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The Playwright's House
Happily married, backed by a powerful mentor, and with career prospects that would take him abroad, Serguey has more than any young Cuban lawyer could ask for. But when his estranged brother Victor appears with news that their father--famed theater director Felipe Blanco--has been detained for what he suspects are political reasons, Serguey's privileged life is suddenly shaken.
A return to his childhood home in Havana's decaying suburbs--a place filled with art, politics, and the remnants of a dissolving family--reconnects Serguey with his troubled past. He learns of an elusive dramaturge's link to Felipe, a man who could be key to his father's release. With the help of a social media activist and his wife's ties with the Catholic Church, Serguey sets out to unlock the mystery of Felipe's arrest and, in the process, is forced to confront the reasons for the hostility between him and Victor: two violent childhood episodes that scarred them in unforgettable ways. On the verge of imprisonment, Serguey realizes he must make a decision regarding not just his father, but his family and his own future, a decision which, under the harsh shadow of a communist state, he cannot afford to regret.
A return to his childhood home in Havana's decaying suburbs--a place filled with art, politics, and the remnants of a dissolving family--reconnects Serguey with his troubled past. He learns of an elusive dramaturge's link to Felipe, a man who could be key to his father's release. With the help of a social media activist and his wife's ties with the Catholic Church, Serguey sets out to unlock the mystery of Felipe's arrest and, in the process, is forced to confront the reasons for the hostility between him and Victor: two violent childhood episodes that scarred them in unforgettable ways. On the verge of imprisonment, Serguey realizes he must make a decision regarding not just his father, but his family and his own future, a decision which, under the harsh shadow of a communist state, he cannot afford to regret.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2021
6 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 21, 2021
DELVING INTO THE HEART OF CUBA
Cuban author, Dariel Suarez, offers us a great lesson about gratitude in his new novel, THE PLAYWRIGHT’S HOUSE. Freedom and hope are craved on every page of this story about two brothers, Serguey and Victor, who are caught in the political and social machine of Cuba; a place where friends and family can quickly become enemies out of the need to survive another day. This is a country in which the boundaries of “the haves and the have nots” are clearly defined and unchallenged, and one’s greatest fears are easily validated. Suarez’s potent image of Cuba dares you to breathe on your own without permission.
Like a Hitchcockian film, there is a constant fog of intrigue that rolls throughout the story about the disappearance of Serguey and Victor’s father, Felipe. Like Hitchcock, Suarez’s story relies solely on its characters and the world in which they live. There are no explosions, no fancy cars, or urban luxuries to distract and placate the reader’s mind and provide a familiar comfort. Suarez’s Cuba is raw, oppressive, impoverished, painful, yet respected for the many lessons of human inner strength and survival it provides.
The few joys and pleasures Serguey, a lawyer, is permitted to have come from the hands and the approval of his boss, Gimenez. The apartment in a cleaner neighborhood, food, used furniture, and house cleaning supplies are things that can easily be stripped away if Serguey dares to use his legal education and skills to question the system that has taken his father. Questioning the regime or demanding a modicum of justice is a profound threat and could cost him everything, including his life.
Many of the oppressed have an understanding about their treacherous life and walk through it with aspirin dissolving on their tongues hoping it will stop the pain. While others seek to enforce the oppression with tattling tongues in hopes of gaining favor from a system that ignores their existence. The act of humanity is a valuable commodity that is bartered in silence through back doors, and in the darkness of night.
Suarez conveys life and death in Cuba with great elegance and eloquence. There are no apologies, only honest prose presented with detail and layered compassion. Knock on the door of THE PLAYWRIGHT’S HOUSE and you are invited into a world that many who live outside of Cuba will never get to see.
Masheri Chappelle
New Hampshire Writers’ Project Chair
Author of the DESCENDANT and THE ORACLE FILES: ESCAPE
August 7, 2021
With a novel so close to home for me, as a child of the Special Period, I had to take a step back and recalibrate my internal capacity for childhood memories, and the sentiments they give rise to before being able to give a non-biased review about a nice set in a Cuba too similar to the one I left. But there is always room for personal opinion —
Now, speaking strictly as a Cuban, this novel captures what is often missing in the many other stories often told (esp. in English) about Cuba, most often by non-Cubans… and most prominently by pop media (music videos, travel ads, Hollywood, rap and hip-hop lyrics, etc). As a Cuban, also, I stand beside Dariel Suarez’s choice to make no martyrs of his characters, and even more so, to make no mention (except regarding a street name) of our so-called “great hero and poet martyr” whose name and words, even today, feature too commonly in the voices of those who have not yet realized there is, and has been, a Cuba beyond the Spanish-American War. The events of this novel, after all, belong to a modern Cuba.
