Galán, a Cuban emigrant, and Pat, a member of the US Coast Guard, are neighbors and friends in Puerto Rico. Galán’s mother and sister still live in Cuba, but when his mother passes away Galán must come up with a plan for the care of his sister, Gabriela, who has the mind of a child. He wants nothing more than to bring her to Puerto Rico to live with him, but the heavily guarded waterways, the same waters guarded by his friend Pat, present a real challenge. As Pat’s vessel and the vessel carrying those people attempting to make it to American soil converge, Pat is forced to make a decision that will potentially impact not just his life, but the lives of Galán and Gabriela.
Mona Passage is a good story full of love, family, and desperation, and it leads the reader to have questions about what is legal versus what is right. It is told from the perspectives of multiple characters, which I tend to enjoy as it allows me to better understand the characters and their motivations. The characters are honest and relatable, and it is easy to understand why they make the decisions that they do. I also like how Mona Passage is centered around a rather major issue faced by many within the United States and outside of it--immigration into the United States--without the novel being solely about this topic. I especially enjoyed the ending; it was so unexpected to me and in a way it added a lot to the message of the novel. Overall I really enjoyed Mona Passage and I highly recommend it.
Mona Passage is a good story full of love, family, and desperation, and it leads the reader to have questions about what is legal versus what is right. It is told from the perspectives of multiple characters, which I tend to enjoy as it allows me to better understand the characters and their motivations. The characters are honest and relatable, and it is easy to understand why they make the decisions that they do. I also like how Mona Passage is centered around a rather major issue faced by many within the United States and outside of it--immigration into the United States--without the novel being solely about this topic. I especially enjoyed the ending; it was so unexpected to me and in a way it added a lot to the message of the novel. Overall I really enjoyed Mona Passage and I highly recommend it.