteni, viņa iepatikās. Nekas briesmīgs. Viss okay. Bet nu tad, kad Anna bija diezgan skaidri demonstrējusi un norādījusi, ka viņai nav nekādas tāda veida intereses par Riku, taču viņš joprojām forsēja un domāja, kā viņu dabūt – tas sāka spēlēt uz nerva. Tā man likās absolūti nevajadzīga lieta šajā grāmatā. Tas protams, subjektīvi. Man likās, ka tur varēja bez tā visa iztikt un Anna un Riks jau ātrāk kļūt vnk par normāliem draugiem (kā tas bija vēlāk, beigās). To varēja jau tad, kad viņa pirmo reizi viņam norādīja, ka nebūs nekas vairāk. Šitā romaņķika or whatever bija vienīgais, kas man šeit nepatika. Tas bija vnk.. just stop. Please.
Viss pārējais grāmatā man patika. Man patika saulainās noskaņas un dejošana. Protams, Rika savu sakņu izzināšana. Patiesība par viņa māti un viņas pagātni. Un mazliet jūtamā politikas pieskaņa, jo bez tās nemaz nevarētu. Aizdomāties mazliet lika tās sarunas par tūristiem un ‘’real Cuba’’ pieredzi. Autors to varoņu mutēs, kas dzīvoja Kubā un kam bija Annas un Rika šie teksti jāklausās, bija ielicis labas atbildes. Un tad vēl ir tas brīdis, kad uz ielas savāc valdības mašīna un vēlāk ir jāpadomā par nākošo soli, jo tas var atstāt ietekmi uz tuvajiem cilvēkiem. Tas bija tāds realitātes sitiens mazliet.
Katrā ziņā, kopumā grāmata man patika. Viena subjektīva nepatikas lieta, bet viss pārējais - thumbs up. Bija ļoti labi. Karstā vasarā noteikti lasītos vēl labāk :)
Well… this was interesting.
Šis ir stāsts par kaķīšiem, salsu, ģimenes saknēm un revolūciju. Autoram ir ļoti patīkams rakstības stils. Nekad neesmu bijusi Kubā, bet lasot man bija sajūta, ka es vismaz mazliet ieelpoju to gaisu.
Viss stāsts sākas ar to, ka Riks pievēršas salsas dejošanai. Likās jau, ka viss būs superīīīīgi un nu tikai viņš dejos, nu tikai būs...
Bet nu reality...:
Nu, un tad viņš nonāk Havannā, kopā ar deju partneri Annu, par kuru viņam ir romantiska interese. OKay, sākumā tas nebija nekas besīgs – Riks ieraudzīja meiteni, viņa iepatikās. Nekas briesmīgs. Viss okay. Bet nu tad, kad Anna bija diezgan skaidri demonstrējusi un norādījusi, ka viņai nav nekādas tāda veida intereses par Riku, taču viņš joprojām forsēja un domāja, kā viņu dabūt – tas sāka spēlēt uz nerva. Tā man likās absolūti nevajadzīga lieta šajā grāmatā. Tas protams, subjektīvi. Man likās, ka tur varēja bez tā visa iztikt un Anna un Riks jau ātrāk kļūt vnk par normāliem draugiem (kā tas bija vēlāk, beigās). To varēja jau tad, kad viņa pirmo reizi viņam norādīja, ka nebūs nekas vairāk. Šitā romaņķika or whatever bija vienīgais, kas man šeit nepatika. Tas bija vnk.. just stop. Please.
Viss pārējais grāmatā man patika. Man patika saulainās noskaņas un dejošana. Protams, Rika savu sakņu izzināšana. Patiesība par viņa māti un viņas pagātni. Un mazliet jūtamā politikas pieskaņa, jo bez tās nemaz nevarētu. Aizdomāties mazliet lika tās sarunas par tūristiem un ‘’real Cuba’’ pieredzi. Autors to varoņu mutēs, kas dzīvoja Kubā un kam bija Annas un Rika šie teksti jāklausās, bija ielicis labas atbildes. Un tad vēl ir tas brīdis, kad uz ielas savāc valdības mašīna un vēlāk ir jāpadomā par nākošo soli, jo tas var atstāt ietekmi uz tuvajiem cilvēkiem. Tas bija tāds realitātes sitiens mazliet.