As a writer and reader, I appreciate the author’s respect for his reader’s intelligence. The characters speak in a fluid version of English (as if they were being instantly translated into the page), and sometimes make use of untranslated colloquialisms that can be easily googled.
The narrative passages in the novel are also abundant with what would have otherwise made for detached footnotes that would drive most readers away. Here, however, Suarez takes care to intricately thread them into the plot of the story with a sort of unspoken rule: this is what happened before, and why we are here now. In their best moments, these threads of information function as the old Greek Chorus once did, slowly allowing the reader to arrive at the final question which eventually visits all exiled people: Not If, but When will we be forced to leave home?
The answers, of course, are as numerous as the individuals who must address the question, and Suarez does a solid job at balancing his characters’ resolve. All in all, “The Playwright’s House” is a novel full of places and people, and of the persistent shadows cast by failed ideals.
Now, speaking strictly as a Cuban, this novel captures what is often missing in the many other stories often told (esp. in English) about Cuba, most often by non-Cubans… and most prominently by pop media (music videos, travel ads, Hollywood, rap and hip-hop lyrics, etc). As a Cuban, also, I stand beside Dariel Suarez’s choice to make no martyrs of his characters, and even more so, to make no mention (except regarding a street name) of our so-called “great hero and poet martyr” whose name and words, even today, feature too commonly in the voices of those who have not yet realized there is, and has been, a Cuba beyond the Spanish-American War. The events of this novel, after all, belong to a modern Cuba.
As a writer and reader, I appreciate the author’s respect for his reader’s intelligence. The characters speak in a fluid version of English (as if they were being instantly translated into the page), and sometimes make use of untranslated colloquialisms that can be easily googled.
The narrative passages in the novel are also abundant with what would have otherwise made for detached footnotes that would drive most readers away. Here, however, Suarez takes care to intricately thread them into the plot of the story with a sort of unspoken rule: this is what happened before, and why we are here now. In their best moments, these threads of information function as the old Greek Chorus once did, slowly allowing the reader to arrive at the final question which eventually visits all exiled people: Not If, but When will we be forced to leave home?
The answers, of course, are as numerous as the individuals who must address the question, and Suarez does a solid job at balancing his characters’ resolve. All in all, “The Playwright’s House” is a novel full of places and people, and of the persistent shadows cast by failed ideals.
March 26, 2023
This is not a tourist’s Cuba or the Cuban government’s propaganda it is the reality of what the Cuban people live everyday. A well written story of two brother’s journey through this Cuba of government control, lack of opportunities and of the things needed for everyday life. It’s a story about the power of people helping each other to achieve a goal regardless of the danger. It is of deception on a whole county. Makes you appreciate all that you have and the freedom we enjoy while feeling heartbreak for Cuba and it’s people.
February 25, 2022
3.5 stars - I actually ended up really really liking this book but I’m giving it 3.5 because the first half was just SO SLOW. I couldn’t get into the story and I almost dropped it tbh. Especially since I know basically nothing about the historical context (this book takes place in the Special Period in Cuba), I just didn’t understand the point of the plot. BUT the ending made up for it and I can see how all of the content in the first half accumulates. I finally felt the significance of the story and I even teared up a few times which I wasn’t expecting at all. Wow wow wow Serguey’s character development from a cowardly man who runs away from his problems to this courageous person who puts his family first was so precious. And when the brothers start to heal their relationship and open up to each other after all of the stuff they went through it was just so jdbejdjskkd. All of the characters were so complex and real well written and this was such a compassionate story about family and sacrifice and redemption. Even tho at the beginning I didn’t really care for or understand the characters, I really grew attached to them and felt pride and sorrow for them. I also grew to appreciate the writing style a lot, I like how the language wasn’t too flowery but it still had a big impact and it felt v earnest. And the authors imagery is next level too - there were so many intricate details of Cuban life woven into the novel. Also, as someone who’s been reading a lot of young adult romance it was v refreshing to experience a story more focused on brotherly dynamics. Overall I think this was such an insightful and mind opening and meaningful book and definitely very different from anything I’ve ever read. It provides a narrative that I don’t think I could’ve gotten anywhere else so even tho it took me super super long to finish I think it was worth it<3
Quotes:
“…and yet, despite the anxiety and fear, his commitment to save his younger brother felt born out of his true self. It was a decision made not just out of responsibility, out of his guilt for owing Victor support, protection, even the simple act of company. It was a decision made out of profound empathy, familial devotion, and fraternal love.”
