Next Year In Havana

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Did you find yourself more drawn to Elisa’s story in 1958-59 or Marisol’s in 2017? Why?

2. What emotions did the toast “Next year in Havana” (353) evoke for the characters (and for you) as it appeared throughout the novel?

3. Cleeton explores themes of exile and return that appear in many diaspora narratives. How does Next Year in Havana compare to other novels about families divided by political upheaval, such as Julia Alvarez’s How the García Girls Lost Their Accents?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Which character in the novel did you identify with most strongly?

2. Have you ever formed a meaningful relationship with someone whose political views differed significantly from yours, similar to Elisa and Pablo or Marisol and Luis?

3. What places hold significance for you primarily through family stories rather than personal experience, comparable to Marisol’s relationship with Cuba?

4. When have you had to choose pragmatism over idealism in your own life, as Elisa does when she leaves Cuba?

5. What family stories have shaped your understanding of your heritage or identity?

6. Has travel ever changed your perception of a place you thought you knew through others’ descriptions, as Cuba does for Marisol?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What surprised you most about the novel’s portrayal of either 1950s revolutionary Cuba or post-Fidel Cuba in 2017?

2. The novel illustrates the impact of American foreign policy on ordinary Cuban citizens. What responsibility do nations have toward populations affected by their political decisions?

3. What parallels do you see between the political divisions portrayed in the book and political polarization in contemporary society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Cleeton use the contrast between Old Havana and Vedado to represent different aspects of Cuban identity?

2. What role do symbolic objects like Elisa’s box of letters and the Garcia heirloom ring play in connecting the past and present storylines?

3. How does the parallel love story structure enhance your understanding of continuity and change across generations?

4. Compare the characterization of Fidel Castro from different perspectives throughout the novel.

5. What purpose does the revelation that Pablo is alive serve beyond creating a dramatic plot twist?

6. Which female character most effectively demonstrates finding agency within restrictive circumstances?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write an epilogue for the novel set five years in the future, what would have happened to Marisol and Luis?

2. What would you include in a museum exhibit based on Next Year in Havana?

3. The novel ends with Marisol planning to write articles about modern Cuba. What aspects of Cuban or Cuban American experiences would you focus on if you were contributing to this project?

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