Katrā ziņā, kopumā grāmata man patika. Viena subjektīva nepatikas lieta, bet viss pārējais - thumbs up. Bija ļoti labi. Karstā vasarā noteikti lasītos vēl labāk :)
June 24, 2020
Me ha gustado mucho la historia y los personajes tanto principales como secundarios. Es un libro bonito que muestra como pueden evolucionar los personajes y como pueden superar sus pesares y problemas a través de la amistad, la familia y el baile.
Es un libro que os recomiendo si queréis desconectar, reíros y también sentir diferentes cosas, como las que nos hacen sentir estos personajes tan entrañables.
Es un libro que os recomiendo si queréis desconectar, reíros y también sentir diferentes cosas, como las que nos hacen sentir estos personajes tan entrañables.
August 3, 2016
This book raises a lot of questions. Will it be a cute, snarky story about a guy who posts lolcat videos? An escapist summer romance with a salsa beat? A serious issue book about the current state of Cuba? Answer: It's some of each of those things, and the combination works like magic.
Initially, I thought Rick's self-aware, borderline-cocky voice might wear on me. If you feel that way, I encourage you to read on, because Rick soon gets pushed way out of his comfort zone. And then even further out. He's a smart and resourceful protagonist, but he has a LOT to learn—about salsa, about Cuba, and about relating to girls.
And learn he does. I learned, too. Crosshill presents both the alluring and the gritty sides of Cuba in a way that only someone who's spent significant time in a place can do. Most of all, I liked how much time he gave to the native Cubans and their different perspectives—especially their mistrust of the tourists who arrive with preconceived opinions and lots of cash.
Without spoilers, I'll also say I loved the handling of the relationship between Rick and his crush, Ana. And, while I will always have two left feet, this book made me want to watch great salsa dancing SO BAD. It digs deep into the culture and traditions of the dance, without ever getting bogged down in a dull history lesson. Rick's breezy voice turns out to be the perfect vehicle for teaching teen readers about salsa and Cuba, even as he's learning himself.
I received this book as part of an ARC tour.
Initially, I thought Rick's self-aware, borderline-cocky voice might wear on me. If you feel that way, I encourage you to read on, because Rick soon gets pushed way out of his comfort zone. And then even further out. He's a smart and resourceful protagonist, but he has a LOT to learn—about salsa, about Cuba, and about relating to girls.
And learn he does. I learned, too. Crosshill presents both the alluring and the gritty sides of Cuba in a way that only someone who's spent significant time in a place can do. Most of all, I liked how much time he gave to the native Cubans and their different perspectives—especially their mistrust of the tourists who arrive with preconceived opinions and lots of cash.
Without spoilers, I'll also say I loved the handling of the relationship between Rick and his crush, Ana. And, while I will always have two left feet, this book made me want to watch great salsa dancing SO BAD. It digs deep into the culture and traditions of the dance, without ever getting bogged down in a dull history lesson. Rick's breezy voice turns out to be the perfect vehicle for teaching teen readers about salsa and Cuba, even as he's learning himself.
I received this book as part of an ARC tour.
July 18, 2016
Just finished an amazing YA book, THE CAT KING OF HAVANA by Tom Crosshill, Katherine Tegen Books, my publisher. Its main protagonist, Rick Gutierrez, is awkward and geeky and spends his time in his room on his computer with his website, CatoTrope.com. His Mom has died, his first girlfriend has dumped him and the room is so much easier than being out in the world-that is, until he meets Ana Cabrera and salsa dancing. He invites Ana to his mother's native Cuba for the summer with the hopes of impressing her and learning to dance, but his adventure proves much more dangerous and daring. This is Rick's coming of age story-learning about women, family (why his mother had to escape Cuba) and the ambiguity of politics and love. The book is a nuanced vision of the perils of growing up in such a complex world. And the writing is dynamite. A must read!