“Serguey suspected that, at a certain point in life, one begins to feel as though there’s nothing new to experience. The external world changes, but who you are holds too much weight. Your habits, what you’ve accomplished, your errors and successes, what you’ve taken from the particular external world you’ve always known, they feel like the entirety of existence.”
Quotes:
“…and yet, despite the anxiety and fear, his commitment to save his younger brother felt born out of his true self. It was a decision made not just out of responsibility, out of his guilt for owing Victor support, protection, even the simple act of company. It was a decision made out of profound empathy, familial devotion, and fraternal love.”
“Serguey suspected that, at a certain point in life, one begins to feel as though there’s nothing new to experience. The external world changes, but who you are holds too much weight. Your habits, what you’ve accomplished, your errors and successes, what you’ve taken from the particular external world you’ve always known, they feel like the entirety of existence.”
July 18, 2021
Red Hen Press recently published Suarez’s gripping, powerfully poignant first novel The Playwright’s House. The main plot centers around two estranged brothers, Serguey and Victor, whose father, the famous theater director Felipe Blanco, has been arrested for suspected political reasons. Leading two very different lives: Serguey, a keep-your-head-down lawyer living a sheltered, privileged life with his wife in the nice part of Havana; Victor, a brash, single man of the streets often at odds with the law -, they are forced to come together and collaborate in the drama of trying to help their father.
But the novel is so much more than a political thriller. Whilst I was indeed riveted by the shocking realities and sacrifices of life in a police state, what made this novel stay with me most of all was the diverse, masterfully-developed characters (which includes the character of Cuba herself) and Suarez’s astute, precisely-articulated observations of human relationships and inclinations. Suarez never misses even the smallest opportunity to showcase his gift of human insight, placing us right in the moment with the perfect details.
It was remarkable to learn that Suarez only learned to speak English at fifteen-years-old. In an illuminating interview with LitHub, he talks about his initial challenges of writing fiction in English and how, on the advice of a writing professor, he learned to embrace what some of his classmates had coined “awkward” diction. Suarez calls his writing, “An act of literal and cultural translation.. prioritizing the cultural authenticity and idiosyncrasy of my [Cuban] characters.. My language tries to be a reflection of my characters’ world and sensibilities, even if at times it might seem strange or awkward to someone not familiar with it.” In my opinion, Suarez’s writing is the very opposite of strange or awkward, his novel and short stories reading with an ‘authentic’ fluidity lacking in so many ‘native’ writers’ work. I look forward very much to reading his next novel-in-progress, set in Miami.
November 17, 2021
Despite the high ratings from most readers of THE PLAYWRIGHT'S HOUSE, I consider four stars a bit of a gift. Having never read much about Cuba, what I liked best was the glimpse into life on the island -- how government power is wielded, how everyday people live, where and how Cubans access the outside world. And it's definitely well-written and a good story where the last half is increasingly suspenseful and compelling. But, for me, the first half felt quite plodding.
The book centers on the relationship between two somewhat estranged brothers who are full of long-standing mutual resentments and jealousies:
• Serguey, the elder, is an up-and-coming attorney working for the government of Fidel and Raul Castro. He and his wife Anabel live lives of privilege -- access to good food, a luxurious apartment, opportunities for postings abroad.
• Younger brother Victor operates in a wider network of more common folks and he has a record of multiple arrests for black market activity.
Suddenly their lives and the lives of their entire extended family change when the brothers' father, a well-known Cuban playwright, is suddenly arrested on unrevealed charges. What actions can and will these two brothers take to assist their Dad? Will Serguey jeopardize his promising career to help a man who was, at best, a distant father? Can the two brothers put aside their personal animosities to work together? How will friends, neighbors and co-workers react? In short, what happens to any individual when a person they are close to is perceived as threatening the status quo of an isolating government regime?
I DO recommend the book, though I also warn you that the ending was less than satisfying to me. But you will learn a lot about what it's like to live under a totalitarian government.
