Playing with Light

Havana-born Rivera--author of the well-received Midnight Sandwiches at the Mariposa Express--reaffirms her reputation with this innovative allegory on the pitfalls of human vice and the redemptive power of literature. The story takes place in two settings--one in present-day, upper-class Miami, where Rebecca Atkins, n e Barrios, decides to start a book discussion circle with several women friends (a character from Rivera's previous novel makes an appearance here), and one in the past, in historical 19th-century Cuba among the wealthy Santa Cruz family, factory owners in the lucrative garment industry and their toiling workers. The various Cubans immerse themselves in books as a means, depending on their circumstances, of transformation, amusement or escape from harsh realities. The expertly handled twist is that the historical characters are reading the story of the Miami characters and vice versa. Eventually, the two worlds collide, leaving the reader dazzled by the implications. This clever device allows Rivera to present sharp social satire and expose a variety of ethical issues ranging from slavery and exploitation of workers, to sexism, adultery, eating disorders and the destructive search for bodily perfection. Unraveling and exploring the parallels among the sets of characters adds an entertaining dimension to the narrative. As the characters endeavor to reconstruct themselves (changing names, dieting and bingeing, etc.), Rivera also makes an incisive statement about the constructed realities and projections of authors and readers. At times, Rivera tries too hard to reinforce links to time and identity, bombarding readers with heavy-handed clues; at other times she succeeds by introducing chapters with intriguing quotes from literary and political figures. An inventive, provocative oddity, this is a tantalizing work that draws readers into an engrossing twilight world. (Sept.)