February 5, 2020
Un libro cuya historia devoré en menos de cinco días.
Esta historia merece más de cinco puntos.
Necesita ser leída por más personas.
El Rey Gato de la Habana, quien se presenta como narrador es Rick Gutiérrez, personaje principal de la historia. Le gustan los videos de gatos, los memes y los ordenadores. Fuera de eso podría decirse que no tiene otras cualidades en las que destaque… hasta que conoce a Ana. Ya desde ese momento empieza a obrar a cambiar absolutamente todo.
Una de los tantos detalles es que, en un principio piensas que la historia va muy deprisa para las trescientas y pico de páginas que aún quedan, pero luego te vas dando cuenta de que Rick tiene muchas cosas que contar, sólo nos pide paciencia y lo hace de una forma divertida y entretenida. Logré empatizar con él en muchas ocasiones pero también sus actos me hicieron pensar.
Y es lo que tiene la historia: te muestra que cada acto o palabras de los personajes está lleno de matices que te dejan huella.
No hay nada que pueda sacarle de negativo. Bueno, sí, pero eso ya sería cuestión de carácter o formas de vida de los mismos personajes.
Otro personaje que me gustó pero no a la manera de Rick ha sido Ana, una joven de carácter fuerte que ama bailar salsa. En un principio estaba muy a la defensiva con ella, un par de páginas adelante la odié con todo mi corazón para al final darle tregua. No siempre puedo encontrarme con personajes 100% perfectos.
Pero definitivamente lo que me llevó a amar este libro fueron los paisajes de Cuba, su música, su gente. Esas partes están tan bien narradas que en más de una ocasión me picó la curiosidad y busqué imágenes para corroborar lo que se narraba; una auténtica maravilla.
Hay muchos detalles buenos en esta historia, pero me quedo con dos: La primera es la perseverancia de Rick para lograr sus objetivos y la forma tan elegante y sencilla de mostrar a los personajes como son: grises, con días buenos y días malos, tomando buenas y malas decisiones, divirtiéndose de forma sana y temiendo frente a un peligro, que en algunos momentos no se ven pero se perciben.
No esperaba nada o casi nada de la historia y sin embargo la sorpresas que me encontré me hicieron arrepentirme del por qué no conocía esta novela ni mucho menos a su autor.
Una novela juvenil que todo adulto también puede leer.
Definitivamente es mi mejor lectura de este principio del 2020.
Esta historia merece más de cinco puntos.
Necesita ser leída por más personas.
El Rey Gato de la Habana, quien se presenta como narrador es Rick Gutiérrez, personaje principal de la historia. Le gustan los videos de gatos, los memes y los ordenadores. Fuera de eso podría decirse que no tiene otras cualidades en las que destaque… hasta que conoce a Ana. Ya desde ese momento empieza a obrar a cambiar absolutamente todo.
Una de los tantos detalles es que, en un principio piensas que la historia va muy deprisa para las trescientas y pico de páginas que aún quedan, pero luego te vas dando cuenta de que Rick tiene muchas cosas que contar, sólo nos pide paciencia y lo hace de una forma divertida y entretenida. Logré empatizar con él en muchas ocasiones pero también sus actos me hicieron pensar.
Y es lo que tiene la historia: te muestra que cada acto o palabras de los personajes está lleno de matices que te dejan huella.
No hay nada que pueda sacarle de negativo. Bueno, sí, pero eso ya sería cuestión de carácter o formas de vida de los mismos personajes.
Otro personaje que me gustó pero no a la manera de Rick ha sido Ana, una joven de carácter fuerte que ama bailar salsa. En un principio estaba muy a la defensiva con ella, un par de páginas adelante la odié con todo mi corazón para al final darle tregua. No siempre puedo encontrarme con personajes 100% perfectos.
Pero definitivamente lo que me llevó a amar este libro fueron los paisajes de Cuba, su música, su gente. Esas partes están tan bien narradas que en más de una ocasión me picó la curiosidad y busqué imágenes para corroborar lo que se narraba; una auténtica maravilla.
