FICTION

The Boy Who Said No: An Escape to Freedom

by Patti Sheehy
Oceanview. Jun. 2013. 336p. ISBN 9781608090808. $26.95. F
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This debut novel is the fictionalized story of Frank Medero's thrilling real-life escape from Castro's Cuba (with some names changed to protect those still in the country). Medero is a young boy when Castro comes to power but soon realizes that life has become ever more oppressive and dangerous as a criminal dictatorship under Bautista is replaced by a political one led by Castro. In part to gain freedom and in part to follow the girl he worships, Medero plots to escape. But now that he is in the army, fleeing his island nation is even more dangerous.
VERDICT This mix of thriller and history offers a fascinating but depressing look at life under Castro's totalitarian regime. Even though the chase Sheehy describes is exciting, the suspense is lessened by Medero's success (as he is the novel's narrator). Despite that minor flaw, this is a tense and exhilarating read.
Reviewed by Robert Conroy, Warren, MI , Jun 15, 2013
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