Seva is a fictional town described in the novel Seva

Seva (short story)

"Seva: A History of the First American Invasion of the Island of Puerto Rico in May 1898" is a short story written by Puerto Rican author Luis López Nieves. First published in the newspaper Claridad on December 23, 1983, the story gives a fictionalized account of the 1898 U.S. invasion of Puerto...

, by Puerto Rican writer Luis López Nieves

Luis López Nieves

Luis López Nieves is one of the most influential and best-selling Puerto Rican authors ever. He has won the National Literature Prize on two occasions: first, in 2000, with his book of historical short stories ; second, in 2005, with his novel . He published two other books including Seva, and ...

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"Seva" is considered the most important short story ever published in Puerto Rico. It has sold many editions and is studied in every school. There are extensive critical studies about this town and book, mostly in Spanish.

Origin of the name

In various interviews Luis López Nieves has explained that he wanted to invent a town with a name similar to "Ceiba", a real Puerto Rican town. Therefore, he changed the "C" into an "S", eliminated the "I", and transformed the "B" into "V". The result was the name of his fictional town: "Seva".

History

The date of the foundation of the fictitious town of Seva is unknown, but the town's demise on August 1898 is amply documented in the book Seva, by Luis López Nieves. The author uses as a historical backdrop the Hispanic-American War. In the story the invasion of Puerto Rico begins on May 5, 1898 when the US Army disembarks on the beaches of the small town of Seva. The residents mount a ferocious opposition and stop the Army at the beach until August 6, 1898, when they are surrounded by additional army reinforcements that had landed on the southwestern coast of the island. On August 10, 1898 the US Army shoots the 720 citizens of Seva that are captured in the final battle.

Location

Like Ceiba, it has an eastern coast on the Atlantic Ocean, and it's located north of Naguabo

Nagüabo, Puerto Rico

Naguabo is a municipality in Puerto Rico located in the east coast of the island, north of Humacao; south of Río Grande and Ceiba; and east of Las Piedras. Naguabo is spread over 8 wards and Naguabo Pueblo...

, south of Fajardo

Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Fajardo is a small city in Puerto Rico located in the east region of the island, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, north of Ceiba and east of Luquillo.Fajardo is spread over 7 wards and Downtown Fajardo , which serves as the administrative center of the city...

, and east of Río Grande

Río Grande, Puerto Rico

Río Grande is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Northern Coastal Valley, North of Las Piedras, Naguabo and Ceiba; east of Loíza and Canóvanas and west of Luquillo. Río Grande is spread over eight wards and Río Grande Pueblo...

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