Ephron entertains with inspiring true life story

BOOK INFORMATION  

Title: White Rose: Una Rosa Blanca
Author: Amy Ephron
Publisher: The Ballantine Publishing Group
Price: $12
Pages: 259

By Kristen Lara
Daily Bruin Contributor

Long before the story of Elian Gonzales captured the attention
of the global community, the story of a young Cuban woman proved to
be just as politically and emotionally divisive.

In her novel, “White Rose: Una Rosa Blanca,” Amy
Ephron tells the true story of Evangelina Cisneros, a young Cuban
revolutionary jailed shortly after her father is imprisoned for his
political beliefs. Evangelina’s imprisonment sets off an
international uproar as people around the world sympathize with the
young 19-year-old and furiously plead for her release.

Their cries for justice fall on deaf ears, however, as the Cuban
government sentences Evangelina to be moved from the women’s
prison in Havana to the Spanish government’s harshest and
most unforgiving penal colony.

Her fate appears to be sealed until the American newspaper
mogul, William Randolph Hearst, decides to interfere in the
situation not only to right the injustices suffered by the young
girl, but also to exploit her story. He sends reporter Karl Decker
to Havana with the order to free Evangelina and to bring her back
to the United States.

Eventually, the young woman is faced with the decision of
whether to remain in Cuba and fight for the greater good or else to
follow Decker to America and plead for her country before President
McKinley. However, she is also faced with another decision, as she
finds herself torn between her childhood sweetheart and the
courageous and determined American who has risked everything to
rescue her.

The story takes place both in politically restless Cuba and
turn-of-the-century Manhattan. Suspenseful and romantic,
“White Rose: Una Rosa Blanca” is written in a voice
that is at once simple and direct, yet also richly evocative.
Ephron is able to quickly transport the reader from scenes of haste
and violence in murky alleys to emotion-charged scenes in the
haunting beauty of lush Cuban jungles. Ephron’s book is
fast-paced, with many chapters running no longer than two to four
pages. Her sharp detail, as well as the novel’s gripping
suspense, immerses the reader within Evangelina’s story. By
using a few key details, she is able to set a fast pace best
exemplified in the urgency of the escape scenes.

One of the strongest elements in Ephron’s story, however,
is the character development. The reader quickly sees
Evangelina’s grace and quiet strength as the novel opens with
her calmly bearing the trials of her imprisonment, sustained by a
revolutionary fervor about the cause of freedom.

Additionally, the characters are rendered all the more human as
the reader sees their own internal conflicts. Karl’s mission
proves difficult as he learns that he can trust no one or else his
life may be in danger. The story takes an interesting turn as the
married Decker finds himself more willing to compromise his morals
as he is continually drawn to the beautiful and spirited
Evangelina.

As they make their bid for freedom, Evangelina finds her
emotional ties to her country and her loved ones pulling her to
stay in her homeland and fight alongside those whom she’s
known all her life. Her sense of duty to her family battles with
the desire to escape to the United States to plead for the aid for
her countrymen.

The story is one of strength and resolve in the face of
adversity, and the willingness to sacrifice for something greater
than oneself. That the novel was based on fact renders it all the
more powerful. The message of courage resonates with the reader
more as they meet characters who actually existed, who risked their
lives and hearts for something they believed in.

At the end of the book, the author includes a reader’s
guide with a personal interview containing information on the
story’s history, similarities between Evangelina Cisneros and
Elian Gonzales, and Ephron’s own methods of researching,
among other key points of interest.

Overall, Ephron’s book has all the right elements of a
suspenseful novel, yet it lacks the power to truly emotionally
compel the reader. Although it does magnify the story’s
impact, Ephron relies too heavily on the fact that her novel is
based on a true story, hoping that this element alone will make it
resonate within the reader’s mind. The effect, however, could
have been enhanced had she occasionally sacrificed the rapid pace
in the name of taking the time to stir the reader’s
emotions.

NOVEL: “White Rose: Una Rosa
Blanca” is being made into a movie directed by Luc Besson.
Ephron herself is writing the screenplay and will serve as
executive producer.