Stronger Than Fear by Cecilia Samartin Novel Review
Translated by Anne-Kristin Strøm and Arve Juritzen
Juritzen Publishing House
2026
Cecilia Samartin was born in Havana, Cuba in 1961, in the midst of the revolution. She is a trained psychologist and family therapist and lives in Los Angeles. Samartin has written nine novels that have been published in 25 countries. She has won several awards and topped the USA Today bestseller list.
Cecilia greatly values her 20-year relationship with her Norwegian readers, and has sold 1.5 million books in Norwegian. "Stronger than Fear" is a story about what ordinary people can achieve when they refuse to be ruled by their own fear.
It is 2016 and the dictator Fidel Castro has just passed away. Cuba finds itself in a strange, explosive vacuum characterized by uncertainty, fear and a burning desire for change. At Laura's home is her neighbor and friend Anita. It is at this historic moment, as the country trembles after the death of the dictator, that Laura finally speaks out after decades of silence: "Anita, there is something that has been weighing on me. I have not told anyone, but I think the time has come and I must start from the beginning." She will finally answer the question that has been hanging in the air for so many years: Did she really have an affair with Fidel Castro?
Through her story, we are taken back to Havana in 1985. The young Laura lives in desperate poverty and under a political system that oppresses the people. She is very pretty, but desperate for a way out of her poverty. When the opportunity suddenly presents itself, she steals a wallet. She has no idea that she is being watched, but this theft opens the door to a whole new and strange world of privilege. However, it will also be the beginning of a story filled with intense drama, surveillance and danger.
When Laura must save the love of her life, she finds unexpected support in two other women who represent completely different sides of Cuban society: the fearless Berta and the deeply religious black market queen Graciela. Together, the three ordinary women devise a plan so daring and deadly that it seems almost impossible to succeed. The struggle forces them into a life of constant paranoia under the long arms of the regime, where the secret police pressure neighbors and friends to spy on each other. In the midst of this harsh reality, the plan is driven forward by the women's unbreakable loyalty, while old, heavy secrets are gradually forced to the surface.
"Stronger than Fear" is an impressive and very interesting novel about life that unfolds in the shadow of a dictatorship, and about how ordinary people can find unexpected strength and overcome their deepest fears when freedom and love are at stake. In short, this is a book with a lot to offer.
I think there is something very special about the way Cecilia Samartin captures the heart and soul of her original homeland. In "Stronger than Fear" she takes us readers once again to Cuba – a country that for over sixty years has been characterized by a totalitarian regime that has divided families and silenced an entire population. But beneath the surface of oppression and fear, there always smolders an unbreakable joy of life and a deep longing for freedom. For me, it is precisely this burning field of tension that Samartin explores so masterfully in this book.
The plot is cleverly built around two parallel timelines that intertwine the past (1985) and the present (2016) in a way that captivated me from the very first page.
What I liked most about this novel is how incredibly real and realistic everything feels. Samartin uses the real-life mystique of Fidel Castro as a brilliant backdrop. Castro was known to disappear from public view for weeks or months at a time, creating intrigue and keeping both friends and enemies in constant suspense. "Stronger Than Fear" weaves a fantastic story of what might have actually happened behind the scenes during one of these mysterious disappearances.
The book is carried forward by a wonderful and resilient community of women. The characters represent different generations and walks of life, but they are bound together by a common destiny. In a society steeped in paranoia, where secret police pressure neighbors to spy on each other, these women must find an inner ruthlessness to survive. Samartin perfectly balances this suspenseful political thriller with depictions of deep love, the capacity for forgiveness, and unwavering loyalty.
For me, the language in the book was a pleasure in itself. It feels fluid, flowery and incredibly detailed. I feel like Samartin paints with words, and her descriptions of nature and people are so vivid that I could almost see and smell Cuba as I read. Amidst all the decay, poverty and shattered illusions, she really manages to convey the exotic charm, music and temperament that make the country so unique. It is a raw depiction from the bottom of society, but it struck me with an enormous warmth and intimacy.
"Stronger than Fear" is an ambitious, intricate and mature novel aimed at adult readers. The story is unpredictable, and nothing is quite as it seems at first. Old secrets are gradually revealed, and the narrative builds towards a dramatic and very surprising ending that hit me hard. Laura's story made an indelible impression on me. Although the story takes place a few years back in time, the issues surrounding freedom, oppression, and human dignity are unfortunately just as relevant today.
This is a dazzling and moving novel that shows what ordinary people are capable of when they refuse to be ruled by fear. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a story with both heart, brain, and nerve.
Go to Article HERE