Cirilo Villaverde Collected editions

Cirilo Villaverde (1812 – 1894) was a Cuban novelist whose Cecilia Valdés offers a panoramic view of 19th-century Havana, weaving together themes of love, race, and social hierarchy. The novel follows the tragic romance between a beautiful mixed-race woman and the man who is unknowingly her half-brother.

Villaverde’s work blends melodrama with pointed social critique, illuminating the complexities of colonial Cuban society.

Through Cecilia Valdés, Cirilo Villaverde created both a compelling love story and a historical document of his era.