The book centers on the relationship between two somewhat estranged brothers who are full of long-standing mutual resentments and jealousies:
• Serguey, the elder, is an up-and-coming attorney working for the government of Fidel and Raul Castro. He and his wife Anabel live lives of privilege -- access to good food, a luxurious apartment, opportunities for postings abroad.
• Younger brother Victor operates in a wider network of more common folks and he has a record of multiple arrests for black market activity.
Suddenly their lives and the lives of their entire extended family change when the brothers' father, a well-known Cuban playwright, is suddenly arrested on unrevealed charges. What actions can and will these two brothers take to assist their Dad? Will Serguey jeopardize his promising career to help a man who was, at best, a distant father? Can the two brothers put aside their personal animosities to work together? How will friends, neighbors and co-workers react? In short, what happens to any individual when a person they are close to is perceived as threatening the status quo of an isolating government regime?
I DO recommend the book, though I also warn you that the ending was less than satisfying to me. But you will learn a lot about what it's like to live under a totalitarian government.
September 2, 2021
This story sits in the space of tension and loss that exists between love and pain: love for a country vs. the pain inflicted on the people of that country. The love of a family vs. the pain and trauma that remains unspoken within that family. There is palpable fear coursing through the book, fear of incarceration, violent interrogation, exile, and of the loss of basic livelihood. That fear keeps you turning the pages, even as it keeps the characters in a state of imprisonment within their own city and homes. Serguey, Victor, Anabel and Alida are strikingly memorable people. The complexities of their at-times-fraught dynamics never lessen the ferocity of their devotion to each other.
As a Cuban-American, this book meant a great deal to me. For those of us whose families fled Cuba, it can be difficult to understand the realities of life under the revolutionary dictatorship, particularly given the extent of censorship on the island. It was difficult to read, but also intensely beautiful and moving. I loved reading about the resilience and joy and of the Cuban people, and the vivid images of Havana brought to life the city my father always adored.
As a Cuban-American, this book meant a great deal to me. For those of us whose families fled Cuba, it can be difficult to understand the realities of life under the revolutionary dictatorship, particularly given the extent of censorship on the island. It was difficult to read, but also intensely beautiful and moving. I loved reading about the resilience and joy and of the Cuban people, and the vivid images of Havana brought to life the city my father always adored.
November 19, 2021
In this brooding, important and effective novel, Dariel Suarez exposes Cuba for what it is: a totalitarian nightmare, which infantilizes its citizens with its continuous propaganda, suspicion, and a sheer lack of access to information, fairness and other values one expects in a functional society. Magnificently flawed characters seem to meander about in search of what might present as the right move, even if at no point do they know what it is, or what to expect from their own lives. I remember this kind of existence from my youth in the USSR. This is essential reading for anyone interested in totalitarian regimes or enamored of the Castro brothers' crimes against humanity.
November 8, 2023
It’s a well written book, with good, strong characters and a plot that keeps you reading, but, somehow, it didn’t grab me.
This book will definitely give you an insight into life in Cuba, to the stresses under which ordinary people live, and the lengths to which they can be pushed.
I notice that most, if not all, the five star reviews have been given by people with family connections to Cuba, for whom this story means so much more than it does to me. I’d recommend it, but can’t give it more than 3 stars, since I saw the ending coming
This book will definitely give you an insight into life in Cuba, to the stresses under which ordinary people live, and the lengths to which they can be pushed.
I notice that most, if not all, the five star reviews have been given by people with family connections to Cuba, for whom this story means so much more than it does to me. I’d recommend it, but can’t give it more than 3 stars, since I saw the ending coming
June 15, 2021
An enjoyable and immersive novel set in Havana. I was especially fond of the major characters, which I thought were exceptionally well done. In fact I enjoyed this one so much that I decided to interview the author for the Fiction Writers Review: you can read the entire interview here: https://fictionwritersreview.com/inte...
June 15, 2021
This family! These brothers! The suspense! There are so many moments that are beautifully unexpected in this novel. I won't spoil it, but it's one of those books that lures you in, picks up speed, and then makes your heart feel like it's going to explode.
September 7, 2021
A suspenseful novel full of both physical, political and emotional danger. Beyond the thrilling plot, the novel balances familial resentments and descriptions of food that will make your mouth water. Add this to your bookshelf!
August 4, 2021
What a beautiful book. Insightful and surprising. Highly recommend!
October 6, 2021
my favorite book this year
December 4, 2021
Excellent read. It will open up your mind to a turbulent time in Cuba.
February 7, 2022
Just couldn't get into this. Way too slow.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews