Catalina

A Novel

De: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Narrado por: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A year in the life of the unforgettable Catalina Ituralde, a wickedly wry and heartbreakingly vulnerable student at an elite college, forced to navigate an opaque past, an uncertain future, tragedies on two continents, and the tantalizing possibilities of love and freedom

“[A] sparkling fiction debut.”—The New York Times Book Review
“[A] fresh and unflinching take on the campus novel.”—People (Ten Best Books of the Year)
“Diabolically charming and magnetic.”—Ira Glass

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The Washington Post, NPR, The Boston Globe, them

When Catalina is admitted to Harvard, it feels like the fulfillment of destiny: a miracle child escapes death in Latin America, moves to Queens to be raised by her undocumented grandparents, and becomes one of the chosen. But nothing is simple for Catalina, least of all her own complicated, contradictory, ruthlessly probing mind. Now a senior, she faces graduation to a world that has no place for the undocumented; her sense of doom intensifies her curiosities and desires. She infiltrates the school’s elite subcultures—internships and literary journals, posh parties and secret societies—which she observes with the eye of an anthropologist and an interloper’s skepticism: she is both fascinated and repulsed. Craving a great romance, Catalina finds herself drawn to a fellow student, an actual budding anthropologist eager to teach her about the Latin American world she was born into but never knew, even as her life back in Queens begins to unravel. And every day, the clock ticks closer to the abyss of life after graduation. Can she save her family? Can she save herself? What does it mean to be saved?

Brash and daring, part campus novel, part hagiography, part pop song, Catalina is unlike any coming-of-age novel you’ve ever read—and Catalina, bright and tragic, circled by a nimbus of chaotic energy, driven by a wild heart, is a character you will never forget.

©2024 Karla Cornejo Villavicencio (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“[A] sparkling fiction debut . . . Cornejo Villavicencio’s prose seduces her readers. . . . With this story and character, Cornejo Villavicencio asks: Who’s the real meritocrat at Harvard, where corporate scions and children of celebrities rule? Students like Catalina don’t sit at the table, Cornejo Villavicencio suggests, until they do. The author’s voice is strong but the social critique is stronger. . . . Through this story line, Cornejo Villavicencio revisits themes she covered in her nonfiction work, the National Book Award finalist The Undocumented Americans, but here, in Catalina, she enlarges her canvas, luxuriating in the freedom found in fiction. This talky, shrewd, irresistible protagonist deepens our understanding of how small slights and epic challenges mold an immigrant’s life.”—The New York Times Book Review

“Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s debut work of fiction captures the paradox of immigrant identity in the United States. . . . Cornejo Villavicencio’s fluid, digressive prose shines brightest when Catalina’s theatrical self-presentation takes center stage. . . . Cornejo Villavicencio delivers irrefutable proof that, when it comes to depicting courtship, she is a worthy student of Gabriel García Márquez.”—The Atlantic

“[A] fresh and unflinching take on the campus novel.”—People

Brilliant

Sharp and funny and poignant. Never read anything quite like it. I will remember Catalina’s voice.

Absolutely unforgettable experience!

Catalina is such a fun and deeply provocative book! It’s so intimate, full of inside thoughts described in hilariously and relatable ways. I walk away full of clever insights, feeling like I have a new best friend. This is definitely my new favorite book. Super easy to read, it’s a page turner till the end. So sad it’s over! The audio version was super soothing and had me laughing out loud. My absolute new favorite book! I’m getting a copy for everyone!

A splendid read on Audible

An unforgettable voice and horrific story that transported me someplace I had never been. What more do you want a wonderful book?

Monotone delivery

Found it difficult to connect with main characters. Given the difficulties she faced, the reading should have had more emotion. I had to force myself to finish it