Now Then: A Novel

Now Then follows Liliana Soto Walker, an 18-year-old Harvard freshman arriving from Appalachia in 1991. The daughter of a Cuban immigrant mother and Black American father, Lily feels displaced among her privileged peers until her roommate Hana and a developing relationship with Vikram, an Indian-British postdoctoral student, offer a sense of belonging. As Lily adjusts to college, her mother Marisol begins sharing her past through letters, prompting Lily to investigate hidden family histories. Parallel to Lily's present-day journey, the narrative shifts to 1957 Havana, where Marisol was a young woman aspiring to become a journalist. As political upheaval and the Cuban Revolution intensify, a traumatic night forces Marisol to flee Cuba, a departure she has kept secret for decades. Through correspondence with her daughter, Marisol's long-hidden truths emerge, reshaping Lily's understanding of her mother and herself. The novel explores the bond between Lily and Vikram across decades and continents, marked by significant missed connections. It examines themes of concealed secrets, second chances, and the enduring choices that shape lives and relationships.