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*Editorial Book Review*
The Long Road Home
By Nathan Fletcher
The war was long and brutal. Nathan Serrano spent twelve long years staying alive, dealing with the harsh landscape of Cuba’s jungles and enemy fire. However, the involvement of the Americans in the war gave Cuba the edge it needed to regain its independence and push the Spanish soldiers out.
With orders to leave Cuba and return to Spain, Nathan faces a difficult choice: return to Spain as he has been ordered, or disobey and find his family.
The Long Road Home by Nathan Fletcher is a story of hope and resilience, of trying to move forwards on a personal level while the country itself attempts to heal and recover from the brutality of war.
For Nathan, the ending of the war and the opportunity to return home was not the joyous occasion it was for so many others. He did not have a family waiting back home for him, nor was he eager to celebrate his return. Spain had stopped being his home a long time ago. Instead, he finds himself torn between following orders and returning to his family. It was not common for soldiers to have married Cuban women, but Nathan had found love and started a family. To go back to Spain now would be to abandon his wife and daughter. The conflict of emotions Nathan feels is clear throughout the novel. He is well aware of the consequences of deserting the army should he be caught but, above all, his family will always come first. For this reason, Nathan instantly proved himself a character worthy of my respect. His unwavering love and loyalty towards his wife and daughter show not only strength and resilience, but also deep-rooted devotion and dedication.
The setting of this novel brings to life the harsh environment of Cuba’s jungles, particularly during this period. Not only do the landscape and climate provide an insight into the challenges of surviving in such an unforgiving place, but Nathan is not alone in the jungle. The lack of water may force him onwards if he wishes to survive, and the intense heat slows him down, but it is the company he finds himself facing that poses the greatest threat. After all, food, water, and shade mean little when there is a gun pointed in your direction. Nathan’s journey through the jungle is admirable, for he is well aware of the dangers he will face before he begins his trek, yet his love for his family is strong enough for him to face those dangers head-on in order to reach them.
Nathan finds several sympathisers along the way, people who see past his faded Spanish army uniform and recognise the man beneath it. They see someone who is tired, hungry, and in desperate need of help, offering him shelter and food when he needs it most. Despite this kindness, Nathan never truly feels settled throughout his journey, for there are always people on his trail, boots following him, and guns waiting to take aim. The rebels are not as sympathetic as some of the local villagers when they come across a Spanish soldier. It matters not that he deserted the army, or that he is married to a Cuban woman, only that he is from Spain and is therefore the enemy. This level of mistrust follows Nathan throughout the novel, as he is a Spanish deserter attempting to blend into a country scarred by centuries of colonial rule and years of fighting for independence. This unease creates a fascinating moral dilemma because, although Nathan is an incredibly likeable character, it is difficult to blame the Cuban rebels he encounters. He may simply be trying to get home, but they are trying to protect the freedom they fought so hard to achieve. The novel sheds light on an area of history that is not often explored, offering an insightful glimpse into a period filled with uncertainty while telling a compelling story of a husband and father trying to return to his family.
Although not a particularly long novel, the story never feels rushed, nor are any aspects glossed over. Nathan’s journey is told in satisfying detail, with occasional glimpses into his past and the war he has spent so many years fighting. Throughout the novel, he tries to look forwards, and the tone of the story reflects this perfectly. Nathan is the ideal character to lead the reader through this journey, providing both an engaging perspective on the era and an emotional connection that keeps the pages turning.
A novel of survival and the ending of a war leading to a fight for freedom and safety, The Long Road Home by Nathan Fletcher gives readers a glimpse into the politics and realities of post-war Cuba in the late nineteenth century. Through Nathan, we experience the dangers of the Cuban jungles while witnessing the strength it takes to fight for love in a world where acceptance is far from guaranteed. There are moments of action that keep the reader immersed in the intensity of the story, alongside heartwarming scenes that evoke genuine emotion. This is a novel that inspires, informs, and entertains while remaining a relatively quick read that can easily be enjoyed in a single sitting.
The Coffee Pot Book Club
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