Hay muchos detalles buenos en esta historia, pero me quedo con dos: La primera es la perseverancia de Rick para lograr sus objetivos y la forma tan elegante y sencilla de mostrar a los personajes como son: grises, con días buenos y días malos, tomando buenas y malas decisiones, divirtiéndose de forma sana y temiendo frente a un peligro, que en algunos momentos no se ven pero se perciben.
No esperaba nada o casi nada de la historia y sin embargo la sorpresas que me encontré me hicieron arrepentirme del por qué no conocía esta novela ni mucho menos a su autor.
Una novela juvenil que todo adulto también puede leer.
Definitivamente es mi mejor lectura de este principio del 2020.
May 15, 2017
Книга очень понравилась. Рику веришь, он подкупает своей неопытностью и одновременно проницательностью, умением критически отнестись к себе и стремлением стать лучше. Замечательный персонаж, было интересно наблюдать за его приключениями, взрослением. Остальные герои тоже отлично прописаны и не остаются лишь фоном, а тоже развиваются. Хороший психологизм. Отдельное спасибо автору за то, что не стал делать до зубовного скрежета предсказуемый хэппи энд. Концовка и так хороша ))
September 1, 2018
The title promised me cats and failed to really deliver. Once I got over that and into the dance competition aspect it was alright.
October 14, 2024
Juvenil y fresca. Bien podrían haber sido los protagonistas de otra edad y ser igualmente fabuloso el libro. Te transporta a La Habana, a sus calles,sus olores y su "Casino" como baile protagonista. De EEUU a La Habana con Ana,desde ser un patoso al rey de la salsa cubana. Recomendado
April 28, 2023
LOLCATS
April 18, 2021
3.5 stars
I picked up The Cat King of Havana for one simple and perhaps shallow reason: I'm going to Cuba in November. And I know basically nothing about the island, the culture, the history, and only bits and pieces about the political situation. What better way to get a taste of all of that than through fiction? Well, The Cat King of Havana, while for the rest not being a typically me story, did deliver on that.
The Cat King of Havana is about Rick, a Cuban American webmaster of a cat video site who may be considered... a geek. He doesn't get out much, but he doesn't mind, because he likes his realm of internet life... until he gets dumped. In an effort to get out there, he takes up salsa dancing and quickly falls for Ana, an experienced dancer. And together, they travel to Havana for a summer of learning the purest form of Cuban salsa, a trip that ends up being so much more.
I should be upfront, because nothing ruins a book like having the wrong expectations. This is not a love story. Rick is obviously crushing hard on Ana in a kind of desperate and idyllic way. He ascribes qualities to her and potential to their relationship that aren't always entirely fair. Ana's pretty clear from the beginning though: she doesn't feel that way about him. That may sound like Rick is too pushy, but it honestly didn't read that way. This is just a classic and realistic tale of unrequited love - in the way that a lot of us probably experienced in high school. Rick discovers so much about himself over the course of this book that eventually he grows out of it too.
I came into this book for Cuba, and I definitely feel like that part of the story was strong. You can tell that Crosshill is intimately familiar with the island and its culture. It really felt like an insider perspective, and I felt like I learned SO MUCH. The poverty, the limitations, the heartbreaking push to frame the whole of the country to the lens and wishes of tourists (which is degrading like hell), the contrast between the old and younger generations, the effect of new media and the internet on exposing the political situation - despite the risks that inherently carries... I'm impressed. Though I didn't care overly much for the characters, being introduced to this rich setting alone already kept me reading.
The thing about the characters is... I don't know. It's hard to really like them when there's such a focus on a romance that is so hopeless. Rick is kind of cute in the way that he cares so much, but he borders on annoying at certain points. Ana is an admirable free spirit, but kind of distant and idealized from Rick's perspective. Rick's family is... okay. Though I feel so conflicted about his annoying cousin. But I can get behind that group of characters when push comes to shove and they stand up in whatever way they can to the injustice they find in Cuba. It was a little nerve-wracking, but their hearts were 100% in the right place.
