The Lightning Dreamer - Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist

“I find it so easy to forget / that I’m just a girl who is expected / to live / without thoughts.”

Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.

Tula’s story is a testament to the power of a single voice against an empire.

A Strong Female Protagonist: Meet Tula, the real-life 19th-century Cuban girl who defied her family and society, choosing the power of poetry over a profitable arranged marriage. Biographical Fiction: Discover the imagined inner world of the trailblazing poet Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, whose fight for freedom changed the course of literature. Coming of Age: At fourteen, Tula is expected to be silent and obedient. Instead, she finds her voice, challenging everything she’s been taught about a woman’s place in the world. A Story of Social Justice: In a time when speaking out against slavery was a death sentence, Tula’s most dangerous weapon was her words, veiled in metaphor and filled with passion.