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The author contributes to her Cuban culture by making people aware of Cuba's history and its economic, social, and political growth over the years. She does a magnificent job describing Cuba’s culture, social injustice, and women's rights during the period of slavery. Cuba and America have both faced economic problems of social injustice but have overall grown into prosperous countries.

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- Costs anywhere from $500-$1,000 to buy themselves out of slavery.
- Forced to get married when they are fifteen.
- To free an unborn baby it cost $15. That prices doubles the day it is born.

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This book is written in what looks to be verses. It is told in four different points of view. Frederika’s, Cecilia’s, Elane’s and Beni’s. All these characters have different personalities and stories which are expressed and shared throughout the story.

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-The book takes place in Cuba around the 1850s. Cuba during this time was facing slavery. Slaves did not have freedom, faced harsh treatment, and worked in terrible conditions. Cuba ended up abolishing slavery in 1886.

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In Cuba women and girls do not have much freedom let alone any. This story is about a girl named Frederika who leaves Sweden in the 1850's and travels to Cuba in order to start her journey. She goes there in order to learn more about the repression in Cuba. She is joined by Cecilia, a young slave who wants to be free. Elena, the slave owners daughter, sneaks out to join them. As the three women explore Cuba they form a bond. This bond breaks the barriers of language, culture, and social standards.

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Elena is the slave owners daughter. She is 12 years old and teaches the slaves how to sew. She listens to the conversations between Frederika and Cecilia. Those conversations have changed her life and way of thinking. She believes all men and woman should be equal. She also loves to decorate her hope chest!

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Cecilia is fifteen years old, pregnant, and a slave. At the age of fourteen, she was forced by her owner to marry a man named Beni. When she was only eight years old her father sold her into slavery in exchange for a stolen cow. When Frederika moved into the house they became good friends. Cecilia has always wanted to be free but never thought it could be possible.

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Frederika left Sweden and traveled to Cuba. she gave up her families wealth to follow her dreams of traveling and writing. When she arrives in Cuba she ends up staying with a slave owner and his daughter. She meets Cecilia the slave of the house who is also a translator for Frederika and her host family. Frederika learns all about Cecilia and wants to help get her free.

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Frederika, Cecilia, and Elena are the three main girl characters in the story. These three women are completely different and have different stories, but their lives cross paths. Those three women end up coming together and creating an unbreakable bond. Together they learned about social injustice and bettered themselves as people. They learned no matter the background of a person, everyone is human and should be treated the same.

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The fireflies are a reoccurring symbol in the story. They symbolize being freed. In the story the children tie them up and put them in jars until they starve. Frederika continues to pay the children to set them free.