At the end of the day, though nothing in the book truly grabbed me as being fantastic, it has a lot of great messages: standing up for what's right, respecting foreign cultures, growing into your own person and letting go of childish fantasies, treasuring friendship above love, hard work paying off and being enough to make a distant dream into a reality... This story wasn't what I expected, but I don't regret reading it for a second.
Summing Up:
With a vibrant and illuminating backdrop of Cuba, The Cat King of Havana was a really interesting read. Interesting is absolutely the best word for it, because it really made me think and taught me quite a bit about a culture I know so little about. I loved seeing the culture and getting glimpses of the salsa scene (must see (and do) on my trip), and ultimately, the way the characters grew in the story was quite admirable. They didn't fully capture my heart, but their adventure was compelling.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Readers with wanderlust who don't mind having no romance.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
I picked up The Cat King of Havana for one simple and perhaps shallow reason: I'm going to Cuba in November. And I know basically nothing about the island, the culture, the history, and only bits and pieces about the political situation. What better way to get a taste of all of that than through fiction? Well, The Cat King of Havana, while for the rest not being a typically me story, did deliver on that.
The Cat King of Havana is about Rick, a Cuban American webmaster of a cat video site who may be considered... a geek. He doesn't get out much, but he doesn't mind, because he likes his realm of internet life... until he gets dumped. In an effort to get out there, he takes up salsa dancing and quickly falls for Ana, an experienced dancer. And together, they travel to Havana for a summer of learning the purest form of Cuban salsa, a trip that ends up being so much more.
I should be upfront, because nothing ruins a book like having the wrong expectations. This is not a love story. Rick is obviously crushing hard on Ana in a kind of desperate and idyllic way. He ascribes qualities to her and potential to their relationship that aren't always entirely fair. Ana's pretty clear from the beginning though: she doesn't feel that way about him. That may sound like Rick is too pushy, but it honestly didn't read that way. This is just a classic and realistic tale of unrequited love - in the way that a lot of us probably experienced in high school. Rick discovers so much about himself over the course of this book that eventually he grows out of it too.
I came into this book for Cuba, and I definitely feel like that part of the story was strong. You can tell that Crosshill is intimately familiar with the island and its culture. It really felt like an insider perspective, and I felt like I learned SO MUCH. The poverty, the limitations, the heartbreaking push to frame the whole of the country to the lens and wishes of tourists (which is degrading like hell), the contrast between the old and younger generations, the effect of new media and the internet on exposing the political situation - despite the risks that inherently carries... I'm impressed. Though I didn't care overly much for the characters, being introduced to this rich setting alone already kept me reading.
The thing about the characters is... I don't know. It's hard to really like them when there's such a focus on a romance that is so hopeless. Rick is kind of cute in the way that he cares so much, but he borders on annoying at certain points. Ana is an admirable free spirit, but kind of distant and idealized from Rick's perspective. Rick's family is... okay. Though I feel so conflicted about his annoying cousin. But I can get behind that group of characters when push comes to shove and they stand up in whatever way they can to the injustice they find in Cuba. It was a little nerve-wracking, but their hearts were 100% in the right place.
At the end of the day, though nothing in the book truly grabbed me as being fantastic, it has a lot of great messages: standing up for what's right, respecting foreign cultures, growing into your own person and letting go of childish fantasies, treasuring friendship above love, hard work paying off and being enough to make a distant dream into a reality... This story wasn't what I expected, but I don't regret reading it for a second.
Summing Up:
With a vibrant and illuminating backdrop of Cuba, The Cat King of Havana was a really interesting read. Interesting is absolutely the best word for it, because it really made me think and taught me quite a bit about a culture I know so little about. I loved seeing the culture and getting glimpses of the salsa scene (must see (and do) on my trip), and ultimately, the way the characters grew in the story was quite admirable. They didn't fully capture my heart, but their adventure was compelling.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Readers with wanderlust who don't mind having no romance.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
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