Author Margarita Barresi contends that people should read books that celebrate other cultures so they can be better citizens of the world.
So the native of Puerto Rico infused her first novel with her love of Puerto Rico, its beauty, people, traditions, culture, food and language.
“I wanted to pack as many details about life on the island as possible, to make Puerto Rico practically a character in the book. I hope readers fall a little bit in love with the island,” said the author of “A Delicate Marriage.”
Set against the vibrant landscape of Puerto Rico 40 years after its colonization by the United States, the novel weaves together the lives of Isabela and Marco.
Isabela, a woman of privilege, makes the ultimate sacrifice by forsaking her artistic dreams to marry Marco, a passionate advocate for social change in a country grappling with its identity under U.S. influence. As Marco rises to power in the real estate industry while navigating the political currents of the time, Isabela finds herself increasingly disillusioned with her traditional role and torn between her loyalty to her husband and her own desire for autonomy.
As political violence threatens their paradise, Isabela and Marco question whether their marriage, like the island’s relationship with the U.S., should continue. The novel celebrates Puerto Rican culture while delving into themes of class, oppression and the effects of colonialism through the lens of a marriage.
The characters of Isabela and Marco are based on the author’s grandparents; Don Gabriel is based on her great-grandfather.
“Marriage and politics are similar in that to be successful they both require compromise,” Barresi said. “A marriage should benefit both parties, yet that’s not always the case in a ‘colonial marriage.’ In a colonial relationship there’s an imbalance of power and the ruling party is likely to benefit the most.”
The book’s title refers to the tenuous relationship the main characters have because of their differing political opinions. It also refers to the “delicate marriage” between Puerto Rico — a colony — and the United States.
Barresi thought it would be interesting to create a couple who are passionate about improving conditions on the island but have opposing political views. “This enabled me to illustrate how being a U.S. colony has affected the island in both negative and positive ways. The give-and-take in Isa and Marco’s marriage mirrors the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico, which remains fraught with tension to this day. Stories need tension to be interesting and what better tension than different ideologies under one roof?”
Two things inspired the book. “First, the story of my grandparents’ courtship. Like Isa, my grandmother was a debutante who wanted to be an actress. Like Marco, my grandfather came from nothing but used his smarts to get an education. They met and fell in love, but my grandmother’s father, Cheo, did not approve of my grandfather as a suitor for his daughter and did everything in his power to keep them apart,” she said. “In the book, everything Don Gabriel does to keep the lovers apart, Cheo did in real life. I grew up listening to those stories and thinking it all sounded so glamorous.”
Secondly, Barresi wanted to educate readers about the island’s history, particularly after it became a U.S. colony in 1898. “The Puerto Ricans were on the cusp of attaining independence from Spain when the U.S. landed on its shores, so you can imagine the frustration of the Puerto Rican people to have once again to bow to a greater power,” she said. “It’s now the oldest colony in the world, and its fascinating story is part of the history of the U.S. but not taught in schools.”
Puerto Rico is part of the United States, yet many Americans don’t know that basic fact or anything about the island and its people, she said. “‘A Delicate Marriage’ puts the island’s history into context. It begins to answer questions such as, ‘Why have so many Puerto Ricans migrated to the mainland since the 1940s?’ It shines a light on decisions that well-meaning leaders made during the 1940s and ‘50s which had unfortunate long-term impacts.”
Barresi was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and lived there until coming to the states to attend Boston University. She majored in public relations and had a successful career in marketing and communications, working at agencies for clients like Smartfood Popcorn, Dunkin’ Donuts and Bausch & Lomb and in-house for Tufts Health Plan and Bentley University; she now works as a freelance editor and copyeditor.
Barresi, who has been married for 34 years and has two adult daughters, lives in Wakefield where she has a small area in her house with lots of windows that serves as her dedicated writing space.
“A Delicate Marriage,” historical fiction, in paperback sells for $17.99, hardcover for $27.99 and Kindle for $8.99. It has 352 pages and was published by Atmosphere Press in October.
For more information, go online to margaritabarresi.com.
